John Howard Society changes name, partners with Vancouver-based Connective

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops-based John Howard Society of Thompson Region (JHSTR) has announced a name change to align with the Vancouver-based social agency Connective.

Connective operates services in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Northern B.C. and Yukon, and its partnership with JHSTR represents a first foray into the B.C. Interior.

In a news release, JHSTR CEO Lindsay Lord said a rebrand and refresh has been on the table for about a year.

“The discussions with our stakeholders, leadership and community were thorough and we took our time with the process,” said Lord. “Once we had evaluated each of our options, the decision was actually quite obvious. A shared brand was the most logical next step for our growing organization.”

In Kamloops, JHSTR has helped more than 300 people with job training and placement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is also getting set to open Diversity Flats, a 60-unit affordable housing complex at 445 Fifth Avenue. Diversity Flats is meant to house “those with low-to-moderate–incomes, seniors, or perhaps in transition from dangerous living situations such as spousal abuse.” Tenants may be employed but living paycheque-to-paycheque.

(Ed. note: An earlier version of this story described the partnership between the two organizations as a merger. That is incorrect. The story has now been corrected.)