Since 2020, we've organized COVID-19 community vaccination clinics with translation support and weekly phone-calls between youth and seniors to reduce isolation during the pandemic. More recently, we've distributed face masks, rapid tests, and hand sanitizer to the community in partnership with Masks4EastVan.

Led by our Outreach team, we provide case management to support seniors in meeting their basic needs around housing, health, and income. This service is available only to residents of the Downtown Eastside, Chinatown, and Strathcona area.

Chinese Seniors Hub aims to build strong communities among Chinese seniors through senior empowerment, peer-based outreach, tech support, tech class, recreational events, workshops, and healthy activities. Seniors meet every Monday and Friday (barring statutory holidays) at 9 AM for group morning exercise in Chinatown Plaza.

In summer 2024, Yarrow launched our first accessible and intergenerational community garden at V6A Garden and will be hosting a Fieldhouse Residency at MacLean Park in 2025. Yarrow also offers a fully subsidized hot meal delivery program for disabled Eastside seniors.

For Chinese seniors, going to a simple hospital exam can be a stressful experience. We are working towards advancing language access to healthcare through advocacy and community-based organizing.

Seniors Core community meetings are organized with the support of our Chinese Seniors Hub team. Seniors meet regularly to discuss community issues and updates that affect their lives while also providing feedback and direction for our programs. The discussions at our meetings ensure that our work reflects the needs of the community.

Yarrow invites volunteers to help us in our intergenerational events and senior programs. Volunteers can sign up for a range of different activities, all of which support seniors in the Chinatown, Strathcona, and DTES area. Some examples include: meal deliveries, technology support, medical accompaniments, interpreting, and celebrations/events.

Volunteers of all ages and identities are welcome to join! Chinese proficiency is NOT required, but some roles (example: interpreting) require fluency/proficiency in Chinese.

With support from our dedicated volunteers and outreach workers, we provide informal translation and interpretation support for seniors' medical appointments.

In recognition of the empowering potential of artistic expression, Yarrow has organized various intergenerational community art projects to amplify the stories and experiences of our seniors and youth.

Projects we've organized since 2019 include Speak My Language podcasts, Dreaming Hand-in-Hand, Chinatown Looks, Threads of Resistance: Black and Chinese Storytelling and (Re)Archiving, and Space(s) in Chinatown.