MEDIA RELEASE: A new look to serve us for the next 50 years
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 26, 2021
A New Era of the Friendship Centre Movement:
A new look to serve us for the next 50 years
The National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) is thrilled to reveal our new brand, a new logo and website. In anticipation of the NAFC’s upcoming landmark 50th Anniversary, kicking off with a virtual celebration in September 2021, we present a new look to align with our vision for a new era of the Friendship Centre Movement.
The NAFC's new look aligns with the vision articulated in our 10-year Strategic Plan:
“Ascending to a future that remembers the past and is rooted in our cultures to improve the wellbeing of Indigenous people living in urban environments”
“As we look back on our last 50 years and launch into the next 50 years, our goal was to create a visual identity that connects and resonates with Indigenous people in large and small urban settings, while being culturally meaningful,” said Jocelyn Formsma, NAFC Executive Director, “The brighter colour palette represents the vibrancy of the Friendship Centre Movement and the significance of urban Indigenous community members being seen and heard”
Over the next year, the NAFC will host a series of 50th anniversary celebration events that recognize the people and communities that have contributed to the long-standing history of Friendship Centres, honours the many people who have given uncountable hours to making the Friendship Centre Movement a success, and recognizes the global uniqueness of our network. As we step into the next 50 years, we begin with a new look and feel that encapsulates the renewed direction and fortitude of the Friendship Centre Movement.
“Anything that is successful and enduring also evolves as times change. The Friendship Centre Movement has grown exponentially over these last 50 years” said Christopher Sheppard, NAFC Board President. “It is vital that Friendship Centres continue, not just in the form that we know, but also in the form that we have collectively envisioned for ourselves in a new era. "
Through this growth, the NAFC remains proud that the Friendship Centre Movement remains governed by, driven by, and accountable to Indigenous peoples living in urban settings, including rural and remote communities off-reserve, outside Métis homelands and outside Inuit Nunangat. As we continue to work collectively to build and secure a bright future for Indigenous people in urban settings, we will continue being trusted and community-driven Indigenous civil society entities that provide connection, community and, of course, a vast array of culturally relevant wrap-around services.
FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Bridget Bowman
Communications, Policy and Research Manager
bbowman@nafc.ca
The NAFC represents over 100 local Friendship Centres and Provincial/Territorial Associations in every province and territory in Canada (except Prince Edward Island). Friendship Centres are urban Indigenous community hubs that provide a wide range of programs and services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people living in urban, rural, and northern communities. Collectively, Friendship Centres are the largest and most comprehensive urban Indigenous service delivery network in Canada.