HELPING FAMILIES THRIVE • CONNECTING COMMUNITIES • CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
HELPING FAMILIES THRIVE • CONNECTING COMMUNITIES • CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
Discover the story behind our organization and the vision that inspired its foundation. Learn about our journey, core values, and the leadership that continues to shape our growth and success.
Mr. Kim Hung was the founder of ASSIST Community Services Centre. In 2004, the City of Edmonton recognized him as one of the 100 Edmontonians of the Century. He was inducted into the City of Edmonton Community Service Hall of Fame on June 13, 2006, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to community service. In 2012, the Edmonton Historical Board further acknowledged his contributions by recognizing him for promoting Edmonton’s heritage. In 2018, Kim Hung School, part of Edmonton Public Schools, opened in Edmonton and was named in his honour, further cementing his lasting legacy in the city.
Mr. Hung spent most of his life in Edmonton. After arriving from Hong Kong in the late 1960s as a university student, he devoted himself selflessly to improving the quality of life of Edmonton’s Chinese community until his passing in 1996. While studying at the University of Alberta, Mr. Hung founded the Chinese Library Society, a space where students could gather, socialize, and stay informed about news from home. Following graduation, he and a group of like-minded friends established the Chinese Graduates Association of Alberta (CGAA) to support international students facing settlement and integration challenges.
Despite his short life, Mr. Hung’s impact was profound. He played a key role in founding numerous community and volunteer organizations, including the Chinese Community Services Centre (now ASSIST Community Services Centre), the Chinese Bilingual Program within Edmonton Public Schools, the Edmonton Chinatown Multicultural Centre, the Edmonton Chinese Elders’ Mansion II, the Chinese Benevolent Association, the Chinatown Gate, and the Chinese Seniors Lodge.
Less widely known, but equally significant, was Mr. Hung’s informal role as a cultural and economic ambassador. His efforts in introducing the City of Edmonton to potential investors in China contributed to Edmonton’s twinning with the City of Harbin as a sister city. Members of Edmonton’s Chinese community remember Mr. Hung as “a simple man with a caring heart,” a legacy that continues to be felt across the community.
ASSIST Community Services Centre was established in 1977 under the name Chinese Community Services Centre. Its origins stem from a one-year project funded and supported by the Chinese Graduates Association of Alberta, entitled Needs of Social Services in the Chinese Community, which assessed and responded to the social service needs of Chinese residents in Edmonton.
Following the completion of the project, the Centre continued operating through volunteer efforts and donations from local businesses. Despite limited and inconsistent funding during the late 1970s, services continued. The arrival of large numbers of Indo-Chinese refugees (boat people)fleeing Vietnam in the mid-1970s increased demand for settlement assistance. In January 1980, the Centre received one-time funding from the City of Edmonton to provide basic settlement services, including information and referrals, interpretation, and translation. In 1981, federal funding enabled further expansion of settlement services.
On January 12, 1983, the Centre was formally incorporated as a non-profit organization. In October 1983, the Centre relocated from Jasper Avenue to share space with the Edmonton Chinatown Multicultural Centre, and later became a registered charity on June 7, 1990. Volunteers played a central role throughout this period, many of whom were members of the Chinese Graduates Association of Alberta.
During this period, the Centre’s most popular programs were English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and citizenship preparation courses. Direct services also expanded to include employment and housing referrals, translation and interpretation, assistance with documentation, legal referrals, and community workshops on topics such as family planning, nutrition, insurance, and legal rights. An annual free tax clinic was also introduced with volunteer support. By this time, the Centre employed two full-time staff with limited funding came from government, the Edmonton Catholic School Board, tuition fees, and public donations.
In the mid-1990s, the Centre received federal funding to deliver Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) programs, as well as provincial and federal support for the Integrated Services Program (ISP). These programs became foundational to the Centre’s settlement services. During this period, clients included immigrants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, and Indo-China.
The late 1990s marked a period of program expansion for ASSIST. Building on earlier family-focused initiatives, new programs such as Nobody’s Perfect and Let’s Grow Together were introduced. Additional programs for children, youth, and seniors followed, including Towards a New Generation (T.A.N.G.), Smart Choices – Recognizing Problem Gambling, and the Golden Senior Wellness Enhanced Program.
In partnership with the Edmonton John Howard Society and funded by the Victims of Crime grant, the organization also launched the first specialized outreach services for victims of family violence from Chinese and other Asian communities. Recognized as a promising practice for many years, the program operated from 1999 to 2025 before ending due to funding cuts.
A formal Volunteer Program was launched through a two-year pilot project beginning in 2001. The first Volunteer Fair, held at Edmonton City Hall in October 2003, generated significant community engagement. By 2001, the Centre operated 10 programs and projects, supported by 20 staff and numerous volunteers.
Reflecting its growing service to diverse communities, the organization was renamed ASSIST Community Services Centre on July 18, 2001. The Centre also relocated to its current downtown location at 9649–105A Avenue. In 2003, ASSIST launched its first multicultural initiative, the Multicultural Breast Health Education Project, serving women from multiple cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
ASSIST experienced significant growth during this period, particularly over the decade following 2005. Supported by funding from all three levels of government, the organization’s annual operating budget increased from approximately $580,000 in 2005 to over $3 million by 2017, while staffing levels grew from 20 to 72. Fundraising efforts were formalized in 2007 with the launch of the annual Walk & Run event, supported by more than 50 volunteers and generating over $20,000 each year.
Following Alberta’s economic expansion in 2006–2007, increased immigration led to a substantial rise in demand for settlement services beginning in 2008. In response, ASSIST introduced the family literacy program Raising Children Through Songs, Stories, & Books in 2009, funded by Alberta Advanced Education. During 2008–2009, the organization delivered more than 10,000 services across its programs and activities. Facility improvements to the downtown location were completed in 2009 with federal and provincial funding, including an expanded reception area and additional offices and classrooms. By this time, ASSIST was supported by over 50 staff and more than 200 volunteers serving diverse multicultural communities.
In 2012, ASSIST expanded its operations by opening a second office in southwest Edmonton, becoming the first immigrant-serving agency to provide services in that area. This expansion represented a major milestone in organizational growth, increasing access to programs and services for newcomers. Operations at the southwest office were fully funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). In 2016, with increased FCSS funding from the City of Edmonton, the TANG youth program was extended to the southwest location, further supporting immigrant and refugee youth and enhancing program diversity.
By 2016–2017, ASSIST was serving several hundred clients each week through its two offices and delivered close to 20,000 services annually to immigrants from more than 100 countries.
ASSIST marked its 40th anniversary in 2017 and reached another major milestone with the establishment of the Southwest LINC Centre, funded by IRCC. The two-storey centre opened in February 2018, offering full-time and part-time LINC classes and on-site childcare.
With the addition of the Southwest LINC Centre, ASSIST expanded to three client service locations, one in downtown and two in the southwest. As the only immigrant-serving agency and LINC provider in the southwest, ASSIST filled a critical gap in services for newcomers living in these communities. This expansion contributed to substantial organizational growth, with annual operating revenues increasing from approximately $3.5 million to $4.5 million, supported by funding from all three levels of government, and staff has grown to more than 80.
Between 2017 and 2026, ASSIST continued to evolve and expand its services despite significant external challenges. This period was marked by major funding fluctuations, the global COVID-19 pandemic, and shifting immigration patterns in Alberta. In response, ASSIST demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and innovation while remaining steadfast in its mission to support immigrants and refugees.
In 2020, ASSIST faced substantial funding reductions from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as Alberta experienced an economic downturn and declining employment opportunities. As fewer immigrants chose to settle in the province, permanent resident landings decreased, resulting in widespread funding cuts across Alberta’s settlement sector. These reductions significantly affected service capacity and required ASSIST to reassess program delivery models.
In the same year, however, the implementation of Alberta’s Family Resource Network model provided ASSIST with new funding to deliver parenting education programs for parents and caregivers of children aged 0 to 18 from ethnocultural communities. These programs equip families with the knowledge, skills, and resilience needed to support healthy parenting and positive child development.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021 further disrupted in-person services worldwide. ASSIST responded swiftly by transitioning many programs and services to online platforms. This shift ensured continuity of support for clients while accelerating the organization’s adoption of technology. Staff and volunteers delivered programs through multiple digital platforms and supported clients in navigating online systems, strengthening digital literacy within newcomer communities.
In the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, ASSIST entered a period of renewed growth as immigration levels increased and federal funding through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) gradually expanded. This growth coincided with changes to federal immigration targets under the Trudeau government and resulted in increased demand for settlement and language training services across Edmonton.
During this period, ASSIST’s Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program expanded significantly. After being reduced to 12 classes in 2020, the program grew to 34 classes by 2025. This expansion included regular stream and Literacy LINC classes, programming for learners aged 50 and over, and an afternoon women-only program offering both Literacy and regular stream classes. Over time, ASSIST adopted a range of delivery models: in-person, online, blended (in-person and online delivered consecutively), hybrid (one day in-person and two days online), and hyflex (in-person and online delivered concurrently), reflecting the organization’s ongoing efforts to respond to changing learner needs and evolving public health and technological realities.
Childcare services connected to LINC programming also grew during this period. Capacity increased from 25 to 60 spaces, with expanded hours that included daytime and afternoon childcare services, with additional childminding offered on Monday evenings and Saturdays. These changes played an important role in improving access to language training for newcomer parents and caregivers and became a key feature of ASSIST’s integrated service model.
Alongside the growth of LINC, ASSIST broadened its educational and community programming. With increased funding from the Edmonton Community Adult Learning Association (ECALA), the organization expanded part-time English language classes for community members not eligible for LINC. Beginning in 2024, ASSIST introduced new programming for immigrant and refugee youth, including English and career development courses for students in Grades 10 to 12 and young adults aged 19 to 25, supported by the Edmonton Community Foundation. This period of expansion continued in 2025 and 2026 with the launch of English and Financial Literacy programs for newcomers, funded by the AIMCo Foundation, marking an important step in ASSIST’s evolving focus on economic integration and long-term settlement outcomes.
In 2023, ASSIST launched its first ASSIST Taste of Heritage Festival, a LINC student-led event that celebrated cultural diversity through traditional coffee, tea, and attire representing 17 countries. The event was made possible through the collaborative efforts of LINC students and their families, staff, and volunteers, and became a meaningful expression of community connection and cultural pride.
With continued funding support from the City of Edmonton’s Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), ASSIST significantly expanded its reach and service capacity. In 2024, ASSIST joined the Seniors Coordinated Services Initiative, partnering with 11 senior-serving organizations to deliver coordinated and responsive outreach services to seniors across Edmonton. Building on this momentum, in 2026 ASSIST received additional FCSS funding to provide targeted outreach services for individuals from ethnocultural communities experiencing mental health challenges, strengthening access to culturally responsive support.
From 2024 to 2025, ASSIST also received a one-time, two-year grant to launch a Community Safety and Wellbeing project, providing support to newcomers—particularly individuals from Somali and Arabic-speaking communities, who have been impacted by domestic violence, hate crimes, discrimination, and racism.
In 2025, ASSIST adopted new vision and mission statements, reaffirming its commitment to inclusion, diversity, innovation, and community-driven service while positioning the organization to respond to the evolving needs of newcomers and diverse communities.
Over the decades, ASSIST has grown into a multicultural and multilingual organization serving newcomers from more than 100 countries. Supported by hundreds of volunteers and a strong network of community partners, ASSIST continues to advance the vision of its founder, Mr. Kim Hung. The organization’s history reflects the collective dedication of staff, volunteers, partners, and community members who have shaped ASSIST into a cornerstone of immigrant and refugee services in Edmonton.
