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Algoma Family Services (AFS) is proud to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2026, marking a quarter-century of delivering compassionate, community-based mental health and social services to children, youth, adults, and families throughout the Algoma District.
Formed in 2001 through the amalgamation of Algoma Child & Youth Services Inc. and the Family Counselling Centre, AFS has grown into a cornerstone of care in the region. Building on roots that date back even further into the 1960’s, the organization has remained steadfast in its mission to provide high-quality, specialized support services tailored to the evolving needs of the community.
Over the past 25 years, the demand for mental health and social services has increased significantly. Reports from the early 2000’s highlighted concerns around the rising mental health needs among youth, long waitlists, and limited resources. Today, those needs have only intensified—but so too has AFS’s capacity to respond and the awareness around the importance of mental health supports. In the last 25 years, the organization has expanded to providing over 30 programs and services, increased access points across the district, with permanent office locations in Sault Ste. Marie, Wawa and Elliot Lake, and grown its team to more than double the number of staff members since 2001. All this work has ensured that waitlists remain low, programs are catered to the specific needs seen within our region, and collaboration with community partners can thrive so that access to care is made simpler for those who need. While complex community needs continue to grow, AFS is committed to continue meeting them.
Recent milestones underscore this evolution, including the opening of the Live-In Youth Treatment Centre in 2023, providing 24/7 care to youth from our community with the most complex mental health needs, and the launch of the Algoma Youth Wellness Hub in 2024, giving youth a safe space to gather, learn and access community resources —both of which represent transformative steps forward in integrated, accessible care for young people in the region. These initiatives, along with expanded outreach and community-based programming, addressing a range of sensitive topics such as grief counselling and family-violence recovery, demonstrate AFS’s leadership in building a more responsive and inclusive system of care not only for youth, but entire families.
“On behalf of AFS, I thank our staff, volunteers, board of directors, past and present, for 25+ years of extraordinary service to the infants, children, youth, and families of the communities we serve. As we celebrate this milestone, we reflect not only on how far we’ve come, but on the strength of the communities we serve,” said CEO of AFS, Ali Juma. “Strong communities are built on the foundation of strong families, and as we face some of our biggest economic challenges, I am confident we will pull through. We have been here before, and we will do it again.”
Community partnership has been a defining feature of AFS’s success. From grassroots collaborations to system-wide initiatives, these relationships have helped bridge gaps in care ranging from addressing food insecurity to youth homelessness, all of which come together to create a solid foundation from which mental health supports can successfully elevate individuals and our community. When basic needs are met, the focus can shift to healing, goals and building support systems.
To mark this milestone anniversary, AFS will be launching a series of initiatives throughout the year aimed at celebrating, connecting, and giving back. These include:
- The 25th Anniversary Scholarship, supporting a local student pursuing education in social services and related fields, helping to inspire the next generation of care providers.
- Community engagement events across the Algoma region that will be announced throughout the year, bringing services, supports, and celebrations directly to the communities AFS serves.
- Special campaigns and storytelling initiatives highlighting the impact of AFS programs and the voices of those who have been supported along the way.
“These initiatives are about more than celebration—they’re about connection,” added Emily Tremblay, Chair of the AFS 25th Anniversary Committee. “We want to honour the people, partnerships, and communities that have shaped AFS over the past 25 years, have the chance to spend time together, have the community to know us better, and continue building that momentum into the future.”
As AFS looks ahead, the organization remains committed to inspiring hope, wellness, and equity in all of it’s services—ensuring that every individual and family has the opportunity to thrive.
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