Kitchen Table Collective
Building Community, Right Where You Live
Seniors Supporting Seniors
Sometimes the best support is right next door.
The Kitchen Table Collective brings older adults living in the same building or neighbourhood together to build friendships, share information and support one another.
The idea is simple: seniors supporting seniors, right where they already live.
By creating opportunities for neighbours to connect, the Kitchen Table Collective helps build stronger communities where older adults can remain healthy, independent and engaged as they age.
Why We’re Doing This
Most seniors want to remain in their homes and communities as they age.
Our research shows, however, that many older adults on the Sunshine Coast are doing so without strong support networks close by.
In our 2025 Seniors Housing Survey, 48% of respondents lived alone and 39% said they did not have family or close friends on the Sunshine Coast who could provide support.
We also heard that transportation and distance can make it difficult for some older adults to access services, health care and community activities.
The Kitchen Table Collective grew from this understanding. Rather than creating another service that seniors need to travel to, we help build connections and bring information and resources to the places where older adults already live.
Led by Residents
Residents Decide What Works for Their Community
Every community is different, which is why the Kitchen Table Collective is resident-led. A small group of resident volunteers helps bring neighbours together and coordinate activities based on the interests and needs of their community. These might include:
Coffee gatherings and social activities
Exercise and wellness programs
Educational workshops and guest speakers
Information about local programs and services
Volunteer opportunities
Neighbours helping neighbours
Participation is always voluntary. The goal is to make it easier for neighbours to connect and create the kind of community they want to live in.
Connecting Residents With Community Resources
The Kitchen Table Collective helps connect residents with useful information, programs and services.
Based on what residents are interested in, local organizations and service providers can be invited to give presentations, answer questions and connect people with available resources.
Topics might include health and wellness, home and community supports, safety, transportation, seniors' services and other issues identified by residents themselves.
This creates an important bridge between older adults and the organizations and services that support healthy aging on the Sunshine Coast.
Growing From Local Experience
The first Kitchen Table Collective was established at the Watermark buildings in Sechelt, where a resident leadership group began organizing social and educational activities.
Residents have connected with organizations including the RCMP, Community Paramedic Program, Primary Care Network, Vancouver Coastal Health and Sunshine Coast Resource Centre.
What we are learning at Watermark is helping us explore how the approach can be adapted to other communities where older adults already live across the Sunshine Coast.
Inspired by the NORC Model
Instead of creating a community for seniors, we help seniors strengthen the community they already have.
The Kitchen Table Collective is inspired by a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, or NORC—a building or neighbourhood where a significant number of older adults already live.
Rather than asking people to move somewhere new to find community and support, the NORC approach strengthens connections, information and opportunities where people already live.
Our Role
We will help you get a community hub started.
We bring interested residents together, help establish a resident leadership group, share what we've learned and connect residents with local organizations and resources.
Over time, residents increasingly shape and lead their own Kitchen Table Collective so that each one reflects the interests and priorities of the people who live there.
Our goal is simple: neighbours knowing neighbours, people helping one another, and older adults staying connected to their community as they age.
Make a difference
The Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society (SCAHS) is creating housing that strengthens our community by providing stability and hope for a better future.