In Space is a small business, but we punch above our weight by partnering with organisations that share our values. Each partnership extends what one centre can do — for our children, our families, and our city.
Nanaimo has a family-doctor shortage. Recruiting physicians here means making it easy for them to land — and one of the hardest parts of relocating with young children is finding licensed childcare.
We work with the Division of Family Practice Nanaimo on a referral path: when a recruited physician needs childcare, the Division refers them directly to us. When we have an opening, we move quickly to place that family.
It's a small piece of a larger civic problem, but it's a real one. Every physician we help land is more healthcare capacity for Nanaimo.
"Helping a family doctor find childcare in their first month here can be the difference between them staying and them leaving. We're glad to be part of that."
— On the Division partnershipLearn more about the Division at thenanaimodivision.ca.
The Vancouver Island Food Bank network — operating as Loaves & Fishes — serves more than 15,000 people across 44 communities. They run their distribution at no cost to recipients, funded entirely by community donation.
Our partnership has two pieces:
It is, deliberately, a small partnership. The point is not the dollar value — it's the embedded daily practice. Children leave us understanding that adults around them give time and resources to other people, as a normal habit, without spectacle.
In Space Universe lives and works on the unceded territories of the Snuneymuxw, Snaw-naw-as, and Stz'uminus peoples. We acknowledge that the land we occupy was never surrendered — and that acknowledgment alone is not enough.
We support local Indigenous-led organisations through annual donations and in-kind contributions where useful. We're actively building relationships with Indigenous educators in our region and welcome guidance on how our programs can better honour the cultures and histories of the children we serve.
If you're working on something we should know about, we want to hear from you. Reach Matthew directly at founder@inspaceuniverse.com.
We're open to partnerships with organisations whose work supports children, families, or the broader Nanaimo community. Tell us what you're building and where we might fit.