Heather Ney’s leadership has made a huge difference in the lives of some of the valley’s most vulnerable citizens.

As the executive director of the Comox Valley Transition Society she has helped expand the organization beyond the support and refuge services of Lily House by leading the establishment and operation of Amethyst House – a social detox and supportive recovery program for women.

She has performed many duties with the Coalition to end Homelessness — of which she is a founding member — and took on extra duties when the Connect drop-in moved from the library, when the city made the Lewis showers available during COVID, and when BC Housing provided temporary shelter at the Courtenay Travelodge. She even worked some overnight shifts when the coalition was approved to provide overnight services at Connect.

Ney helped launch the local Coldest Night of the Year event in partnership with the Dawn to Dawn Action on Homeless Society. Over the last seven years, the event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for those who are hungry, hurting and homeless.