Category Archives: News

Recruiting for the Society Board

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Since 2005 we have been working to address homelessness issues in the City, first as a Coalition and then as a Society when we incorporated in 2012. Our vision is a community where everyone experiences a socially just quality of life. Our long-term mission is to collaborate, educate, and act to ensure access to healthy safe housing and supportive services. Our member organizations deliver housing, outreach, food, job training, crisis intervention, financial assistance, and programming for individuals, families, youth and seniors. They witness first-hand the day-to-day challenges of poverty and homelessness in our community. This connection and awareness allows us to work together to support our most vulnerable.

The Society, in recognition of its history as a Coalition, strives to ensure that a diversity of agencies/organizations and community members sit as Board members. Additionally, we strive to include representation from organizations/community members representing different demographics (i.e., women, families, youth, seniors, men, newcomers, BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+, etc.) and issues (i.e., housing, health, addictions, food security, etc.). We are interested in individuals who are knowledgeable about the community, can serve as a link to the community, and are interested in sharing their time and expertise to support society operations.

Our next AGM is on September 29, 2022. We will be meeting with those who express interest in joining the Board in early August.

If you have any questions, please contact Dave Brown at dave.brown@lookoutsociety.ca

Homelessness Action Week October 11 – 17, 2020 #HAW2020

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#HAW2020 Official Poster

New Westminster #HAW2020 Official Calendar

Activity Posters:

Thanksgiving Monday Takeaway Lunch courtesy of the BC Nurses Union and the Salvation

Tuesday Community Dialogue: What can we do to address the housing crisis in New Westminster? Lower Mainland Purpose Society

Wednesday NW Outreach Health Clinic and Women and Children’s Dental Hygiene Care Clinic

Flu Immunization Clinics (All Welcome)

Tuesday October 13, 2020

9:30 am – 11:30 am Holy Trinity Cathedral 514 Carnarvon St.

Thursday October 15, 2020

9:30 am – 11:30 am Lookout’s The Russell, Honeymoon Suite (Carnarvon/Alexander St.)

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm St. Barnabas 1010 5th Ave.

Friday October 16th, 2020 – WORLD FOOD DAY – Celebrating our Local Food Heroes

Watch New Westminster Community Food Action’s Facebook page from October 11 – 16 as we recognize our local food heroes. The community is also encouraged to do a shout out to your local food heroes on October 16 using #WorldFoodDay #FoodHeroes and #EverbodyNeedsToEat. Food Heroes will be entered into a prize draw!

If you would like to support #HAW2020 in any way please contact Betina, the Coalition and Projects Coordinator.

Follow us on Facebook!

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Do you know we have a pretty active Facebook page and that it is the best place to keep up on what Coalition members are doing? We are also regularly updating it with COVID-19 related supports. You can also email us and we will try to point you in the right direction if you need help connecting to supports!

Stay safe everyone!  Betina, Coalition and Projects Coordinator

Homeless Count 2020 – Call for Volunteers in New West and Greater Vancouver

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The 2020 Homeless Count team is recruiting qualified volunteers for the 2020 Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver. The Count will take place throughout the region inside shelters during the evening of Tuesday, March 3, 2020 and on streets throughout the day and evening of Wednesday, March 4, 2020.

By volunteering for the Count, you are helping to gather valuable information used by governments, service providers, community groups, and funders so they can plan for appropriate programs to address homelessness and measure progress in reducing homelessness.

To complete the online application form and for more information, please go to: https://www.vancitycommunityfoundation.ca/initiatives/2020-homeless-count

What’s involved

The Homeless Count involves identifying and conducting a brief anonymous survey with people experiencing homelessness. The street survey typically involves walking, biking or driving around a neighbourhood looking for individuals to survey. The shelter survey is conducted in various shelters across the region.  Shifts will be 2 to 3 hours and volunteers will be required to attend a 2-hour training session sometime between February 10 and March 2, 2020. Volunteers will work in teams of 2 and must be 19 years of age or older.

Ideal volunteers

While everyone is welcome to apply, to ensure the scientific integrity and a proper implementation of the Count we are looking for volunteers with specific skills and experience, such as:

  • experience with previous homeless counts or professional/volunteer experience working with people experiencing homelessness;
  • compassion, acceptance, and comfort with one-on-one conversations with people on the street;
  • a non-judgmental attitude and a good sense of humour.

Background

Homeless counts have taken place in Metro Vancouver every three years since 2002 and every year in the City of Vancouver since 2010.  They provide critical information on the number and characteristics of our region’s homeless population and how this population has changed over time.

The 2020 Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver is an initiative of the Reaching Home Interim Community Entity, Vancity Community Foundation and Community Advisory Board (CAB). The Homeless Count is delivered in partnership with the Indigenous Reaching Home Community Entity, the Indigenous Homelessness Steering Committee, the Council of Community Homelessness Tables, and is conducted by BC Non-Profit Housing Association.