Why we kept returning to Oppenheimer Park
Give this Christmas and have your gift matched, doubling your impact in the Downtown Eastside! *Name has been changed to respect the privacy of the individual. We first met Paul* during the Oppenheimer Park decampments in January, when temperatures got to 13 degrees below freezing. He was unhoused and sheltering at the park. We gave […]
From Shelter to Housing
Move out days—when shelter residents move out of their shelter pod and into a permanent housing unit—are special ones. Last year, we helped place 18 residents into long-term housing. On move out days, Stephanie Kallstrom, Case Planner, along with a shelter resource worker, help the resident pack up their belongings and drive them to their […]
2023 Homeless Count Results: Our Solutions
By Amanda Burrows For the first time since 2020, we have an idea of the prevalence of homelessness in Metro Vancouver. The 2023 Homeless Count in Greater Vancouver Report was released yesterday at the 2H Forum 2023, with dismaying results: in the region, the number of people identified as experiencing homelessness increased by 32%, and […]
Revisiting Our Totem Pole Ceremony
Our building at 320 East Hastings is currently being demolished and we’re feeling a little nostalgic. Just a little over a year ago, we were moving our programs out of our old building to prepare for hazardous material removal and demolition. Part of that preparation was safely moving the totem pole that was in our […]
BC Eviction Mapping: Justice Alongside Charity
Last week we released our initial findings from the BC Eviction Mapping project. The project is the first of its kind in BC, and our first official systems change project that challenges the systems that keep people trapped in cycles of poverty, homelessness, and marginalization. Work on this project began almost a year ago—a testament […]
Eliminating Renter Office contradicts ABC’s election promise
This op-ed was originally published in The Vancouver Sun on January 24, 2023. You can find the op-ed on The Vancouver Sun’s website. Opinion: Without this resource, more vulnerable individuals and families will be at immediate and increased risk of displacement and homelessness. By Katie Koncan, Director of Development and Communications, and Amanda Burrows, Interim […]
Martin’s Story
“You can’t understand being homeless or being an addict without hanging out with them or being one of them,” Martin says. He described the day-to-day struggles of homelessness and the exhaustion that many people who are living on the streets experience. “You’re trying to survive in the streets and you just can’t find a place […]
A message to our new city government
The recent municipal election brings new faces of city governance, with ABC Vancouver sweeping Mayor, Councillors, Park Board commissioners, and School Trustees. We congratulate all candidates who ran for their hard work and well-fought campaigns, and for their commitment to engaging the public in important decision-making about our city. The stolen land that Vancouver is […]
Our statement on the Aug. 9 DTES decampment
Yesterday, August 9th, a violent and hostile scene erupted at Main and Hastings, as part of the City’s work to decamp the Hastings Street Tent City. According to the Our Streets report, over 50 Vancouver Police Department officers organized themselves through the intersection of Main and Hastings and assaulted and arrested residents, advocates, community organizers, […]
The 100-Year Dream for Advocacy
Next year, the FIRST UNITED Legal Advocacy program will turn 50 years old. Only our Meal program andcommunity drop-in pre-date the Advocacy program. It goes to show: people need to be fed, need a safe place to be, and need their rights upheld. Today, the Advocacy program is in high demand, especially for tenancy issues. […]