Homelessness

Grade 11 Semiahmoo Secondary student Alexa Coote used a school project to gather packages of goods for those who come to the Extreme Weather Shelter. (Contributed photo)

South Surrey student’s action project for helping homeless ‘inspiring’

‘I realized I was very lucky to have what I have’

 

Mount Olive Lutheran Church, at 2350 148 St., is to host the Semiahmoo Peninsula’s extreme-weather shelter for the 2021-2022 season. (File photo)

South Surrey extreme-weather shelter relocating

Mount Olive Lutheran Church ‘looking forward to serving needs of vulnerable’

 

Regional Chief Terry Teegee speaks to the press after Premier John Horgan announced Indigenous human rights will be recognized in B.C. with new legislation during a press conference at the provincial Legislature in Victoria on October 24, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Prince George bylaw targeting homeless people ‘scapegoats’ the poor, says expert

Municipality criticized for using harsh regulations to force street people from public spaces

 

Guildford’s new Baird Blackstone Building supportive housing project is named for William Baird Blackstone (inset photo), who died last January. Managed by Lookout Housing and Health Society, the building includes 61 studio units for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. (Building photo: Tom Zillich)

Surrey ‘in dire need’ of more supportive housing units like those in new Blackstone building

Guildford-area structure to house those experiencing homelessness

Guildford’s new Baird Blackstone Building supportive housing project is named for William Baird Blackstone (inset photo), who died last January. Managed by Lookout Housing and Health Society, the building includes 61 studio units for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. (Building photo: Tom Zillich)
Delta City Hall. (James Smith photo)

Delta getting $186K to tackle homelessness made worse by COVID-19

Joint provincial/federal funding to help communities increase services in response to pandemic

Delta City Hall. (James Smith photo)
Dr. Alina Turner, president and co-founder of HelpSeeker Technologies, who is taking part in a federally funded project designed to predict what will happen to homelessness, suicide and domestic violence rates, is pictured at the company's office in Calgary, Alta., Friday, July 23, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Where will homelessness rise or fall? A federally funded AI has some predictions

Helpseeker says numbers should help policy-makers decide on where to put resources

Dr. Alina Turner, president and co-founder of HelpSeeker Technologies, who is taking part in a federally funded project designed to predict what will happen to homelessness, suicide and domestic violence rates, is pictured at the company's office in Calgary, Alta., Friday, July 23, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Patricia Mulvaney received enough donations of water and other drinks to fill her van to the hilt Tuesday (June 29, 2021). The fluids were delivered to Surrey Urban Mission Society. (Contributed photo)

PHOTOS: Car-load of drink donations collected at South Surrey drive-thru

Patricia Mulvaney delivered the fluids to Surrey Urban Mission Society

Patricia Mulvaney received enough donations of water and other drinks to fill her van to the hilt Tuesday (June 29, 2021). The fluids were delivered to Surrey Urban Mission Society. (Contributed photo)
Robert Nelson, 35, died after being stabbed at a homeless camp in Abbotsford on April 7 of this year.

Mom pleads for information about son’s killing at Abbotsford homeless camp

Robert Nelson, 35, described as ‘man who stood for justice, honour, respect’

Robert Nelson, 35, died after being stabbed at a homeless camp in Abbotsford on April 7 of this year.
SurreyCares Community Foundation recently provided a $9,600 grant, through the Emergency Community Support Fund, to the Sur-Del Easy Does It Club (EDIC) to help support the club’s homelessness outreach program. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

Surrey’s Easy Does It Club receives grant for homeless outreach program

Program that started in December of 2020 has helped to get some people into recovery

SurreyCares Community Foundation recently provided a $9,600 grant, through the Emergency Community Support Fund, to the Sur-Del Easy Does It Club (EDIC) to help support the club’s homelessness outreach program. (Photo: Lauren Collins)
Still from a video posted on social media of a man lighting fireworks next to a homeless person’s encampment in the parking lot at St. Mary’s on Mary Street in Chilliwack. The video was posted on April 21, 2021 but it’s unclear if the incident happened that day. (Facebook)

VIDEO: Man sets off fireworks next to homeless person’s cart in Fraser Valley

No police reports made into incident shared on social media

Still from a video posted on social media of a man lighting fireworks next to a homeless person’s encampment in the parking lot at St. Mary’s on Mary Street in Chilliwack. The video was posted on April 21, 2021 but it’s unclear if the incident happened that day. (Facebook)
The new Phoenix Flame BBQ truck serves as a “Mobile Community Kitchen” in the Surrey area. (Photo: phoenixsociety.com)

New ‘Phoenix Flame BBQ’ truck now mobile with food for Surrey’s ‘hard-to-reach populations’

Also launched: Another Surrey Honda Raffle to help the Surrey-based agency and others

The new Phoenix Flame BBQ truck serves as a “Mobile Community Kitchen” in the Surrey area. (Photo: phoenixsociety.com)
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen takes part in an update on the COVID pandemic during a press conference in Ottawa on October 27, 2020. The City of Vancouver says it has purchased a former hotel at a major thoroughfare that can house about 65 units to accommodate homeless people. A joint news release by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and city says 2075 Kingsway, Days Inn by Wyndham Vancouver, will be ready for accommodation this November. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen also announced a $51.5 million Rapid Housing Initiative for Vancouver that is expected to create 135 new affordable homes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Former Vancouver hotel to be converted to 65 units for homeless people by the fall

The former Days Inn on Kingsway will be ready to house people in November

Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen takes part in an update on the COVID pandemic during a press conference in Ottawa on October 27, 2020. The City of Vancouver says it has purchased a former hotel at a major thoroughfare that can house about 65 units to accommodate homeless people. A joint news release by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and city says 2075 Kingsway, Days Inn by Wyndham Vancouver, will be ready for accommodation this November. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen also announced a $51.5 million Rapid Housing Initiative for Vancouver that is expected to create 135 new affordable homes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
The Virtually Virtuous CNOY team raised more than $60,000. (Contributed photo)

White Rock Coldest Night event raises $220,000

Deanna Kratzenberg raised more than any walker in the country

The Virtually Virtuous CNOY team raised more than $60,000. (Contributed photo)
James, a homeless man, rests inside his new plywood structure on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. The box was made by members of the Chilliwack Fire Department. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

Same day well-known Chilliwack homeless man gets shelter built he is taken to hospital

Fraser Health doctor sent to assess James ordered him brought to CGH for proper assessment

James, a homeless man, rests inside his new plywood structure on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. The box was made by members of the Chilliwack Fire Department. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
James, a homeless man, rests inside his new plywood structure on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. The box was made by members of the Chilliwack Fire Department. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

Homeless man says ‘thank you’ to Chilliwack firefighters for building him a shelter

City of Chilliwack received several calls this week from people concerned about James’ safety

James, a homeless man, rests inside his new plywood structure on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. The box was made by members of the Chilliwack Fire Department. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
A message is written on a door outside a tent at a homeless encampment at Strathcona Park, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, October 7, 2020. Residents of the neighbourhood were used to a few people sleeping overnight in a park before moving on, but they weren’t prepared for an entire village of homeless campers still occupying 400 tents after over three months. They have been demanding the city take action to house campers, especially as concerns have mounted about the spread of COVID-19 among hundreds of people living in tight quarters. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Specialist who treated rare disease among homeless wants doctors to be aware of signs

Those four cases this year are the only ones known to have occurred in Canada since the mid-1990s

A message is written on a door outside a tent at a homeless encampment at Strathcona Park, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, October 7, 2020. Residents of the neighbourhood were used to a few people sleeping overnight in a park before moving on, but they weren’t prepared for an entire village of homeless campers still occupying 400 tents after over three months. They have been demanding the city take action to house campers, especially as concerns have mounted about the spread of COVID-19 among hundreds of people living in tight quarters. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Peace Portal Alliance Church, at the corner of King George Boulevard and 152 Street, is the extreme-weather shelter for South Surrey for the upcoming season. It opened with 14 mats available nightly for those experiencing homelessness, regardless of weather conditions. (File photo)

South Surrey extreme-weather shelter hits capacity twice since opening

71 hunker down at Peace Portal Alliance Church since Nov. 13 opening; two turned away

Peace Portal Alliance Church, at the corner of King George Boulevard and 152 Street, is the extreme-weather shelter for South Surrey for the upcoming season. It opened with 14 mats available nightly for those experiencing homelessness, regardless of weather conditions. (File photo)
Alexis Stollings watches as Sharon Reeder donates plastic bags to the ‘Mats for a Cause Chilliwack’ effort to weave sleeping mats for the homeless in Chilliwack. (Darren Stollings photo)

B.C. teen launches project to weave sleeping mats for the homeless

Mats for a Cause Chilliwack was created by youth who is seeking donations in plastic-bag drive

Alexis Stollings watches as Sharon Reeder donates plastic bags to the ‘Mats for a Cause Chilliwack’ effort to weave sleeping mats for the homeless in Chilliwack. (Darren Stollings photo)
Patricia Mulvaney’s vehicle with some of the food items donated to her collection effort in the Mount Olive Lutheran Church parking lot. The weekly collection effort has been put on hold ‘until further notice.’ (Contributed photo)

Pandemic stymies weekly South Surrey collection effort – temporarily

Patricia Mulvaney offers options for food, clothing, financial donations during hiatus

Patricia Mulvaney’s vehicle with some of the food items donated to her collection effort in the Mount Olive Lutheran Church parking lot. The weekly collection effort has been put on hold ‘until further notice.’ (Contributed photo)
The interior of Surrey’s newest shelter, dubbed the “Olive Branch.” The 43-bed facility is housed in the old Surrey Food Bank building. (Submitted photo)

New 43-bed shelter opens in old Surrey Food Bank building

‘Olive Branch’ shelter opens as nearby Boulevard Shelter closes its doors

The interior of Surrey’s newest shelter, dubbed the “Olive Branch.” The 43-bed facility is housed in the old Surrey Food Bank building. (Submitted photo)