Share the Gold invites you to help link the worlds within our city by creating a human chain along Hastings Street.

A Half-Hour Stand in Solidarity

as together we create

A Human Chain to Share The Gold

Our vision is of a golden chain of individuals standing 3m apart along either side of Hastings Street for 3 blocks from First United, past Carnegie Community Centre and InSite to Pigeon Park

On February 24^th (4.45pm to 5.15pm)

Please wear a yellow scarf – or obtain one at First United at 4.15 pm

If you have any questions about this project, please contact Bill Briscall at 604-215-3047 at Rain city Housing.

MP Hedy Fry will be hosting a community forum on mental health issues on Tuesday, February 9th, from 6:30- 8:30 pm at St. Paul’s Anglican Church at 1030 Jervis St.

City of Vancouver

A sixth emergency shelter for the homeless will open at 747 Cardero Street on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 to ensure shelter options are available throughout the city for a temporary period ending by April 30, 2010.

With the shelter’s opening, 40 additional sleeping spaces will be available through the City’s 2010 Winter Response Program, for a total of 460 spaces. The 2010 program will have 500 temporary emergency shelter beds in total.

The Cardero Street shelter will be operated by RainCity Housing, who have operated housing and shelter for people throughout the Lower Mainland since 1982. At least two RainCity staff will be at the shelter at all times. As with other shelters opened under the 2010 Winter Response Program, shelter users can bring shopping carts and pets and will receive two meals each day.

A community open house is planned for January 26, 2010 to provide information on shelter operations and 24-hour agency contacts for neighbours. A bed reservation system will reduce line-ups and access to adequate washroom facilities will be ensured. The shelter will remain open 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.

Emergency winter shelters are funded in 2010 through a $1.2 million contribution from the Government of British Columbia and $500,000 from the City. Shelter locations are chosen based on need and the number of homeless in the area.

Two other temporary shelters opened in December 2009 at 677 East Broadway and January 2010 at 1435 Granville Street to join the three temporary emergency shelters already in operation.

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Media contacts:

Corporate Communications

604.871.6336

RainCity Housing

Bill Briscall

604.671.2169

Update on new City Shelters

Reverend Dr. Steven Epperson and “End Homelessness Now” would like to invite you to a meeting on Thursday, January 28th from 6:30pm – 9:00pm at the Unitarian Church, 949 West 49^th Street (Oak & 49^th), Vancouver. Refreshments and Networking at 6:30pm, Program begins at 7:00pm.

The purpose of the meeting will be to:

1. Provide an update on new City Shelters.  What new Shelters have opened up?  What other Shelters are planned? Do these new shelters need support? Are people already involved?

2. Look at organizing Neighborhood Hubs.  Who is willing to work with other Faith Communities in their area?  Are there Faith Communities willing to adopt a Shelter?

3. Feasibility of establishing an Interfaith Alliance to End Homelessness.  What will this look like?

4. Discuss strategies to have a City Wide Plan to End Homelessness.  What is the role of the Faith Community in prompting government to develop and monitor this plan?

We welcome new members from the faith community who were unable to attend the meeting before Christmas. We encourage you to send a representative if you are not personally able to attend.  Nancy Hall will facilitate the meeting. Nancy has  years of experience in community development and in facilitation of strategic thinking towards improving community health.

Please RSVP if you are able to attend. Thank you.

Amanda Trimble

Administrative Coordinator

First United Church (Mission)

320 East Hastings Street

Vancouver, BC V6A 1P4

Phone: (604) 681-8365 x126

Fax: (604) 681-8928

Email: atrimble@firstunited.ca

Web: www.firstunited.ca

City Gate Leadership Forum

Thursday, January 14^th, 10 AM – 4 PM

@ Tenth Avenue Church, 11 West 10^th Ave, Vancouver

Presentation: Dave Hillis, President, Leadership Foundations

Planning Circles: Jonathan Bird, City Gate Leadership Forum

How can the resources of the Christian community (clergy & laity, church & parachurch & marketplace) be connected and then engaged in a common effort with government and non-Christian groups?

AM  Find out how the church in other cities is partnering successfully within and beyond itself for spiritual and social transformation.

PM  Over lunch and through the afternoon, together we will identify a collaborative project which addresses a pressing spiritual and social need.

City Gate Leadership Forum

(formerly Shalom Seekers)

Jonathan Bird

City Gate Leadership Forum

From good intentions to effective outcomes.

C: 778 881 2137      0: 604 879 5510     F: 604 879 6181

PO Box 78050, Grandview RPO, Vancouver, BC  V5N 5W1, Canada

shalomseekers.com

One year ago she burned to death in her shopping cart. What’s been done to save the next Tracey from a similar fate?

By Monte Paulsen, 18 Dec 2009, TheTyee.ca. Read more …

First United Church Mission and Homelessness & Mental Health Action Group co-sponsored Shelter Response Workshop on Homelessness in Vancouver on Thursday, December 17^th at First United Church, 320 East Hastings Street, Vancouver.

The purpose of the workshop was to address the following questions:

• What is the faith community currently doing to support people experiencing homelessness
• What is the City/Province partnership for 2010 Winter Response to homelessness?
• Is there interest in an Interfaith Alliance to End Homelessness? What strategic actions should we take to ensure we move beyond crisis response to ensure adequate supportive housing is in place in Vancouver?

Dr. Nancy Hall and Barbara Berry co-facilitated the workshop. Both have years of experience in community development and in facilitation of strategic thinking towards improving community health.

Representatives from the inter-faith community who attended a luncheon on homelessness in Vancouver hosted by Vancouver mayor were invited to this workshop.

We will post the outcome of this workshop … go to www.endhomelessnessnow.ca after the 17^th to learn more about ways of addressing homelessness in Vancouver. Give the workshop planners some time to prepare a report on the workshop.

Free community forum

Urban Poverty, Health and a Sustainable Future: Is Time Running Out?

Monday, November 23, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at St Andrews-Wesley Church in Vancouver

The Tyee asked experts to assess progress on the issue, and assign some grades.

By Monte Paulsen, 12 Oct 2009, TheTyee.ca

To read the report on this Report Card, click HERE.

CCAP is looking for 2 or 3 volunteers who have an arms-length from CCAP plus experience conducting interviews for focus groups (fleshing out responses during the interview, taking detailed notes at the same time etc.)   In order to keep our project funding going, we need to do an external evaluation.  It could also really help us get feedback on how we are doing and help us adjust our project if needed.  We can provide babysitting money, meals at Carnegie in exchange for your time.  It would probably mean about 3 or 4 meetings.   Sorry to ask, I know everyone is so busy and many of this housing list are in groups that are facing cuts.  Sigh.

Wendy

Carnegie Action

carnegie.action@shawlink.ca

$10.7-MILLION WOMEN’S HOUSING BREAKS GROUND IN KELOWNA
http://www.bchousing.org/news/news_releases/2009/11/09/3620_0911091400-412

$5.9-MILLION SHELTER AND TRANSITION HOUSE OPENS IN TERRACE
http://www.bchousing.org/news/news_releases/2009/11/06/5590_0911061040-310

Participate in this series of moderated panel discussions that will get at the nuts and bolts of creating safe, affordable and supportive housing. after homelessness… and the Dialogue Sessions will generate a Community Action Report which is designed to inform policy.

December 1 to 6, 2009
Holy Trinity Cathedral – 514 Carnarvon Street, New Westminster, BC
Reservations: 604.871.0508 – Tickets: $10

Free tickets available at various homelessness support groups.

Reservations recommended

http://headlinestheatre.com

after homelessness… and the Dialogue Sessions will generate a Community Action Report which is designed to inform policy.

November 21 to 29, 2009
Preview November 20 • Tickets 2 for 1
Firehall Arts Centre – 280 E. Cordova Street, Vancouver, BC
Reservations: 604.689.0926 – Tickets: $10 + $2 advance purchase fee