We are looking for people to join our Board! 

RainCity Housing wishes to acknowledge that we operate programs on the stolen, unceded, ancestral, traditional homelands of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm, q̓íc̓əy̓, qiqéyt, qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓, sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ, səl̓ílwətaʔɬ, SEMYOME, shíshálh, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, ˈstɔːloʊ and Xʷməθkwəy̓əm Nations. The Opportunity  We are seeking individuals to join our Board of Directors, ideally with prior board experience. We are actively recruiting Directors who reflect the diversity of the people that we work alongside and with experience/background in …

We are standing up against anti-trans discrimination 

On September 20th there are rallies planned across the country directly attacking the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and the principles of equity and inclusion, principles which RainCity Housing continues to work to make real throughout the organization. In solidarity with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, RainCity is speaking out against these rallies both internally and externally.   The planned events in …

Foxglove is Open!

Foxglove is open! As of today, over 60 people have moved.  BC Housing arranged a formal event on Thursday, April 21 where all levels of government attended to acknowledge publicly the need for places like Foxglove that have the added component of enhanced health supports that are on-site, like nurses and the Managed Alcohol Program. It …

Can a Construction Company and a Non-Profit share values?

This past Wednesday RainCity was invited to attend Pomerleau’s grand opening of its new office in Vancouver. Pomerleau showed attendees how they develop and adopt innovative technology by providing virtual reality goggles for an exclusive walkthrough experience of some of Pomerleau’s key projects. Bill, our Fund Development and Comms person, tried the VR goggles and …

We got through 2019 – and the whole decade – thanks to our amazing staff!

Working at a nonprofit can be hard. Really hard. Because they’re working so hard, our staff don’t necessarily know the kind of impact they’re making every day in people’s lives and in the communities where they work.  One reason it’s so hard is that during one shift a million things can happen that need a …

Shared Post: CAEH features two RainCity Housing First Programs

For this month’s blog we’re sharing the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness’s Bright Spots blog post that features our Surrey ICM Team and our LGBTQ2S+ Youth Housing First Program. It talks about the importance of having folks with lived experience working and managing programs, particularly when Housing First is a crucial part of the program. …

Using Google Streetview to see what’s changed, and what can be done!

Today we’ve launched our campaign vancouverstreetview.ca, an interactive site where you can see how homelessness has increased in the Greater Vancouver Area. The technology allows users to toggle between Google Street View images taken in the last four years and see how the number of people identifying as homeless has increased across Metro Vancouver. The initiative …

Announcing our Clinical ICM Team! What does ICM mean, again?

On April 1 RainCity will begin operating a Clinical Intensive Case Management (ICM) Team in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. This Housing First outreach team will assist people in locating places to live that are a little more affordable while building and maintaining relationships with landlords. There are 40 rent supplements that help ensure folks can …

Are you a superhero?

The theme for Vancouver’s Pride this year is Gender Superheroes and for the first time at RainCity, a specific program (both tenants and staff) put together our Parade entry – our LGBTQ2S* Housing for Youth! The amazing folks living at and involved in this project are inspiring, courageous, strong, and really, really funny; all the …

Newsflash! How to learn about Housing First – and quick!

It’s all right here! Well, actually right here, where today we’ve officially launched our ‘Housing First: Principles to Practice’ toolkit, a workshop that explains in nuanced ways what the Housing First model is and how it works. On that page you’ll find the five videos, each one explaining one of the five principles of Housing …

To house, or not to house – that is the question!

A simple question. With complex and heartfelt answers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zlr3aXhozA The video clip above and the pictures below are to give you just a taste of the original, honest and at times hilarious production of ‘Much Ado About Something!’ You have not seen anything else like this before and you only have until October 16 – …

Together we can end one of the last acceptable stigmas in Vancouver

It’s up and running! And we love it! The Open Your Heart website invites you to be curious, think about how we interact in the world, and start addressing one of the last socially acceptable stigmas — mental illness. Click on ‘support’ or ‘accept’ and watch what happens to the people’s lives on screen. Mental …

How can you protect someone who’s “invisible”?

On the eve of International Women’s day and the week before Vancouver’s annual homeless count, the federal government tabled a report entitled \”Invisible Women: A Call to Action\”. It wasn’t received well by aboriginal groups and the opposition parties who wanted a national inquiry in to the murdered and missing women across Canada. In December …

NEWS — New Evolution of Wise Storytelling!

In collaboration with the Community Action Initiative and our community partners, RainCity Housing and Support Society has launched a project called NEWS – New Evolution of Wise Storytelling. The goal of NEWS is to create opportunities for community members and media creators to come together to create inclusive and supportive stories about mental health, as …

LGBTQ2S+ housing for youth!

Transgender and gender non-conforming people are much more likely to be experiencing poverty or homeless than the average person, almost twice as many as the general population. Discrimination or harassment from service providers, or rejection from their families and gender segregated shelters can all lead to ending up on the street. This can also impact …

The FYI on YPI

What are they teaching kids in school these days? Would you believe me if I told you they might be learning about social awareness and how to give back to the community? It’s true! The Youth and Philanthropy Initiative, or YPI, has been part of the high school curriculum (usually grade ten) here in Canada …

It’s all about trust

Our Executive Director Mark Smith spoke with CTV about the success of the VPD’s Outreach Program, and that the key factor is building trust. Read the story.

Homelessness is not a Choice

An Emily Carr University student created this years ago. We love it, and want to thank the student. If you recognize the work, please ask the artist to contact us so we can include their name here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-fJGuv3C3Y

Sean speaks with CKNW

Sean Spear, our Director of Support Services, speaks with Jill Bennett on CKNW about the temporary shelter on East Broadway, why it’s located in that neighbourhood and who it’s serving. Listen to the interview.

Sean Spear on CKNW

Our Director of Support Services, Sean Spear, speaks with Jill Bennett of CKNW’s Weekend News about the Provincial Government’s Assistance to Shelter Act, and the impact it will have on the homeless. Listen to the interview.

The Homelessness Panel reconvenes

At the tail end of Homelessness Action Week CBC Radio One’s ‘On The Coast’ brings together Laura Track from Pivot, Coast Mental Health’s ED Darrell Burnham and our very own Mark Smith to discuss what’s being done and what still needs to be done to address homelessness in Metro Vancouver. Listen to the panel.

Mark Smith on BC Almanac

Our Executive Director speaks with Mark Forsythe on CBC Radio’s BC Almanac about what it might be like if the authorities had the power to compel the homeless living on the street to stay at shelters during extreme weather conditions. Listen to the interview.

Briony shares her Story

A group of youth filmmakers displaying an amazing amount of courage, together with YouthCO and the help of the National Film Board of Canada, have assembled a number of stories of how at-risk youth can play it safe. After staying at our Granville Shelter, Briony was able to find her own accommodation. Watch Briony’s story.

Forgotten Women share their stories

In the August issues of Chatelaine Magazine, ‘Dianne’, a tenant at the Vivian shares her story, and Manager Amelia Ridgway talks about the respectful way staff work with tenants. View the article.