What’s New
June 5: Fraser Street Tenants share their stories on ‘Outfront’
Three tenants talk about their lives and what it’s like living on Fraser Street, tonight at 8:43pm on CBC Radio One’s last season of Outfront. The RainCity Housing program where they live was originally met with strong resistance, but now the tenants are part of the community. Listen to the podcast. Visit CBC’c Outfront
May 7: High hopes for our Housing First ACT Team
The Province speaks with experts about the clear advantages of having a multidisciplinary team addressing housing, addiction, and mental health needs simultaneously. Read the article. Read about our ACT Team
May 6: Mark Smith talks to the Province about the visible homeless
Executive Director Mark Smith talks about the importance of reconnecting on a human level with people that have a mental illness, and providing appropriate levels of support in the community for those with a mental illness and are active in their substance use. Read the article.
May 1: Temporary Shelters Manager interviewed in ‘Building Connections’
Aaron Munro, Manager of our two low barrier Temporary Shelters, talks about the advantages of building community instead of building barriers in BC Housing’s ‘Building Connections’ newsletter. Read the article (page 3).
April 29: Photos from our Luncheon at Flickr
Our Board members and Shelagh Rogers smile for the camera. Have a look.
April 24: Shining a Light Luncheon a huge success
This year’s Shining a Light on Homelessness Fundraising Luncheon raised over $44,000! Shelagh Rogers hosted the event and we had an amazing guest speaker. Read more.
April 1st: RainCity Housing volunteer recognized nationally
Walter Ricketts is one of the seven British Columbia recipients of this year’s Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award. Walter has been volunteering at RainCity Housing for more than 13 years. He volunteers several hours a day, every day, and he’s 82 years old! Congratulations, Walter, and thank you for your endless hours of support. Read Walter’s story (page 3). Read the award media release.
March 27th: Housing First ACT project in Vancouver
RainCity Housing is developing a Housing First Assertive Community Treatment team as part of a Research Demonstration Project set up by the Mental Health Commission of Canada. The demonstration project takes place in five cities across the country and will answer questions about what are the best services and supports for achieving housing stability and improved health and well being for people that are homeless and living with a mental illness. Read more.
March 9th: Funding for Temporary Shelters continues until the end of June
The City of Vancouver and BC Housing announced today that funding for the HEAT shelters, including our Granville and Howe Street Temporary Shelters, will continue until the end of June. Read their media release.
March 6th: Mark Smith and the homelessness panel reconvene on CBC’s On the Coast
Mark and other experts on homelessness talk about the appointment of Rich Coleman as head of the provincial government’s Homelessness Intervention Project and the Auditor General’s report on homelessness. Listen to the segment.
March 4th: not NIMBY anymore - a different view of where supported housing could be
CBC’s On the Coast compares the concerns of one community with the eventual comfort of another. Towards the endof the segment, Mary Sutherland, a community resident living near our Fraser Street Program, explains that a supported housing program in the neighbourhood can be a good thing. Listen to the segment.
March 3rd: Better or Worse? Mark Smith responds to Operation Phoenix
Executive Director Mark Smith answers The Province’s questions ‘What are the key issues facing the Downtown Eastside?’ and ‘Are things getting better or worse?’ as part of the Operation Phoenix series on homelessness. Read the article.
March 2nd: Homeless Outreach Project spends time with Rick Cluff and CBC’s Early Edition
Christoph Hofmeister, Supervisor of our Homeless Outreach Team, takes Rick Cluff on a brief tour of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and explains what’s working and what still needs to happen to address homelessness. Listen to the interview.
