Come and Celebrate

August 19

Lougheed Skytrain Station:

 Closed-Wednesday June 16 (but lunch will be provided on June 18^th between 10:30 and 12:30pm)

Closed-Wednesday June 30

 North Burnaby

Closed-Monday June 20^th at St. Timothy’s and McGill Library

South Burnaby

Closed-Tuesday June 21, 2010 at West Burnaby United Church and Metrotown Library

East Burnaby-Southside Church

Closed-Thursday July 1, 2010-Stat Holiday

 Progressive Housing Society’s Homeless Outreach Workers will be at Central Park (at the Fountain corner of Pattison and Kingsway) on June 21 and June 22 from 9am – 1pm to assist those people being asked to move.

 If you are or you know someone who is dealing with homelessness and who lives in the park, please send them our way.

We will be offering:

Support services for finding alternative and long term housing

Connection to income assistance

Referrals to appropriate community organizations

Immediate hot beverages, food and clothing 

 Please help end homelessness and spread the word

Thanks to the past efforts of all levels of government, the city has the second highest number of social housing units in the province. As well, the city has worked very hard to ensure that our stock of affordable rental housing is protected from demolition. Without these efforts our city would be seeing a greater number of homeless on our streets. Nevertheless the need for housing suitable for single people in need of affordable housing remains.

The issue of homelessness continues to grow, not only in our community, but in all communities throughout BC. It is troubling to realize that the number of people who are dealing with homelessness in Burnaby is rising dramatically (110% from 2005-2008) as efforts to provide services are becoming more challenging without housing and resources.

Many Burnaby citizens understand the daily challenges people face when they are homeless: sleep deprivation, poor hygiene, inadequate clothing, hunger, increase in illness, social isolation, an increased exposure to drugs and crime. There are a growing number of people in Burnaby who are working to make a difference by volunteering their time or donating items such as food, clothing and other supplies to assist their neighbors who are less fortunate. The Faith Community generously supports the work of the Progressive Housing Society Homeless Outreach Program and the Lookout Emergency Aid Society Extreme Weather Response by ensuring ongoing donations from their members.

Through the dedication of the Progressive Housing Outreach Workers, who respectfully advocate for those in need while providing viable options for change, the lives of many individuals have been improved in a positive way.  The number of people who have responded to these contacts by entering treatment speaks to the effectiveness and importance of this outreach work.

But we cannot eradicate homelessness only by these efforts. The Burnaby Task Force On Homelessness works to inform, educate and advocate for changes to the situation of people facing homelessness in our community.  We cannot do this alone. Together, all levels of government, health authority, service agencies, business and citizens can make a difference. The Task Force needs Burnaby citizens to speak out about the need for partnerships, collaborative practices and political strategies to address the underlying issues of homelessness. Homelessness is not going away and will increasingly cost taxpayers more to ignore than to address the issue with pragmatic and long-term solutions.  All citizens in Burnaby, including those citizens who are dealing with homelessness, want to live in a safe, healthy community.

The Burnaby Task Force On Homelessness is committed to working with all levels of government, social service agencies, business and faith communities and concerned citizens to ensure the provision of housing, support services, and health care to people who are dealing with homelessness or at risk of homelessness in Burnaby.

The Burnaby Task Force On Homelessness is fortunate to have amongst our membership, the expertise to provide a continuum of housing as well as the experience of successful models of housing in neighboring communities. The continuum of housing for which we advocate in Burnaby is designed to assist people with leaving the street, providing support services and expertise to deal with medical care, addiction and mental health difficulties. As people become stabilized they are provided with supported transitional housing to remain off the streets and learn long term solutions to leading productive lives.

 Our work needs your support.  If you would like to be kept up to date about our work, please visit www.burnabyhomelesstaskforce.org .  We would be happy to add you to our email list as well to keep you informed. Together, we can ensure homes for all through building community and building homes. 

Wanda Mulholland

Chair Community Awareness and Provision of Services Sub Committee

Burnaby Task Force On Homelessness

You are invited to an InterFaith Meeting

  March 3rd, 2010

7:00 – 9:00 pm

Gordon Presbyterian Church

7457 Edmonds Street, Burnaby

 What are your concerns about crime around your place of Worship?

 What services are you providing to the needy in your Community?

Would your church be interested in assisting people who are dealing with homelessness?

 This meeting is open to all members of the faith community in Burnaby and any interested citizens.  

The Progressive Housing Society’s Mobile Outreach Unit is at the following locations each week: 

                        Outreach Resource Centre & Mobile Unit

Every Monday (except holidays):

N.Burnaby-

11:30-12:30pm-St.Timothy’s Church

4550 Kitchener St.

1-2pm-McGill Library

(4595 Albert Street) @ Willingdon Ave

Every Tuesday 9:30 to 10:30am 

 West Burnaby United Church

6050 Sussex Ave. Close to Sussex and Kingsway

10-11am in basement

11-1pm Upstairs at lunch

1 to 2pm Metrotown Library Parking Lot

Every Wednesday  10am -2pm
N. Burnaby – beside Lougheed Skytrain station

Every Thursday 9am to 11:30am

Outreach Resource Centre

Southside Community Church

7135 Walker Ave, Burnaby

Progressive Housing Society

Outreach Team:     604.525.1488              1.877.522.9669

 Outreach Workers:         

Anita:                   

604.817.9602

May/Michel:     

604.789-2661

Christine:            

604.862.2388

Naomi:                 

604-992-8292

Our Office Address:  7836 – 6^th Street, Burnaby, V3N 3N2 

Come see us soon and together we can make a change!

Dec 10^th was a “feel good”, magical kind of day.

The celebration was Outreach Christmas!

The day began with

a delicious hot breakfast

served by a multitude of enthusiastic volunteers,

a rousing hockey tournament,

door prizes which continued throughout the day,

a chocolate guessing game,

free clothing and comfort kits,

access to a nurse practitioner for medical care

and when Santa made his appearance

people were excited

to line up for a chance to sit on Santa’s knee,

receive a present and get their photo taken.

The enticing turkey lunch

was served by volunteers and dignitaries.

A popular bingo game and

entertainment followed after lunch.

Over 41volunteers, 6 staff and 5 dignitaries

assisted in providing

a special Christmas celebration for over 159 people.

For a few hours

people who are dealing with issues

of poverty and homelessness

were able to enjoy the warmth and hospitality

of a caring community of people….

in Burnaby

Thank you:

A Seasonal Experience

Basketball BC

Burnaby City Councillor Paul McDonell

Burnaby RCMP

Burnaby Teacher’s Federation

Cariboo Hill Secondary School- Youth Action Committee

Chad Turpin- Department of City Manager Burnaby

Charlford House

Dr.Raminder Badyal

Homeless Outreach Program Staff of Progressive Housing Society

Kingsley Family

Kodak

Leonard the Entertainer

Members of the Burnaby Task Force On Homelessness

MLA Kathy Corrigan

MLA Raj Chouhan

Mountain Equipment Co-op

Nurse Practitioner from the Primary Care Clinic- Fraser Health

Progressive Rehabilitation

Southside Community Church

St Thomas Moore Collegiate

Starbucks

Tim Hortons

December 23, 24, 25, 2009

SHELTERING SPACES ARE AT:

Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addiction

3405 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby

Opens at 8 p.m.

IF YOU ARE SLEEPING OUTSIDE,

PLEASE COME TO THE SHELTER!

Transportation to the Church will occur twice each night  pickups:

 7 & 8 p.m. @ Old Library at Highgate at 7252 Kingsway

 7:20 & 8:20 p.m. @ Metrotown front of the Bay at Nelson & Kingsway

 7:40 & 8:40 p.m. @ Old Orchard Shopping Centre Kingsway & Willingdon (front of IGA)

Please note: times are approx based on road conditions

OR

Take the 123 bus from Brentwood or the 130 bus from Metrotown.

December 14th  at 8 pm

SHELTERING SPACES ARE AT:

Burnaby Alliance Church Annex

8585 Armstrong Avenue, Burnaby

Opens at 8 p.m.

IF YOU ARE SLEEPING OUTSIDE, PLEASE COME TO THE SHELTER!

Transportation to the Church will occur twice each night – pickups:

7  & 8 p.m.  @ Old Orchard Shopping Centre – Kingsway & Willingdon (front of IGA)

7:20 & 8:20 p.m.  @ Metrotown – front of the Bay at Nelson & Kingsway

7:40 & 8:40 p.m. @ Old Library at Highgate at 7252 Kingsway

December 13th  at 8 pm

SHELTERING SPACES ARE AT:

Burnaby Alliance Church Annex

8585 Armstrong Avenue, Burnaby

Opens at 8 p.m.

IF YOU ARE SLEEPING OUTSIDE, PLEASE COME TO THE SHELTER!

Transportation to the Church will occur twice each night – pickups:

7  & 8 p.m.  @ Old Orchard Shopping Centre – Kingsway & Willingdon (front of IGA)

7:20 & 8:20 p.m.  @ Metrotown – front of the Bay at Nelson & Kingsway

7:40 & 8:40 p.m. @ Old Library at Highgate at 7252 Kingsway