Listening and Helping
BladeRunners
BladeRunners gets real results in real life by helping street-involved disadvantaged youth build confidence and self-esteem. The program works with young people through cultural empowerment, life skills coaching and employment training. Thanks to BladeRunners, young people in Vancouver’s inner-city neighbourhoods are achieving success in the workplace, while learning to lead positive, productive lifestyles.
Central Kitchen
The Downtown Eastside Central Kitchen produces about 900 meals every day to help people struggling with poverty. The kitchen prepares healthy, nutritious food – and delivers meals to shelters and treatment centres across the Downtown Eastside. In addition to keeping people from going hungry, the kitchen offers employment opportunities for local residents. The Downtown Eastside Central Kitchen is helping improve the quality of life in the community.
Insite
Vancouver’s Supervised Injection Site (SIS) helps clients cope with severe addiction situations. In-take staff help new clients get started on the program. For many marginalized people, SIS offers access to healthcare. Averaging about 200 overdose interventions per year, SIS helps save lives. Thanks to SIS – the only one in North America – people have a unique opportunity to get a start on achieving long-term sobriety.
Homeless Intervention Project
The Homeless Intervention Project reaches out with practical and compassionate help for homeless people. Based on a housing-first model, the goal is to get homeless persons into homes. With a roof over their heads, people can break out of the cycle of homelessness. Once housed, formerly homeless people can focus on improving their physical and mental health – and building a better life for the future.
Affordable Housing: Making It Work
The Rainier Hotel
For many people on the journey to recovery from addictions, the Rainier provides a safe space. The Rainier gives people a place they can build into a personal home – with furniture and a phone – amenities many residents have lived without for years. The Rainier provides an essential resource for people re-building their lives and re-integrating into the community.
The Savoy Hotel
“There’s something about the Downtown Eastside that gets into your heart.” The Savoy is there for people who are at the right point in their lives to accept help and start a process of personal renewal. Safe and comfortable, the Savoy offers a clean home for people making a new start on a brighter future.
The Dominion Hotel
“You really don’t understand, until you’ve lost everything. Nobody plans for that. Now I’m living in a nice place and I’m happy to be here.”
Residents at the Dominion use their safe, secure accommodation as a basic first-step toward improving their lives. Once housed, individuals find it easier to get medical care, training and employment. It’s a case of one good thing leading to another.
The Pennsylvania Hotel
“Perhaps the most important thing people get here is friendship and warmth.” The Pennsylvania Hotel has a long history in the community. Now it’s providing a safe home for 40 residents – and space for two medical clinics. People living at the Pennsylvania regain human dignity through living in a clean, secure home. They cook their own food. Thanks to their experience at the Pennsylvania, residents can segway to new housing options.
Woodward's
The Woodward’s building brings an incredible start to revitalization, as well as fresh energy for the Downtown Eastside. Serving as flagship for positive change in the community, Woodward’s will help restore commercial vitality to the neighbourhood. Thanks to the transformation of this historic building, many residents will enjoy high-quality housing integrated into the community.