Social services fair makes life easier for Vancouver residents living in poverty
People could get done in a day what can take months for someone without a car
By Kevin Griffin, Vancouver Sun
VANCOUVER -- People struggling with homelessness and
poverty found their lives were made a little easier Tuesday at a social
services fair where everything from free haircuts to free voicemail were
available at one place.
Called Summer Connect, the fair took place inside the Union Gospel Mission on East Hastings Street and outside under tents on adjacent Princess Avenue. Music by The Pederson Sisters and Deanna Knight and The Hot Club of Mars helped create a festive, fair-like atmosphere.
About 40 booths provided an expected 1,500 people help with issues such as dealing with a housing problem and getting wheelchairs repaired.
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The idea of having the services needed by poor people in one location started in California several years ago, said Keela Keeping, the mission’s public relations specialist.
“Research shows that people could accomplish in one day what could take up to eight months because of mobility issues and not being able to move from location to location or being turned away and asked to come back another day.”
Judging from the long lineup, free haircuts were among the most popular service.
Les Nelson has lived in the Downtown Eastside for more than 30 years. He said he was getting his hair trimmed after hearing about the fair from a friend. He planned to eat a free breakfast after his haircut.
“It’s awesome,” he said about Summer Connect. “It’s really good. They seem to understand what I want.”
Stylist Elmer Azak said he started out cutting hair when he was living on-reserve on the Nass River. Azak, who also does volunteer work for the men’s group The Dudes Club at Vancouver Native Health Society, said he expected Nelson’s would be about one of 20 haircuts he’d give at Summer Connect.
Azak said he volunteered because it was his way to give back to the community.
“I like to see people happy,” he said. “When you cut hair, it takes weight off their shoulders. It makes them smile. It gives you time to talk to people.”
The BCSPCA had a booth where pet owners could get treats after spinning a wheel of fortune and answering a skill testing question.
Sabrina Stecyk, an animal care attendant, was handing out leaflets for Charlie’s Pet Food Bank which offers free pet food for people who can’t afford to feed their pets. In operation for 14 years, it is open every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon at Mission Possible at 543 Powell.
On May 30, a veterinarian will be at the food bank to check on the health of people’s pets. “They get about 140 people a week at the pet food bank,” she said. “It’s all by donation. If you have a cat, you get a bag of litter.”
Another service offered at the fair was Community Voice Mail by the Lu’ma Native Housing Society. Launched in Vancouver in 2010, the service has made 1,400 phone numbers available in Metro Vancouver for people who are phoneless.
Called Summer Connect, the fair took place inside the Union Gospel Mission on East Hastings Street and outside under tents on adjacent Princess Avenue. Music by The Pederson Sisters and Deanna Knight and The Hot Club of Mars helped create a festive, fair-like atmosphere.
About 40 booths provided an expected 1,500 people help with issues such as dealing with a housing problem and getting wheelchairs repaired.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE IMAGES
The idea of having the services needed by poor people in one location started in California several years ago, said Keela Keeping, the mission’s public relations specialist.
“Research shows that people could accomplish in one day what could take up to eight months because of mobility issues and not being able to move from location to location or being turned away and asked to come back another day.”
Judging from the long lineup, free haircuts were among the most popular service.
Les Nelson has lived in the Downtown Eastside for more than 30 years. He said he was getting his hair trimmed after hearing about the fair from a friend. He planned to eat a free breakfast after his haircut.
“It’s awesome,” he said about Summer Connect. “It’s really good. They seem to understand what I want.”
Stylist Elmer Azak said he started out cutting hair when he was living on-reserve on the Nass River. Azak, who also does volunteer work for the men’s group The Dudes Club at Vancouver Native Health Society, said he expected Nelson’s would be about one of 20 haircuts he’d give at Summer Connect.
Azak said he volunteered because it was his way to give back to the community.
“I like to see people happy,” he said. “When you cut hair, it takes weight off their shoulders. It makes them smile. It gives you time to talk to people.”
The BCSPCA had a booth where pet owners could get treats after spinning a wheel of fortune and answering a skill testing question.
Sabrina Stecyk, an animal care attendant, was handing out leaflets for Charlie’s Pet Food Bank which offers free pet food for people who can’t afford to feed their pets. In operation for 14 years, it is open every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon at Mission Possible at 543 Powell.
On May 30, a veterinarian will be at the food bank to check on the health of people’s pets. “They get about 140 people a week at the pet food bank,” she said. “It’s all by donation. If you have a cat, you get a bag of litter.”
Another service offered at the fair was Community Voice Mail by the Lu’ma Native Housing Society. Launched in Vancouver in 2010, the service has made 1,400 phone numbers available in Metro Vancouver for people who are phoneless.
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