Request for Donations
The WANM Street Outreach program currently needs the items listed below. Donations can be left in the baskets provided in the Narthex of the church.
- Rain, winter and fleece jackets
- Rain pants
- Sweatpants < POPULAR!
- Long underwear
- Men’s socks
- Men's underwear < POPULAR!
- Tarps (dark colours are preferred but not essential)
- Cans of meat
- Cans of fish
- Cereal bars (no nuts or seeds)
- Can openers
- McDonald’s gift cards ($15 or $10)
Street Outreach Report - 25 January 2025
Kate and I (Mary) met at St. Philip’s where we picked up packets, sandwiches, eggs, bananas, and McDonald’s gift cards as well as sleeping bags, mats and various items of clothing. It was a lovely sunny day, although coldish.
Our first stop was the fence at 4th Avenue and Highbury where T., M. and A. were waiting for us. All took food, a gift card, and underwear. A. took a pair of mitts and M. a pair of fleece pants. All seemed in good spirits. We drove around inside the parkade there looking for T. and his dogs, but they must have moved on.
Driving up to the 4th and Vine area, we found P. at his usual spot on the NE corner. He took food and a gift card. He said he had not noticed anyone else in the area. We did walk around the area but found no one else.
Then we drove east along 4th Avenue and around the Granville Loop Park area. We did not spot anyone under the bridge ramps or see any tents in the park so we did not stop.
We proceeded to 7th Avenue and Fir and pulled into the parking lot behind the now-closed Windsor Plywood. We looked in the parking garages off the lane and saw R. and C. R. had had his tent.stolen. They took food and gift cards. Both also took sleeping bags, and R. took a mat, fleece pullover and sweatpants. C. found a sweater. Both took extra socks and handwarmers, gloves and underwear.
We parked in our usual location on 10th Avenue and Fir and went over to the VSB Park. There we found J. waiting for us on the bench as usual. He took razors, food, and a gift card and a jacket and waterproof pants. We then did quite a thorough walk around the Granville and Broadway area, over to the Circle K on Hemlock and on 8th Avenue by the Oddfellows Hall where R. had seen some of his friends earlier, but no one was there.
We went along Granville down to 13th Avenue but saw no one.
We drove west along Broadway and stopped at the Safeway at Macdonald. No one was outside. We drove around the parking garage and checked the spot where M. is often sitting, but he was not there.
Continuing west a few blocks we found St. with his guitar. He seemed more quiet and subdued than usual, but was happy to see us. He took food and gloves.
From there we checked out the Shoppers Drug Mart on Dunbar, where we did not find anyone, before returning our leftovers to St. Philip’s.
Downloadable PDF copies of this and previous reports are available below. Please note that reports are only posted for visits that start from St. Philip's, as occurs every four weeks in rotation with the other participating churches.
About the West Side Anglicans Neighbourhood Ministry
The Neighbourhood Ministry was started in 2008 when a small group of concerned church members decided that they would like to support the people who are unhoused or insecurely housed on the West Side. It offers care, companionship and practical help to our most vulnerable neighbours living in unhoused marginalized conditions.
It is a collaborative ministry shared by the parishes of St. Anselm’s St. Philip’s, St. Helen’s and St. John's Shaughnessy .
Mission Statement of the Westside Anglicans Neighbourhood Ministry
“Mutual Transformation” (reviewed by the Board of Management on November 23, 2021)
- We aim to show love and kindness to our homeless and vulnerable neighbours onVancouver’s Westside, simply by being a non-judgmental, reliable presence in their lives.
- We aim to be a bridge for them to access medical and social services which are inaccessible due to physical, mental health, and economic challenges and circumstances.
- We hope that the hearts of our volunteers and those who witness our work are transformed; that they become even more compassionate and committed by our weekly outreach and care to address the chronic crisis of homelessness.
WANM Ministries
Street Outreach
Every Saturday volunteers deliver packets of food, clothing and camping equipment to homeless individuals on the Westside of Vancouver. These supplies are donated by the parishioners of the four churches.
Mobile Care Unit
In many cases, the Street Outreach teams find individuals who need help completing government paperwork for ID, income and disability assistance, and housing. In order to address these needs the Mobile Care Unit (MCU) was founded in 2017. The MCU is staffed by WANM volunteers who help clients with this type of paperwork. It currently works out of Kitsilano Community Centre on Saturday mornings at the same time as the Kitsilano Shower Program, which offers a hot breakfast, showers and clean clothing.
Dunbar Housing
At 17th and Dunbar there is a supportive housing building and the WANM has been involved with its residents since it’s inception more than a decade ago. Several times a year, volunteers host celebration meals where they not only provide all of the food but also serve it and spend time with the people who live there.
More Information
For more information about the MCU or the Neighbourhood Ministry, please visit the Neighbourhood Ministry website.