Each year, in mid-October, Homeless Action Week is marked by communities and organizations throughout the region, with the City of Vancouver acknowledging that community and grassroots events and projects are essential to provide as much aid and comfort as possible to those who remain unhoused.
For the Westside Anglicans Neighbourhood Ministry (WANM) volunteers, homeless action outreach is not a yearly event but a weekly one. The WANM, founded in 2007 by the Revd Dr. Pitman Potter, consists of volunteers from the parishes of St. Anselm’s, UBC; St. Helen’s, Point Grey; St. Philip’s, Dunbar; St. John’s, Shaughnessy.
Each week, teams from the four parishes pack food, toiletries, sleeping bags, mats, clothing and other supplies for WANM outreach volunteers to deliver to our friends on the streets. The street outreach volunteers also provide Information about services offered in the City of Vancouver and those offered by the WANM’s twice-monthly Mobile Care Unit held at Kits Showers—housing applications, tax forms, ID replacement—and doctor’s assistance when available.
On average, WANM street outreach team members and Mobile Care Unit volunteers connect with nearly 2,000 people annually.
The Greater Vancouver 2023 Homeless Count, which occurred March 7-8, 2023, identified 4,821 people experiencing homelessness—a 32% increase compared with 2020, the last time the count occurred and the highest spike between consecutive counts since the homeless count report began in 2005. The City cancelled the count in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID pandemic.
Notably, the 2023 Homeless Count did not include those experiencing homelessness on March 8, 2023, nor those living in substandard housing or unstable tenancies, which generally number even more than those experiencing homelessness.
During the 2023 Homeless Count, survey respondents were asked what caused their most recent housing loss. The most common response was that they did not have enough income (35%). The other most common reasons were substance use (24%) and mental health (16%). Consistent with 2020 results, Indigenous persons continue to be overrepresented, with 33% (821) of the respondents identifying as Indigenous.
This continued increase in homelessness in Greater Vancouver vividly demonstrates the need for support and services for the most vulnerable in our society. We thank all the members of these parishes who strengthen this ministry with their prayers and contribute to the supplies WANM volunteers deliver each week. Your gifts allow us to connect one-on-one with our neighbours in need and demonstrate to them in a tangible way that homelessness does not mean hopelessness.
Joan Stewart
Co-chair WANM Board of Management
Neighbourhood Ministry 