NANAIMO — Additional federal grant money is coming to the mid-Island to support those who are unhoused.
A total of $1.9 million will go towards 11 programs addressing homelessness in the Nanaimo, Cowichan, and Duncan areas, courtesy of the federal Reaching Home program, with grants distributed by United Way BC (UWBC).
Director of community impact and investment with UWBC Naomi Woodland, said $500,000 will go towards operational costs for the year-round drop-in hub at 55 Victoria Rd. in Nanaimo, which opened in January.
“It’s a really great space where people know they can get support, a warm or cold drink depending on the weather and a bite to eat. There’s also…hygiene supplies, access to washrooms, healthcare supports, wound care. Just connections to a person, being able to have a conversation and help check in on people as they are navigating different journeys to housing and wellness.”
She said the drop-in hub has been desperately needed in the community for a number of years, with services from Island Health, Snuneymuxw First Nation, the 7-10 Club, AVI, and the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction regularly dropping in to connect people.
Other Nanaimo-based services benefiting from the grant money are the Double Bagging It food program through the 7-10 Club, the Indigenous-led outreach harm reduction team with AVI Health and Community Services, and the Island Crisis Care Society’s Connections4Hope program.
Also included is the Cowichan Housing Association, which helps understand an individual’s specific needs to ensure they have support to remain housed in a healthy way.
“Sometimes someone might be about to lose their housing because they couldn’t pay rent, but it was because they had to pay for a hydro bill, or they really needed to get their medication that week,” said Woodland.
She said people from all walks of life are struggling with the increases in the cost of living and the shortage of affordable housing, especially in the last few years.
They’re seeing more and more need for these kinds of emergency supports, not only just in B.C. but across the entire country.
“We’re really seeing the impact of potentially being unhoused affecting more and more people in our communities and I think we really need to think about, how do we come together as communities to support the people in low-income situations and make sure that housing is a human right and that people can continue to stay housed as other things move around us?”
More information on all of the local programs funded by the Reaching Home grants can be found here at the UWBC website.
We’re on Bluesky! Stay up to date on news across central Vancouver Island through Bluesky, by following @NanaimoNewsNOW.bsky.social.
info@nanaimonewsnow.com
Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook
