It’s Homelessness Awareness Week in Vancouver, British Columbia this week. And they’re doing a great job of promoting it on the web, in print, and on the street.
In fact, as I was walking into my Gastown office this morning their were numerous homelessness awareness promoters on the street and in the back alley behind the building. They were a little rough around the edges, but they were definitely committed to their cause – I was aware, as I am daily, that there are too many people without homes in Vancouver.
From Stophomelessness.ca:
Through Homelessness Awareness Week people living in the Greater Vancouver area are invited to learn more about what is causing homelessness; how homelessness affects the health of individuals and society at large; and why working together is the only way we will solve the crisis of homelessness in our community.
There are a number of events throughout the Lower Mainland this week supporting Homelessness Awareness.
You can find a full list of regional Homelessness Awareness Events at the StopHomelessness website.
The GVRD website also has some info about homelessness in the Greater Vancouver Regional District.
I don’t know an awful lot about the causes of homelessness, but I’m guessing it has to do with a lack of care options for the mentally ill, exorbitant housing prices, rampant drug addiction, and our mild climate.
How can we make things better?
What should we, as a city/province/country, do to make things better?
I think building awareness is a good start. Read some articles, become aware.
It certainly sounds like the Mayor is becoming aware (from News 1130AM):
Visitors to our city have labelled Vancouver’s homeless as the greatest danger to watch out for on virtualtourist.com, a website seen by travellers around the world. Mayor Sam Sullivan says Vancouver’s profile on the site raises some concerns. “It gives a very strong message to council, that if that’s the kind of message that’s getting out around the world, we absolutely must act on this.” Sullivan has introduced a few solutions in council with this being Homelessness Awareness Week.
What do you think?