Category Archives: Homeless

Homeless

A Homeless Christmas Day

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5:30 AM Christmas morning. While most of Abbotsford is still abed, with visions of sugar-plums dancing in their head, Pastor Ray and his elves were up and working hard at Resurrection Church.

On eggs! on sausage! on pancakes and French toast!
Now coffee! Now hash browns! Now ketchup and muffins!

The gift bags, BIG gift bags, were stuffed with underwear, socks and other such needed items.

And when the homeless and hungry who had come for the food where leaving; they left with more than just gift bags and stomachs full of good fare. They left with spirits filled with the “Merry Christmases” and caring from all the volunteers who served breakfast with such cheer on Christmas morn.

1:30 PM Christmas afternoon found the tables at Seven Oaks Alliance set with care, to welcome the guests soon to be there.

Our hosts greeted their Christmas dinner guests, biding all welcome and seating them at tables arrayed for the feast. The serving line formed in orderly fashion; and the plates of the hundreds attending the celebration were soon filled with the repast.

As I walked back to the table I shared greetings with many I knew. All were spread and intermingled, making the homeless and hungry welcome at every table. Conversation and learning for those that were able.

Good food and good spirit had everyone leaving with a smile as they stepped out the door into the falling snow.

A Christmas Wish: that the spirit of these volunteers inspire all to generosity of spirit and caring for those so much in need of love and healing, each and every day of the 365 days of the coming year.

Federal, Hmmm, Homeless

Senate reform 101

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Senate reform seems to sink into a quagmire of complexity and political self interest. Is it not rational to change our frame of reference on the question of Senate reform?

Canadian citizens footing the cost of the senate need to get value for their money.

Canadian citizens need to derive benefit from the monies spent on the Senate, but Senate changes become lost in arguments about the form change should take. What we need is a change that requires no amendments to any legislation governing the Senate, but results in a Senate/Senators benefiting Canada.

Simple. We change who is to be appointed to the Senate, not the how, directing the Prime Minister to appoint Senators from a pool meeting the requirements the Canadian people feel will benefit the country.

I would like to propose that we use the Senate to support advocates, agents of change …. Use whatever label you choose for those who champion causes such as homelessness, poverty, climate change, child care etc.

As a country we face the need to address many social, economic fairness and environmental issues. Issues that we need to have a public debate on in order that we can formulate effective and cost efficient policies to address these issues.

Unfortunately we currently have no such debate taking place in this country. Currently we have politicians and their followers throwing around trite sound bites based on their ideology or what they think the public wants to hear – or both. Despite all the rhetoric, claims and promises these problems continue to grow and worsen.

These are complex issues containing far more gray than black or white, without nice neat solutions, often requiring multiple approaches to effect change. In other words – messy. The reality being that dealing with them will result in mistakes, some negative outcomes and someone, somewhere screaming out their upset. The type of issues that have politicians running for cover – or using trite phrases and telling the public what it wants to hear.

So we take those with a passion to address these issues, some brains, good communications skills, an ability to find compromise and consensus and other traits we think would be helpful and we appoint them to the senate.

Being a senator grants them financial security and independence, affording an opportunity to focus on the issues. It provides for travel, opens doors and provides a public platform to engage and address the Canadian public, a voice an ordinary citizen does not have. It provides an interesting and challenging group of peers to brainstorm with.

These senators can lead the public debate, generating ideas and feedback, building consensus on what course our country should pursue. This provides protection for the politicians while it ensures that the debates and policy decisions we need as a country take place.

By reforming the Senate in this way we create a Canadian institution that is focused on creating positive change, becoming a world leader in how to achieve change and growth

Homeless, Provincial

TO: Kevin Falcon, Transportation Ministe

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FROM: www.homelessinabbotsford.com

RE: Improper Bridge Drainage Problems

We have, following the recent inclement weather, received a deluge of complaints about bridges leaking and/or suffering from improper drainage.

Not only does getting wet in cold weather pose a threat to health, it also is life threatening to the lives of those BC citizens/residents forced by the growing epidemic of homelessness to live under the bridges you bear responsiblity for.

These homeless wish to know what steps you, as the Minister responsible for these bridges, will be taking to remedy the problems with drainage in order that those forced to shelter beneath the bridges and remove the threat posed to the health and lives forced to live beneath the bridges, like trolls from the dark-ages tales.

The homeless would accept you championing the homeless and interceding on their behalf with your colleagues in lue of action on the bridges themselves.

Claude Richmond, Minister of Employment and Income Assistance on the matter of realistic and viable shelter allowance levels and the replacement of the current ineffective programs with programs designed to deliver services of benefit to the clients, not for the ease of M.E.I.A. staff.

Housing Minister Rich Coleman in encouraging BC Housing to be proactive and flexible in seeking local partners to get some affordable housing initiatives underway in Abbotsford.

Premier Gordon Campbell to recognize the complex people issues lumped under labels such as homeless or addiction and recognize the need for ingenuity and initiative in addressing these growing issues sooner rather than waiting until they have become such a problem that the government is forced to act.

As a personal preference we at homelessinabbotsford.com would rather see these needs address in the proper manner and ministry, as opposed to continuing to sweep the problem under the bridges – and whatever makeshift shelter can be found.

Hmmm, Homeless

Abbotsford – Purgatory? Hell?

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Over lunch at the Salvation Army the other day we pondered the question of whether we were already dead? Debated and discussed the philosophical implications on a personal, metaphysical and nature of the universe/reality level.

If we are dead: is this purgatory? Is this hell … eternal hell?

We leaned toward the philosophical argument casting Abbotsford as Purgatory, although one can argue that eternal homelessness in Abbotsford would be Hell. We built a stream of consciousness out of conceptual reasoning supporting Abbotsford as Purgatory.

A wealthy community with many Christian churches. A community possessed of all the resources of Abbotsford, inhabited by people professing to follow the loving teachings of Christ. Viewed in this perspective Abbotsford should be the promised land for the homeless. A loving community to come together and possessing the resources to end homelessness on its streets and to support the homeless in their journeys of recovery to reclaim their lives.

The reality is that all the fine words remain just that – words. The resources that would allow the homeless to recover and grow are denied; hoarded or used to buy more things, fancier things, rather than invested in people in need.

So the homeless struggle through their days, surrounded by what would save them from life on the streets, but denied this salvation. In the short term – Purgatory; in the long term – Hell.

Or perhaps, just perhaps, the truth is that this is Purgatory, not for the homeless, but for those of possessions and wealth and fine words. A final chance to come to understand and live the words they so glibly use and upbraid others with. A final opportunity to live their faith, rather than continuing their pharisaism.

A knotty enigma to reflect upon during this Season celebrating Christs life, with its message of love, hope, rebirth and renewal.

Consider, Homeless

Please remember the Food Bank

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I read in the papers that for Food Banks this is the time of year a major portion of their funds are raised and that it is also an important time for food item donations.

From my observations and knowledge, in Abbotsford we are seeing an increasing number of people relying on the Abbotsford Food Bank for their daily sustenance. With an alarming increase in the numbers of seniors and children dependent on the Food Bank.

I share this in order to urge people to be as generous as possible in making cash donations to the Food Bank because I believe that in order to serve the growing population of hungry in our City, the Food Bank will need all the funds it can muster. So, please be extra generous.

I also want to urge people to be extra generous in their food donations now and in the New Year. I had a recent conversation with a friend about what to donate or how to find out what to donate. As a service and to provide an expert opinion on this matter, I contacted the food bank which (or is that who?) said:

“Virtually anything for food works…as you know however high protein items like peanut butter and fish are always good and breakfast items like pancake mix and syrup…our clients here all like KD (Kraft Dinner) of course and pasta’s of any sort…we virtually get no dairy and little produce so that would be of great help.”

A simple guide from the horse’s mouth.

Dairy? Produce? I do not have clue as to how to address this. So ladies and gentleman, boys and girls let us put on our thinking caps and come up with ideas on Dairy and Produce. Remember donations can be also be a good idea or volunteering your time.

In my pre-homeless, pre-poverty days it was a regular habit with me to drop a food item into the food bank boxes that the grocery stores had, at that time, prominently displayed near the check out area. These days the only generosity I can show to the Food Bank is to not use it (I can eek by without) leaving a little more on their shelves for those who, without the Food Bank, face hunger. I can also ask you to be generous – and I do.

Please be sure to take time at this hectic time of year to remember those who need our help to put food on their tables. Support our Abbotsford Food Bank and please, be generous.