Dear Editor,
I read with a smile the stories about Eden Wu "Richmond student spreads holiday joy" and the Tzu Chi Foundation regarding their generous and thoughtful donations gratefully received by Richmond House shelter and St. Alban's church.
These two organizations deliver vital programs and services to our unhoused and at-risk Richmond residents and I'm sure they are grateful for the donations.
The year-end holiday season is a good time to remember our most vulnerable citizens.
As Ms. Wu said, donations are a "reminder (to recipients) that they are loved during the holiday season. Or if they're struggling through anything, that someone is looking over them and caring about them."
The Richmond Homeless Connect planning committee can heartily agree with this sentiment.
Since 2009 we have planned and hosted an annual Connect Event every year except through COVID-19.
This year, about 60 guests came for a light breakfast, take-away snacks, hygiene kits, dental hygiene kits, socks, underwear and toques, and received services such as haircuts, flu shots, hearing tests, foot care and referrals to other local services.
Our statistics noted that all the services were well attended and that over 41 per cent of the guests were seniors, over 60 years of age.
Thanks to all the service providers for making this event a success and helping to connect our homeless and at-risk residents to needed services.
They include Pathways Clubhouse, Richmond Food Bank, Inlet Hearing, Vancouver Coastal Health, City of Richmond,and Ministry of Social Development & Poverty Reduction.
We gave extra kits and clothing to the outreach worker who is employed by Church on Five, so he can hand them out to the 70 homeless folks he feeds each night.
So, the donations we received help us to continue providing clothing and provisions to our unhoused neighbours throughout the year.
Thanks to our generous donors Rotary Sunrise of Richmond and Steveston Rotary and many individual donors.
Thanks also to Church on Five, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Alban's Church, the Tzu Chi Foundation and Richmond Poverty Reduction Coalition for their active participation in hosting this event.
If you are looking to make a donation for year-end that will help our most vulnerable through 2024, please check out their websites.
De Whalen
Chair, Richmond Homeless Connect
