Help Mask Vancouver Homeless Against COVID-19
Donation protected
We are raising money to help provide effective masks to the most vulnerable neighbourhood in Vancouver BC during this COVID-19 crisis. It is borderline impossible for the homeless in the DTES to keep socially isolated and maintain the mandated distance from each other. All the volunteers in the DTES deserve to be protected to stop exposure and spread of the COVID-19 virus. Everyone is close together due to limited space and overcrowded streets, shelters and SROs...in other words, if one person is infected with the virus, everyone is going to be infected. We realize this is a state of emergency and need your help to take preventative measures immediately!
The Four Directions Trading Post took on the work of the DTES Street Market in the Summer of 2018. It is a public market that operates year-round offering carefully crafted, intentional and diverse collection of tented stalls and/ or “day tables” which are available to members/vendors of the community to use to sell their crafts, merchandise (gathered from their wholesaler, local donation sites and the movie industry), gently-used clothing, DVDs, books, hand tools, sporting gear and non-perishable items like laundry soap and make-up, shampoo and pens.
The market exists to fulfill a public purpose which is to have outreach to our most vulnerable community and alleviate the financial stress experienced by individuals experiencing poverty. It also showcases the community's unique character and culture while serving its everyday shopping needs.
During the current COVID19 pandemic, the City of Vancouver has insisted that we close the market so we have found opportunities for vendors and peer workers to earn much needed extra dollars to survive. They have been tasked with keeping the worst area of East Hastings Street free of needles and garbage, offer hand washing stations and training on best practices for staying safe and clean. They have also been engaged to provide crowd control at the social service offices and the local bank.
The management team has been working daily and constantly to keep our peers supplied with gloves and masks. We're out. We do not have access to what we need to keep everyone safe. It's clear that the most vulnerable in the community are stepping up to do their best for others. They need your help.
It seems every other community but the DTES has preventative measures in place. It’s imperative that we get ahead of what could be a true disaster. For those out there sitting at home isolated wondering what you can do to help, this is the perfect opportunity. Every single dollar counts! Please help us help the most vulnerable by donating what you can. Thank you from all of us in the DTES!
http://fdtp.ca/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Eastside
The Four Directions Trading Post took on the work of the DTES Street Market in the Summer of 2018. It is a public market that operates year-round offering carefully crafted, intentional and diverse collection of tented stalls and/ or “day tables” which are available to members/vendors of the community to use to sell their crafts, merchandise (gathered from their wholesaler, local donation sites and the movie industry), gently-used clothing, DVDs, books, hand tools, sporting gear and non-perishable items like laundry soap and make-up, shampoo and pens.
The market exists to fulfill a public purpose which is to have outreach to our most vulnerable community and alleviate the financial stress experienced by individuals experiencing poverty. It also showcases the community's unique character and culture while serving its everyday shopping needs.
During the current COVID19 pandemic, the City of Vancouver has insisted that we close the market so we have found opportunities for vendors and peer workers to earn much needed extra dollars to survive. They have been tasked with keeping the worst area of East Hastings Street free of needles and garbage, offer hand washing stations and training on best practices for staying safe and clean. They have also been engaged to provide crowd control at the social service offices and the local bank.
The management team has been working daily and constantly to keep our peers supplied with gloves and masks. We're out. We do not have access to what we need to keep everyone safe. It's clear that the most vulnerable in the community are stepping up to do their best for others. They need your help.
It seems every other community but the DTES has preventative measures in place. It’s imperative that we get ahead of what could be a true disaster. For those out there sitting at home isolated wondering what you can do to help, this is the perfect opportunity. Every single dollar counts! Please help us help the most vulnerable by donating what you can. Thank you from all of us in the DTES!
http://fdtp.ca/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Eastside
Organizer
Constance Barnes
Organizer
Vancouver, BC