Up to 600 people are believed to be experiencing homelessness in the Harbour City this year. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Spencer Sterritt

taking action

Homelessness Action Week aims to inspire, start important conversations in Nanaimo

Oct 15, 2019 | 11:55 AM

NANAIMO — Conversations about homelessness in the harbour city happen every day but a campaign wants to make sure the right conversations are happening.

Homelessness Action Weeks runs from Sunday, Oct. 13 to Saturday, Oct. 19. Numerous events run during the week designed to engage community members and also those currently experiencing homelessness.

Nanaimo Homeless coalition co-chair Yvonne Borrows told NanaimoNewsNOW it’s a chance for people to engage, become informed and cut through some overwhelming stigma and mis-information about the crisis.

“We’re seeing more and more local people. The age is rising among our homeless and those numbers scare us.”

Borrows works at the Salvation Army, where she said she’s seen numerous agencies struggle with the pressure of helping so many.

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“There’s a lot of talk all the time that no one’s doing anything, that agencies aren’t doing their job. And yet, most frontline agencies are working their butts off to meet the demand and address some of the issues the best they can.”

Borrows said it’s hoped the awareness week will inform people looking to volunteer and help ease the burden on those agencies.

“There are an awful lot of agencies working on the frontline who’s staff are struggling because they’re done, they’re tired, they just need some supported volunteers to step in and help. That’s huge.”

The most recent Point-In-Time homeless count showed nearly 400 people experiencing homelessness lived in the Nanaimo area.

Signy Madden, United Way Central and Northern Vancouver Island executive director, said the number is now closer to 600.

Madden said in the face of such high numbers more affordable and supportive housing is desperately needed and communities need to be aware about how best to support the developments.

“People say they want to help the homeless but when projects are announced and supported they say ‘Well yeah, but not anywhere near me.’ The homeless are our own citizens and we’ve got to find a way to support them.”

A full list of Nanaimo events can be found here.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit