This weekly editorial gives opportunity for people to speak about issues they believe are vital for the church to respond to. One of the goals of this weekly article is to spark dialogue – and action. We invite you to…
First United has long been a steady and welcoming presence in the Downtown Eastside for the homeless and poor, first as a church and more recently as a community centre and social service provider. Now First United Community Ministry has…
“We are in a housing crisis, but without the heart component people don’t stay long in housing.” Jenny Konkin used to focus more on finding housing for homeless people in the Downtown Eastside, but she has refined her views: When…
Aaron White has spent much of his adult life living and working in the Downtown Eastside. And now he has drawn on his experiences for his brand new book, Recovering: From Brokenness and Addiction to Blessedness and Community (Brazos Press). He…
WayBase released a report about The Impact of COVID-19 on Canadian Christian Charities June 5. WayBase is a platform that helps people and Christian ministries in Canada find each other, partner together and show collective impact. Director Tim Day and…
Peter Biggs of The Light Magazine is researching one Metro Vancouver / Fraser Valley municipality each month, and producing a focus on each one. The October issue brought attention to the Downtown Eastside and a feature interview with Jacqueline Dewar, who has worked and lived in…
Jenny Hawkinson has been working as an artist for a decade, mostly in the Downtown Eastside. For several years she worked with Mission Possible; now she is a DTES street pastor / artist with 24-7 Prayer. Over the summer, she and…
Just over a month ago, the Jacob’s Well community was not sure whether it would be able to carry on, having been evicted from its long-time home at 239 Main Street, just north of Hastings Street. The team decided to close its doors…
It seems ironic, to me at least, that the last time I was at Jacob’s Well, long-time activist Jean Swanson was making an impassioned presentation about gentrification – describing the way that uncaring governments and business forces were tearing apart the Downtown Eastside…
Fr. Matthew Johnson serves in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside with the Street Outreach Initiative, a joint program of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster and St. James Anglican Church. British Columbia finds itself in a life and death crisis. All around…