Saturday, August 8, 2009
Being a Director
Since being elected a director to DERA this spring this is the first time I felt that I wanted to remain part of this governance. We did a small community kitchen at Tellier Towers yesterday Friday and it was a good feeling. It wasn't much except salad, marshmellows, designer bread and butter, organge drink, and milk and no one was agressive. Of the Directors there: Alex dropped by and helped serve the food and Peter walked through the common area three times observing but not participating. I hope these Fridays become a regular thing for residents in the DTES to drop by and network. We should get some loud Michael Jackson music then the place will rock.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
First Bring Down the Non-Profits
To eliminate poverty the first thing to do is look at the non-profits who are financed by government grants and "compromised" money (i.e. money derived from tax deductions). No non-profit executive director should be earning more than three times the minimum wage. We need committed individuals not those that are retained by excessive salaries and secrecy.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Streetohome.org
Saturday, February 28, 2009 2:49 PM
From:
"Audrey Jane Laferriere"View contact details
To:
"Hannah Lee" Streetohome Foundation
I was just advised that for 2007-2008 the City had 52,000 turnaways from shelters. We need shelters not an abundance of costly supportive housing.
You still did not answer my query as to whether or not Ken Dobell was able to persuade the federal government via an order in council to give a special income tax deduction to the rich if they donate money for supportive housing.
From:
"Audrey Jane Laferriere"
To:
"Hannah Lee" Streetohome Foundation
I was just advised that for 2007-2008 the City had 52,000 turnaways from shelters. We need shelters not an abundance of costly supportive housing.
You still did not answer my query as to whether or not Ken Dobell was able to persuade the federal government via an order in council to give a special income tax deduction to the rich if they donate money for supportive housing.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Post to Francis Bula's blog
I remember asking/begging the business associations especially the DTVBIA two years ago to support the initiative to Make Storyeum a Minimalist Shelter. None of them had any vision or compassion for the street homeless then. All of them ignored my pleas and now with these minimalist shelters street problems have dramatically decreased. I still go ballistic when I think about this simple solution to alleviate some of the incredible hardship that the street homeless face each day. The Strathcona BIA told me that street homelessness was not their problem: their mandate is the businesses in the area. Others non-profits and organizations in the DTES told me we have to wait for real housing. This is about as stupid as what the police are doing: ticketing the marginalized for bylaw infractions to decrease drug trafficking (Jim Chui) as the paperwork to write a drug offence is too onerous vs a simple ticket. Even now with the looming March 31st deadline approaching there is no talk from the churches or the non-profit in the DTES to demand that these minimalist shelters continue. On March 31st 2009 I estimate there will be 900 street homeless evicted from these shelters and from their sister shelters .
Saturday, February 21, 2009
DERA meeting 23 February 2009
Please attend if you can a community meeting on Febuary 23 2009 at 1:00p.m. at Carnegie Centre (401 Main Street). The agenda covers:
1) Stop Gap Housing.
2) Closure of Shelter Beds on March 31st, 2009
3) DERA just won over $200,000 for tenants. Can DERA do the same for you.
4) The end of hotel tenants rights.
Attend so you are familiar with issues in the DTES.
Bring your questions.
778-329-1250
audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca
1) Stop Gap Housing.
2) Closure of Shelter Beds on March 31st, 2009
3) DERA just won over $200,000 for tenants. Can DERA do the same for you.
4) The end of hotel tenants rights.
Attend so you are familiar with issues in the DTES.
Bring your questions.
778-329-1250
audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca
Friday, February 6, 2009
Tracey's memorial
I attended Tracey's memorial yesterday afternoon. The Westend Anglician Church had a full mass for her. Only twenty people attended. As far as I could tell no one was from her family. Gregor wasn't there; his wife wasn't there; neither did he send flowers. But then Gregor wasn't at Daryl's memorial service either.
Both Tracey and Gregor died in fires last year trying to keep warm as they were shelterless in the middle of winter and Gregor has used their deaths to support his politicial agenda. Gregor could of made sure that both of them were properly respected. Because there were no flowers to give Tracey the minister asked that each of us place a small a rock to substitute on the alter (a jewish tradition).
Both Tracey and Gregor died in fires last year trying to keep warm as they were shelterless in the middle of winter and Gregor has used their deaths to support his politicial agenda. Gregor could of made sure that both of them were properly respected. Because there were no flowers to give Tracey the minister asked that each of us place a small a rock to substitute on the alter (a jewish tradition).
Friday, December 26, 2008
Why Shelters are Not Full
From: Audrey Jane Laferriere audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca
Subject: HEAT
To: mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca
Received: Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 11:30 PM
I cannot believe the incompetence of the highly paid, secretative experts who are part of HEAT. Their meetings are closed. My community keeps asking me who the hell is Janice Abbott? David Eby has sold out. And Chief Patrick Stewart should be tarred and feathered. The Aboriginal Homeless Streeting Committee as far as I know has not met in years. This goes to the fact leaders of the aboriginal poor do not give a damn about their street homeless people. As for the government paid "experts" they all are not even worth mentioning. When were they ever street homeless?
What has angered me these few days when I was doing volunteer outreach and telling the street people where the shelters are and what hours they operate I did not see one information sign and neither I have seen any outreach workers. The GVSS sends out alerts to shelters, community centres, the police and the media. This serves little purpose except for voter and media PR. It appears that they are doing something.
Every intersection utility pole should have a shelter bulletin pasted on it. And the shelters all should have blue lights at their doors so the homeless (as well as the taxpayers) know where the shelters are. Have you ever tired to find the women's shelter at the Lifeskills Centre on Cordova. I was there the day before yesterday and its entrance was double locked, it was dark, there was a buzzer which was extremely difficult to find, and there was no sign outside. This is also true at Powell Place for Women and the new shelter under the Granville Street bridge across from Unitow. No wonder the shelters have reported that they are not full. It is obvious if the target population cannot find shelters, the shelters are going to be empty.
The reasoning that word spreads by "word and mouth" is lame. Word of mouth only works for the seasoned street wise overly agressive crack head. What about the working poor and the new poor and the woman who just ran out of an abusive relationship with her children at 7:00 p.m. and those that have given up on the system.
Every intersection utility pole should have a shelter bulletin pasted on it. And the shelters all should have blue lights at their doors so the homeless (as well as the taxpayers) know where the shelters are. Have you ever tired to find the women's shelter at the Lifeskills Centre on Cordova. I was there the day before yesterday and its entrance was double locked, it was dark, there was a buzzer which was extremely difficult to find, and there was no sign outside. This is also true at Powell Place for Women and the new shelter under the Granville Street bridge across from Unitow. No wonder the shelters have reported that they are not full. It is obvious if the target population cannot find shelters, the shelters are going to be empty.
The reasoning that word spreads by "word and mouth" is lame. Word of mouth only works for the seasoned street wise overly agressive crack head. What about the working poor and the new poor and the woman who just ran out of an abusive relationship with her children at 7:00 p.m. and those that have given up on the system.
When I am in front of the First United Church I tell street people that it is open 21 hours a day and carts can be stored there and I am told that they did not know. The same when I tell others that there is a Women's Shelter at Life Skills. And when I am on Broadway they know even less. The homeless do not have access to the internet, newspaper, radio, television or even telephones. They live each day by the minute and such electronic communications are something they do not even have the energy to seek out.
From my understanding there are three independent shelters (First United is considered independent) as well as the HEAT shelters and the GVSS shelters: I was told that DERA and Potters Mission in the DTES have also opened up space for the homeless (both independents).
Audrey Laferriere
http://ca.mc316.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca
778-329-1250
Subject: HEAT
To: mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca
Received: Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 11:30 PM
I cannot believe the incompetence of the highly paid, secretative experts who are part of HEAT. Their meetings are closed. My community keeps asking me who the hell is Janice Abbott? David Eby has sold out. And Chief Patrick Stewart should be tarred and feathered. The Aboriginal Homeless Streeting Committee as far as I know has not met in years. This goes to the fact leaders of the aboriginal poor do not give a damn about their street homeless people. As for the government paid "experts" they all are not even worth mentioning. When were they ever street homeless?
What has angered me these few days when I was doing volunteer outreach and telling the street people where the shelters are and what hours they operate I did not see one information sign and neither I have seen any outreach workers. The GVSS sends out alerts to shelters, community centres, the police and the media. This serves little purpose except for voter and media PR. It appears that they are doing something.
Every intersection utility pole should have a shelter bulletin pasted on it. And the shelters all should have blue lights at their doors so the homeless (as well as the taxpayers) know where the shelters are. Have you ever tired to find the women's shelter at the Lifeskills Centre on Cordova. I was there the day before yesterday and its entrance was double locked, it was dark, there was a buzzer which was extremely difficult to find, and there was no sign outside. This is also true at Powell Place for Women and the new shelter under the Granville Street bridge across from Unitow. No wonder the shelters have reported that they are not full. It is obvious if the target population cannot find shelters, the shelters are going to be empty.
The reasoning that word spreads by "word and mouth" is lame. Word of mouth only works for the seasoned street wise overly agressive crack head. What about the working poor and the new poor and the woman who just ran out of an abusive relationship with her children at 7:00 p.m. and those that have given up on the system.
Every intersection utility pole should have a shelter bulletin pasted on it. And the shelters all should have blue lights at their doors so the homeless (as well as the taxpayers) know where the shelters are. Have you ever tired to find the women's shelter at the Lifeskills Centre on Cordova. I was there the day before yesterday and its entrance was double locked, it was dark, there was a buzzer which was extremely difficult to find, and there was no sign outside. This is also true at Powell Place for Women and the new shelter under the Granville Street bridge across from Unitow. No wonder the shelters have reported that they are not full. It is obvious if the target population cannot find shelters, the shelters are going to be empty.
The reasoning that word spreads by "word and mouth" is lame. Word of mouth only works for the seasoned street wise overly agressive crack head. What about the working poor and the new poor and the woman who just ran out of an abusive relationship with her children at 7:00 p.m. and those that have given up on the system.
When I am in front of the First United Church I tell street people that it is open 21 hours a day and carts can be stored there and I am told that they did not know. The same when I tell others that there is a Women's Shelter at Life Skills. And when I am on Broadway they know even less. The homeless do not have access to the internet, newspaper, radio, television or even telephones. They live each day by the minute and such electronic communications are something they do not even have the energy to seek out.
From my understanding there are three independent shelters (First United is considered independent) as well as the HEAT shelters and the GVSS shelters: I was told that DERA and Potters Mission in the DTES have also opened up space for the homeless (both independents).
Audrey Laferriere
http://ca.mc316.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca
778-329-1250
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