Homelessness Action Week Starts Today
By 250 News
Sunday, October 12, 2008 06:26 AM
Prince George, B.C.- Today marks the start of Homelessness Action Week in Prince George.
According to a survey conducted in May of this year, there are 259 people in Prince George who consider themselves homeless.
Of that number, 63% identified their gender as male, while 34% are female (some did not indicate gender). Of those who identified themselves as homeless, 35% indicated they had spent the night in a shelter, 19% said they had “couch surfed” by staying with a friend or a family member, 5% said they slept outside or in a vehicle, and a small percentage said they had spent the night in a treatment centre or a motel. The balance did not specify where they had slept.
Later this week, those who had taken part in the trip to Portland to find out more about the Housing First program will be sharing their information on how, or if, such a program could be adopted by the City of Prince George. Portland has been successful in taking 1500 people of its streets in the past two years.
Here at home, events to mark the week will start Tuesday with a wellness fair at the Connaught Youth Centre. Attendees will be offered services such as, haircuts, health information, emergency and government services. Survival packs containing blankets, hot mitts, food and juices, personal hygiene products, transit pass, and a travel mug will be handed out.
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Posted by: MoneKate on October 12 2008 12:00 PM