Surrey, BC – The Surrey Homelessness & Housing Society (SHHS) has granted the City of Surrey $3.9 Million to support three capital projects with long-term impact. Funding will cover renovation costs and long-term leases to support the growing needs of people experiencing homelessness, or who are at risk of homelessness in Surrey.

“We have been moving quickly to provide for the urgent needs of our residents as a result of the pandemic, but it is important that we also balance this with investments that ensure our long-term needs are addressed,” said Councillor Laurie Guerra, President of the Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society. “These funds will transition people out of homelessness in areas where it is needed most, as we continue to work towards our vision of eradicating homelessness in our City.”

The responsive grant will be distributed over 10 years to support the following capital projects:

The Olive Brand Shelter will provide 46 beds for men and women, with the intention of accommodating those who are currently living in the Emergency Response Centre (ERC) at the North Surrey Recreation Centre.

SHHS will cover costs of the renovation and lease for a 5-year period, so residents will remain sheltered. The Olive Branch Shelter welcomed guests on November 16, 2020.

Providing 42 shelter beds for men and women, the SHHS grant will cover costs of the renovation and lease for a 3-year period. The opening of this shelter in November 2019 enabled individuals living in an outdoor encampment to move indoors and into shelter.

SHHS will cover the costs of the lease for a 10-year period, providing 40 supportive housing units for men and women. This is part of the Province’s commitment to develop 250 new modular supportive housing units on five sites in Surrey. Completion is expected in May 2021.

As we head into colder months, the City of Surrey and SHHS want to remind residents of Surrey’s participation in the Provincial Extreme Weather Response (EWR) program run by BC Housing. As a result of the pandemic, shelters are following the Covid-19 safety protocols, including physical distancing.

When an Extreme Weather Response Alert is announced, to date, the following overnight shelter locations will be available in Surrey:

Nightshift Ministries (10635 King George Blvd) provides shelter for women, from 9pm to 7am.

PCRS (10453 Whalley Blvd.) provides youth, aged 13 to 21 years, shelter from 8pm to 8am.

Fleetwood Church (9165 160th Street) provides shelter for men and women from 8pm to 7am.

Shamai House (13327 100A Avenue) provides shelter for women, from 8pm to 7am.

The City is working closely with BC Housing and Fraser Health to identify additional locations for overnight shelters. An update will be provided soon.

Additionally, the following shelter locations are open every night, regardless of weather conditions, until March 31, 2021:

Pacific Community Church (5337 180th Street) offers men and women shelter from 10pm to 7am.

Peace Portal Church (15128 27B Ave.) offers shelter for men and women from 8pm to 7am.

Councillor Laurie Guerra, President of the Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society.

Surrey, BC – The Surrey Homelessness & Housing Society (SHHS) has granted $350,000 in funding to 11 projects to implement food programs, purchase safety equipment, create homes and improve housing. The swift response addresses the emerging needs of people experiencing homelessness, or who are at risk of homelessness in Surrey related to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The investment comes on the heels of $250,000 in grants earlier this spring, which provided 19 projects funding to support charitable organizations deploy food programs, purchase emergency equipment and supplies, and bolster staff capacity.

“The pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on charitable organizations providing vital services for Surrey’s most vulnerable,” said Councillor Laurie Guerra, President of the Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society.

“This funding will ensure that we can continue to address the growing need for food programs, emergency supplies and strengthen operations both now and into the new year.”

A total of $350,000 in grants were awarded to the following organizations:

• Afro-Canadian Positive Network Society of BC
• Atira Women’s Resource Society
• Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver
• Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association
• Fraserside Community Services Society
• Lookout Housing and Health Society
• Nightshift Street Ministries
• Pacific Community Resources Society
• Phoenix Drug & Alcohol Recovery and Education Society
• SOS Children’s Village of BC
• Sources Community Resources Society

Learn more about the Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society here.

Photo: Fruiticana, one of Western Canada’s largest grocery chains,
has raised $100,000 for the Surrey Hospitals Foundation’s Children’s Health Centre renewal campaign. (From left) Puneet Dhillon, Community Liaison Coordinator, Surrey Hospitals Foundation; Harp Dhillon, Vice Chair, SHF Board of Directors; Sonia Virk, Director, SHF Board of Directors; Tony Singh, President, Fruiticana; Azra Hussain, Chief Operating Officer, Surrey Hospitals Foundation; Don Hickling , Vice President, Leadership Giving, Surrey Hospitals Foundation

Surrey, B.C. (October 23, 2020) – Fruiticana, one of Western Canada’s largest grocery chains, has raised $100,000 for the Surrey Hospitals Foundation’s Children’s Health Centre renewal campaign. Fruiticana raised the money from two in-store fundraising campaigns throughout the year in celebration of Diwali and Vaisakhi. A cheque presentation was held yesterday at the Fruiticana headquarters in Surrey.

As one of the Foundation’s first Community Champions, Fruiticana has continued to give generously to the Foundation’s fundraising campaigns. The Community Champions program was launched in 2019 to spark interest amongst philanthropic businesses who are looking for creative ways to give back to their community.

The Children’s Health Centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) is the only health facility in the Fraser Health region dedicated to children’s health and paediatric emergencies, including children’s surgery and cancer programs. SMH has the region’s only children’s emergency department, one of only two in British Columbia. The Children’s Health Centre treats 43 per cent of B.C.’s children who reside in the Fraser Health region, and treated 46,000 children in 2019.

The Foundation is working with the community to raise $6 million to transform the Children’s Health Centre, to add and expand new clinics and services including Neurology, Cardiology & Nephrology (kidney).

Surrey Hospitals Foundation is the largest non-government funder of health care for families in Surrey and surrounding Fraser Valley communities. The Foundation supports the major health facilities in the region, Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) and Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre (JPOCSC), as well as numerous specialized programs for newborns, children, adults and seniors.

The Foundation invests in the future of health care by funding innovative research in Surrey that can lead to medical breakthroughs. https://surreyhospitalsfoundation.com

DIVERSEcity Newcomer Food Hamper program in Surrey launches with support from partner organizations

Food insecurity remains a significant concern during COVID-19. DIVERSEcity’s Newcomer Food Hamper program, generously supported by several partner organizations in Surrey, is trying to help by distributing food hampers to low-income families in Surrey.

With $35,000 from the United Way’s Local Love Food Hub funding, DIVERSEcity’s Newcomer Food Hub is working in partnership with the Surrey Urban Farmers Market ordering produce from the market, paid for through the Farmer’s Market Nutrition Coupon Program). The fresh produce is then organized into hampers, along with additional food supplied from Sources Food Hub.

The hampers are then put together by DIVERSEcity staff and volunteers in partnership with Seeds of Change, working (physically distanced!) from their City of Surrey-sponsored location, the City Centre parkade. (Seeds of Change is supporting several food hubs across Surrey through United Way funding.)

Staff and volunteers came together Saturday, August 8, to sort, fill and distribute hampers. The group was happy but dedicated in their efforts, as they worked hard all morning, despite the rainy weather. Serious co-ordination was needed to ensure each hamper was filled correctly, including abiding by any food restrictions the clients may have.

Leo Ramirez, DIVERSEcity’s Community Kitchen Coordinator, who is organizing DIVERSEcity’s efforts, says, “I love that this is a group effort supporting the community. We are thankful to the many organizations, volunteers and staff that come together to make this work.”

One of those on the front lines was Surrey Urban Farmers Market market manager Anna Hall, who was also grateful to all the partners working together for this important initiative. She explained, “This food hub ensures that these families continue to get the fresh produce and food that they need every week.”

While most food hampers are delivered to families directly, some clients did stop by on Saturday to pick theirs up personally. Their smiling faces and gratitude were just another reminder of how important the team’s efforts were. The food hamper program launched July 25 and will continue to run for 10 to 12 weeks; about 50 hampers have already been sorted and distributed to low-income families, seniors and pregnant women.

“It’s been really valuable learning about how to build good partnerships in food access and food security work,” says Fiona Stevenson, manager of Volunteer & Community Programs, DIVERSEcity. “By partnering with Seeds of Change, we have access to the temporary site in the City Centre parkade each week, and we are also able to get additional items of recovered food from Sources Food Hub to add to all the hampers.

This support through the City of Surrey and Seeds of Change and Surrey Urban Farmers Market has been instrumental to venue, logistics, food access, permissions, staffing and more.” For more information, see www.dcrs.ca or contact kitchen@dcrs.ca.