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A Message from the President
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Dear Friends,
Well, I think it would be an understatement to say that 2020-21 has been a year like no other. Like everyone else, we have seen COVID-19 disrupt life at Anawim House in ways unimaginable just a short 12 months ago. I think it’s fair to say that this great reset has brought out the best in many people and shone a light on the opportunities to improve. From the onset of the pandemic, it was clear that the poor and homeless were going to face exceptional obstacles in accessing the services they rely on to survive.
Although we have not returned to in-person meals for drop-in guests, we have extended our outreach by officially partnering with a group called the Justice Van. Our staff prepares meals and Justice Van volunteers deliver them directly to people in need. We also agreed in February to allow the Justice Van to use an unused part of the house (the bike room) for added outreach and counselling services. We feel strongly that maximizing the use of the house to help others is a win-win scenario.
In March, the rezoning application for the Women’s House was approved by Victoria city council by a 7-2 vote. I want to thank the hard work of Aryze Developments and D’Arcy Jones for their vision and persistence in moving this project forward. The support for the house was overwhelming as demonstrated in the large number of letters of support we received. Our intention is to be a great neighbour, and we will work hard to earn the trust of the neighbourhood.
We now turn our focus to the actual build. We have entered into a construction contract with Aryze and are in the process of applying for a building permit by the end of July. Once approved, we will be able to start construction, hopefully by the Fall. We have already secured a number of large donations and have been pledged more. We will work hard to secure the funds to make this project a reality.
So as we embark on this year, full of unknowns, the Board takes solace in knowing that we are supported by the you—our members, donors, Staff and Residents, and frankly the Greater Victoria Community. Thank you for your continued support.
Dan Greco
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Jamie's Story
"I find the unconditional acceptance is here."
read more >>
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Dominic's Story
"To see how you guys have compassion and patience for people, it changed how I view things now."
read more >>
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Anawim has continued to provide services throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Read on for details on how we've kept serving our community through 2020 and the first half of 2021.
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When Covid hit, we had to decide how we'd continue to serve our community.
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Our laundry and shower facilities opened back up, for one person at a time.
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We continued to provide lunches with the help of the Justice Van.
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We followed the health guidelines set by the province to keep our residents safe.
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