Just great

I'm finding it interesting that the woman's organization I am with seems to be going out of their way to do anything but not help. Giving me outdated information or not contacting other organizations that could possibly help or providing me with the tools necessary to find a place to live, holding out on important information that could of helped me months ago and I have been trying so hard on my own to find a place but my credentials are not good enough for this city and soon I will be living in the the streets with my two children. I have been contacting so many places myself but no one ever calls me back or I need a referral from the woman's organization to apply for these housing places. Why are they hanging me out to dry ? I get the feeling I have been either blackballed or there are to many needy people to help and I have been forgotten about within the organization. You know I feel bad enough even asking for help cause I usually take care of things on my own but it appears I am in a dead end situation here in Vancouver and I really need some help ! Dead End :(

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There is...

Apr 11, 2022 at 12:20pm

... no delicate way to say this. I have worked with a few non-profits and it is a certain personality type that gets hired. They tend to be friendly enough, but not exactly competent. It is not exactly the same, but I once watched a food program that gave street dudes soup and sandwich 5 days a week, salmon sandwiches every day. It was 100% volunteer.

Of course, why let a good grantwriting opportunity go to waste"? A Donation from a 'civic foundation' turned it into some sort of "cafe" style dining experience. This enabled them to hire a staffer to "vision" the "experience" in a long-winded document talking about how dining together is the heart of community and other such nonsense. These guys were street guys who had been living rough for decades. They were not into a sit down meal, extending their pinkies as they drank tea from china cups.

Once the meal program became sit down, two things happened:

(1) The "coordinator" decided to scrounge as much free food as possible. Lots of rice and potatoes and beans, no more salmon.
(2) Some of the street guys just could not handle sitting down for a meal, petty squabbles broke out, so the most vulnerable men were forced out. But lots of nice ladies wearing jade rings and gold earrings were "more comfortable."

Another story, an indigenous friend who had a brain injury, so he legit needed to be in social housing. He said it was mostly full of guys who could work if they weren't boozing and drinking---and he said this as a guy who had his own alcohol problems in his youth, but he got clean, then had a brain injury.

The staff just didn't care about his noise complaints, like, when he started complaining, they became overtly hostile to him, told him he was "making it up" etc. etc. I mean, maybe he was, it is possible, but based on the behavior in the DTES on the streets (and my own lived experience with my substance abusing family, who we tried to house until they destroyed the place) I can believe him.

My understanding is that much assistance only triggers once you are in a bad situation, not just on the cusp of it---the system is reactive, not preventive. Have you contacted the Government about your situation? Have you talked with an actual social worker?

13 1Rating: +12

Anonymous

Apr 11, 2022 at 1:08pm

I wish I had somewhere for you to live or at least contact info to put in, it doesn't allow it. It's heartbreaking that people can be homeless, here of all places, there are more than enough resources to clothe feed and shelter everybody, just a coldblooded society concerned with getting ahead and how they can profit off others suffering. I don't know what org you use but some non profits are notoriously self-serving, their facade of helping is an illusion. Many at the top profit massively off keeping people destitute. I wonder about some of the info they ask people in need to share before they can help, why is it necessary to ask, seems non-sensical, it's almost like the purpose of asking is to get as much info to find ways they can discriminate. I've also heard there are people in some of those orgs that are intentionally placing more hardship to put the women in more precarious situations leaving them more desperate and signing up for more than they bargained for. There was a very sad story a couple years back about a woman using one of those orgs, I think many more stories like that are silenced so you really have to be careful. If you're getting bad vibes, or something feels off, seek other help, you're probably right to be concerned. I don't think you'll get much help in Vancouver, the entire lower mainland likely either. If you can leave altogether, it's a possibility you'd find more compassionate people elsewhere. BC lost record breaking residents over the last couple of years, it's no coincidence, people can't leave quickly enough. Greener kinder pastures.

22 1Rating: +21

Anonymous

Apr 11, 2022 at 1:45pm

Incredible the disparities in our society -- confession above whines about the "struggles" of wearing/not wearing masks in restaurant with double digit thumbs up. Confession about a mom and children facing homelessness, nobody notices. It's enough to make you lose your appetite. Sorry for what you're going through op. It's not much but somebody's praying for you.

26 1Rating: +25

Try...

Apr 11, 2022 at 9:52pm

Learning grammar and proper sentence structure.

4 19Rating: -15

MLA

Apr 11, 2022 at 11:48pm

Are you able to contact your MLA? This really helped me when my dad was in hospital and the staff were trying to discharge him to a homeless shelter after their attempts to guilt me into taking him into my 1 bedroom, 600sq ft condo and their attempts to discharge him back to his remote wilderness farmstead alone in the winter failed (he was not homeless, but had had a major stroke and couldn't talk, was not aware of time, couldn't use a debit card or understand numbers, had a feeding tube etc). I contacted his MLA and explained the situation (much more disturbing than I can get into here... His neighbour had picked his pockets, police were involved, etc).
Anyway, the MLA did help get him into a long-term care bed. I am very grateful for the help. Maybe try calling your MLA if you haven't already. Stay strong!

15 2Rating: +13

@try

Apr 12, 2022 at 5:20am

That will really help this person find a place to live having proper sentence structure and grammar.
Your an idiot !

9 4Rating: +5

northislandgal

Apr 12, 2022 at 9:35am

NONE and I mean none of these outfits care about the ppl they are supposed to help, I was in a really bad way a few years ago and boy did I learn. The surrey womens center was the WORST. I dont know how to help you I live on the Island and an hour away from a town you could work in. I wish you well.

6 1Rating: +5

Calico

Apr 12, 2022 at 4:59pm

Meow! Sending purrositive energy.

3 1Rating: +2

@@try

Apr 13, 2022 at 9:30am

YOU’RE an idiot?

2 1Rating: +1

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