DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS MOBILIZE TO IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO COVID-19.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Vancouver, BC | March 23, 2020
“The situation is serious and it is urgent. In a neighbourhood where space, food, supplies, and everything is shared, if we have one infection, it could decimate this entire community,” says Wendy Pedersen, Organizer, DTES SRO Collaborative Society. “Living conditions are already dire, and this is only going to get worse if we don’t act now.”
Who we are
DTES Response is a coordinated groundwork effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Organizations in the Downtown Eastside are uniting more than ever to ensure this unprecedented threat does not disproportionately affect the most vulnerable in our communities.
What’s the challenge
There are approximately 15,000 people at risk in the DTES. 3,000 are homeless and 4,700 are at high risk in privately run Single Room Occupancy hotels (SROs). Under these conditions, self isolating and social distancing is extremely difficult. SRO tenants share bathrooms and many do not have access to soap, making regular hand washing impossible. SROs do not have kitchens, soup kitchens have shut down, food banks have limited stock, and disruptions in informal economies creates loss of income. Additionally, many SRO tenants don’t have cell phones, so in self-isolation, they can’t stay connected, communicate, or get necessary information.
What we’re doing
We’re mobilizing resources and coordinating operations to mitigate the challenges. We are activating networks in the community to create a stop-gap plan for the most urgent needs. For instance: providing food, cellphones, and money for loss of income.
“We’ve been seeing community amenities closing,” local organizer, Erica Grant says, “and on the weekends, there is no food available.”
DTES Response Fund
The DTES Response has set up a collective fund to raise $100,000 for immediate needs. It will benefit: DTES SRO Collaboration (SRO-C), Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society (WAHRS), Friends of CCAP (Carnegie Community Action Project), and Overdose Prevention Society (OPS) who are supporting and connecting directly with people in the neighbourhood.
How you can help
Individuals, foundations, and corporations can help right now by:
- Not visiting the DTES: we are practicing social distancing and want to minimize the risk of introducing COVID-19 to the population.
- Donating money: to purchase food, cellphones, and to transfer funds to those in need. Donations: www.dtesresponse.ca
VISIT DTESresponse.ca to make a donation and to stay up to date with community needs.
For further information contact:
Amanda Burrows
Media, DTES Response
6046164940
aburrows@philanthropyaide.com