Helping the homeless
As of December 9, 2008, the City now has a Homeless Emergency Action Team (HEAT) that is taking immediate actions to help people off the street and into shelters and temporary housing over 90 days.
Shelter bed statistics: April, May and June, 2009 
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Update from the Office of the Mayor - January 20, 2009
Partnership announcement 
between the City, the Province of BC and the private sector to provide $1.5 million to create up to 200 temporary shelter beds.
Chaired by Mayor Robertson, the team’s 13 members are comprised of the following City representatives and housing stakeholders:
- Mayor Gregor Robertson (Chair)
- Janice Abbott – Executive Director, Atira Women’s Resource Society
- Jim Chu – Chief, Vancouver Police Department
- Dr. Patricia Daly - Chief Medical Officer, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
- David Eby – Executive Director, BC Civil Liberties Association
- Michael Flanigan – Director of Real Estate Services, City of Vancouver
- Judy Graves – Outreach Coordinator, Housing Department, City of Vancouver
- Cameron Gray, Managing Director, Department of Social Development, City of Vancouver
- Kerry Jang, City Councillor (Council Liaison)
- Raymond Louie, City Councillor
- John MacKay – Strand Development Corporation, Board member of Street To Home Foundation
- Shayne Ramsay, CEO, BC Housing
- Patrick Stewart, Chair, Aboriginal Homelessness Steering Committee
How you can help by donating
Organizations are in urgent need of the the following items:
- Blankets
- Bus tickets
- Winter coats
- Long-sleeved shirts
- Thermal underwear
- Wool socks
- Sleeping bags
- Tarps (preferably small)
- Hygiene items (combs, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, nail clippers, etc)
- Boots
Donations can be made to Gather and Give, a non-profit charity that provides a
centralized inventory for organizations working with those in need. Located at 105-418 East Kent Avenue South, just east of Main and south
of Southwest Marine Drive, Gather and Give is open Tuesday to
Saturday.