Can Tectorians rise to the challenge?
Innovative Victoria community agency Cool Aid needs an additional 360 apartments to be there when people need us, and we plan to build them in the next 5 years. Look at CoolAid.org/endhomelessness for details on how.
In 1968 people said a bunch of college kids would never end homelessness in Victoria.
They hadn’t met Steve Jobs yet either.
For 46 years the Victoria Cool Aid Society has provided innovative solutions to help people experiencing homelessness, addictions, and mental health issues. Not bad for a charity started by students in the basement of an abandoned church.
That abandoned church is now the Belfry Theatre, and Cool Aid now operates 14 facilities across Greater Victoria, including a full-service health centre, dental clinic, three shelters, a community centre, and nine supportive housing buildings. Cool Aid provides over 90% of our city’s emergency shelter beds, and helps over 9,000 individuals each year to overcome or completely avoid homelessness.
You can understand why “avoid” is everyone’s first choice.
Cool Aid is committed not just to helping folks struggling with homelessness, but putting an end to it by providing enough supported homes to have one ready when somebody loses theirs. When we talk about innovation, imagine a city without people sleeping on the streets, without families living in cars and tents in parks; isn’t that cool? It’s what Cool Aid is all about.
More homes are what our city needs right now. Cool Aid has 374 apartments supported by trained staff 24/7, but there’s a waiting list 9 months long to get in. That’s far too long.
Cool Aid can’t do it alone. Strong partnerships with the Coalition to End Homelessness and local government agencies will help, but the key to making it happen is individual backers. Once Cool Aid raises $5 million in community donations our partners will kick in the rest. Care to join us?
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