Our temporary drop-in space at 926 Pandora opened as a warming center this year to deal with some of our colder days, making use of an existing city-owned lot and VIHA’s existing modular infrastructure which had previously been an inhalation site. Weekly additional services on-site include SOLID’s housing case manager, SOLID’s treatment access worker(s), QomQem indigenous supports, and twice daily employment opportunities with our on-site street outreach program. These value-adds make this more than just a drop-in space for relief from the elements and other immediate needs – it is an engagement and connection space where we can assist people, in-the-moment, by partnering them with services and supports that can have an immediate impact on their daily lives. This access creates sustainable and long-lasting health, housing, and employment opportunities. We see an average of 240 daily uses, with a maximum of 40 people in the space at one time.
Goals of the drop-in space are:
- To create an extremely low barrier day-time warming/cooling space for those unable to access other daytime services.
- To provide meals, warming supplies, harm reduction supplies, system navigation services (ID, housing, health services, detox etc), and peer support to those using the space. Particular focus on supports for individuals with acute addiction or mental health crises.
- To facilitate wrap-around services, linking individuals, through (but not limited to) our Outreach Teams, t0 a wide-range of supports for the best possible outcomes.
Typical uses include:
- Accessing covered and heated spaces to escape rain, cold, heat, being pushed from other public spaces.
- Accessing toilets and food.
- Accessing supports with income assistance, housing placement and support maintaining housing, access to treatment/detox and medical support health.
The ability to see individuals on a daily basis facilitates the steady, in-the-moment, support required to lift people up and reduce the harms associated with their most immediate challenges.
The integration of this accessible engagement space within the Pandora block has added much-needed supports to and contact with individuals who spend a fair amount of their time on this block. The facilitation of this site is an alternative way of slowly shifting the culture and usage of the Pandora block by providing an off-street space where basic needs can be met and individuals can access services required to re-organize their daily lives.