St. James Community Service Society has Housed the Homeless for 50 Years
Vancouver has experienced a growing challenge with homelessness in the 50 years St. James Community Service Society has existed. And while homeless counts suggest an encouraging reduction in homeless numbers in recent years, there is still much work to be done. St. James’s long history gives us perspective on how Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside has changed over the years, and how the causes, impacts, and challenges of homelessness have evolved.
St. James offers emergency, supported, and affordable housing to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Society particularly focuses on services to women and children, to those with mental illness and / or addictions, and to increasing numbers of older adults and seniors.
“When St. James was founded and grew in the 1960s and 1970s,” says Jonathan Oldman, executive director, “alcohol was the drug of choice in the Downtown Eastside, Riverview Hospital and institutionalization was still the model of care for those with severe mental illness, women weren’t facing the same risks of violence on the streets, and housing was much more affordable for low income individuals and families. All that has changed, but so have our responses to homelessness, and we feel optimistic that we can collectively beat this problem.”
Trudi Shymka, St. James’ director of women’s and children’s services, offers this perspective on supporting homeless women: “The challenges women and women with children face when homeless are complex and, at times, can feel overwhelming. However, we believe that homelessness is temporary and an appropriate housing solution is achievable for every woman.
Many of the women accessing our shelters and supportive housing have experienced domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and gender-based oppression. We build respectful relationships with women to help them reduce the many barriers they face, in order to find and retain their own best housing.”
"For people to be successful as tenants, we need to have enough of the right kind of resources - that is a range of housing possibilities in the right locations with the right kind of supports for their needs," says Nick Phillips, St. James director of operations, standards and housing.
Leading up to Homelessness Action Week, St. James professional leadership is available for interviews.
Background on the St. James Community Service Society
St. James Community Service Society has been a part of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside since 1961 and has a unique understanding of this diverse neighbourhood. St. James is an effective community organization with a long history of giving care and support to this city’s most marginalized and vulnerable people. We have transformed lives for a better future through the provision of women and children's emergency shelter and transitional housing, adult guardianship for seniors, supportive housing for those living with mental health issues, and hospice care for those with terminal illnesses.
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Adult Guardianship Program
We offer personalized services as well as peace of mind that personal finances will be well managed.
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