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HOPE Outreach Okanagan

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Canada
Kelowna, BC
HOPE Outreach Okanagan

H.O.P.E. For more information, please visit https://www.hopeokanagan.com (Helping Out People Exploited) initially started as Outreach services 15 years ago.

(Helping Out People Exploited) Outreach is a local Kelowna and Vernon based organization with the intention of helping out vulnerable and exploited women in our community. We are the only night-time outreach for homeless and exploited women in Kelowna and Vernon. With over 150 volunteers, we have two teams: our women's team and our Opioid Crisis Team. Our women's team serves marginalized women, focuses on relationship building, and hands out basic outreach supplies. The Opioid Crisis team provides Narcan and other harm reduction supplies to help prevent the spread of HIV and HEP C. We also provide Bad Date reporting where volunteers report instances of violence and abuse that s*x-workers encounter. Lastly, we connect clients with relevant services in the community. We are 100% donation funded. Ultimately, H.O.P.E. is constantly seeking funding to purchase supplies for the volunteers to hand out on the streets. Please support this phenomenal cause and assist us support these vulnerable women and girls who need our help! H.O.P.E also has a social purpose project, Jewels of HOPE, that was initially established to support Truth and Reconciliation. This project focuses on providing an opportunity for safe gathering and an opportunity to be granted a dignity wage through jewellery making artistry. The bracelets made are sold sold at markets and on the Jewels of HOPE website. All profit from this project returns directly to H.O.P.E. To learn more about this project, please head to the website: https://www.jewelsofhope.ca

Lastly, Our Women Program was recently launched. This program aims to support s*x trade workers and marginalized women through services such as 24/7 phone support line, Reaching for Hope (Safety Phones for those who are active in s*x work), and RCMP relationships among others. Meetings are held one per month in the 3 shelters in Kelowna and our Case Manager, Dominique Lennox, facilitates these services and supports the women at the appointments ensuring the services are appropriately received.

06/05/2024

HOPE has made the difficult decision to cease operations. Most of our programs will end on Friday, with bad date reporting and the 24/7 hotline continuing. We are hopeful other community agencies will take over our programs, as the people HOPE has served are so important. Thank you for your understanding during this difficult transition.

06/02/2024

Pride is more than just a parade. It's about being allowed to live and be visible as our authentic selves in our home communities. This is a struggle that is also shared by s*x workers, regardless of orientation.

We remain mindful that LGBTQ people (especially youth and trans people) are at increased risk of being violently attacked based on their gender identity, s*xual orientation, or both. This is not acceptable. In Canada, this is rightfully considered a hate crime.

As allies and q***r people ourselves, we must speak out against abuses faced by members of the LGBTQ community wherever we see them, as a symptom of systems that also oppress s*x workers.

So let's come together, this month and all year, to share our joy and strength with one another, and be proud of who we are.

We are survivors.

05/23/2024

Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances we need to postpone the AGM by 1 month to June 21st 2024. HOPE Outreach is doing some foundational governance work and needs to spend a little more time on documents that will be presented at the AGM. We hope that you can understand this situation and we look forward to connecting with you all in June.

Thank you for your continued support of HOPE Outreach.

05/22/2024

Now that the weather is getting hot, our outreach teams are working hard to make sure that unhoused people in our community have access to critical items like water and sunscreen.

Drinkable water is a basic human right, but access is often a problem even if you have a reusable bottle. Public taps can be turned off, damaged, or far away when one does not have access to transportation. Likewise, sunscreen is an expensive "luxury" when you don't even know where your next meal is coming from, yet having it can easily prevent gruesome and painful burns.

If you would like to join us in making summer safer for unhoused people in the Okanagan, please visit us at hopeokanagan.com (link in bio) to volunteer or make a donation ☀️

05/11/2024

Our nighttime outreach teams are out in Kelowna and Vernon, bringing emergency supplies like food, water, hygiene items, and other essentials to unhoused people in the Okanagan.

We're working hard to make sure that no one in our community suffers from exposure, thirst, or the many other horrors experienced while homeless...but we can't do it alone. We work with community partners like local food banks, Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society, and so many more.

Today, we're asking you to join us in bringing dignity and safety to the people we serve by signing up to make a financial donation or join our volunteer teams.

Not comfortable with nighttime outreach? That's ok! We have other roles that are vital but off the frontlines too. We'd love to meet you ❤

You can find our donation and volunteer forms at hopeokanagan.com (link in bio)

05/10/2024

Looking for a summer job that gives back to our community? Join the H.O.P.E Outreach team!

We're looking for someone who can:
-Collaborate closely with our Volunteer Coordinators, to assist with a dynamic team of more than 100 volunteers

-Revamp our online training modules within a BetterImpact database

-Help create new training content, covering topics such as trauma-informed practices, professional boundary setting, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policy, and so on

-Update existing volunteer manuals to ensure accuracy and relevance

-Assist with volunteer management (archiving files from past volunteers, sorting lists of current lists of volunteers, assisting new volunteeers, etc)

-Assist in planning and executing a summer clothing drive, as well as assisting in managing general donations (pickups, sorting, organization)

-Possibly assist with social media

-Other tasks as required

Skills:
- Proficient in data entry and data management
- Strong organizational skills with attention to detail
- Ability to multitask and prioritize tasks effectively
-Strong written and verbal communication skills
-Social media skills (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn) a definite plus
- Experience in non-profit sector a strong plus

Organization-specific training will be provided

Position to begin June 3, will run 8 weeks, 35 hours per week, for a total of 280 hours, at $19 per hour.

Interested? Send a resume and cover letter to [email protected]

05/05/2024

Sunday, May 5th is Red Dress Day. We set this day aside to honour and remember Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people, who experience systemic and interpersonal violence at a much higher rate than other people in our community.

By observing this day, we choose to center the needs of Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people, to let them know that we acknowledge and prioritize their safety and wellness.

H.O.P.E "walks this walk" not only by providing nighttime outreach teams who can provide resources and safe connections, but also by offering Indigenous-centered training to our volunteers so that we can be present in a good way.

If you would like to learn more about the work we do, make a donation, or volunteer with us, you can find more information at hopeokanagan.com (link in bio) or write to us at [email protected]

Also, in recognition of this solemn occasion, Jewels of Hope is offering our Indigenous-focused (and designed) bracelets at a heavily discounted price. These include our "Sisters", "Protection", "Peace", and "Perseverance" bracelets.

ALL proceeds from bracelet sales help fund our outreach teams, so that we can continue to show up for the people who need us most in our community.

All our relations.

05/02/2024

Thinking about mental health is incredibly important for our service to unhoused people in our community. According to The Homeless Hub (homelesshub.ca): "People with mental illness[es] experience homelessness for longer periods of time and have less contact with family and friends. In general, 30-40% of those experiencing homelessness have a mental illness (this figure climbs to 76% in one international study of wealthy countries that also included substance use disorders)."

Even for people who were well before they lost their housing, being unhoused is an absolute disaster for mental health. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD are just a few of the mental health injuries that can be caused simply by the trauma of being homeless.

We hope that you will join us this month as we reflect on ways to improve not only our own mental health, but also ways that we can support and bring a little joy to people who are struggling in the Okanagan.

To donate or join us, please find us at hopeokanagan.com (link in bio)

04/28/2024

A grateful thank you to 100 Women Who Care in Kelowna for their incredibly generous donation! With their support we are able to provide emergency care to unhoused people in Kelowna and Vernon. This includes not only the essentials of life (like food and water) but also emotional and logistical support if someone has been s*xually assaulted.

Together, we are making a difference.

04/26/2024

May 25th is our next annual general meeting, and we would love to see you there! It is open to interested members of the public, and will be attended by our staff, board of directors, and volunteers.

We'll be reviewing what H.O.P.E accomplished in 2023, our plans for 2024, volunteer/staff appreciation, welcoming new voting members, then voting in our new board members.

There will, of course, be time for Q&A, as well as light refreshments.

Hope to see you there!

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Kelowna, BC

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