UGM says volunteers are doing what they can to hand out survival gear on the street

The Union Gospel Mission's 72 shelter beds in downtown Vancouver have been full every night this week

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Homeless shelters have been crowded through this spell of bitter weather and donations of cold-weather gear are warmly welcomed right now.

The Union Gospel Mission’s 72 shelter beds in downtown Vancouver have been full every night this week.

But UGM’s Jeremy Hunka says they have been able to accommodate most everyone who turns up at their door.

“I think we had one or two people over the last two nights where we were able to direct them to the warming centre. We’ve been at capacity but we haven’t been seeing dozens of turnaways,” he tells NEWS 1130.

Hunka says volunteers are doing what they can to hand out survival gear on the street.

“Our outreach workers have been on street walks. They’re handing out toques, gloves, jackets, and in some cases more extreme survival gear, like sleeping bags or heating reflective blankets especially in the Fraser Valley where there are few supports,” he says, adding UGM is gratefully accepting donations of cold-weather gear.

The snow is back! And so are we. Today we will be offering refuge, meals, shelter, cold weather gear and more to those at-risk. Thank YOU for helping us keep our community safe and warm today. #endhomelessness #BCStorm pic.twitter.com/3PPX6J79It — Union Gospel Mission (@ugm) January 16, 2020



“Waterproof jackets and waterproof boots are things that we can always use,” he says. “Those things are almost worth their weight in gold.”

But Hunka says all clothing donations are welcome no matter how minor they seem.

“Now it’s going to wet and possibly rain, so there’s going to be a lot of misery over the next few days. We want to be there to support and give some help through this cold weather that’s just going to continue.”