Video

Greening Kitchens in the Downtown Eastside

By:  Colleen Kimmett, Open File

It’s mid-morning at First United Church and relatively quiet in this vital service hub in the Downtown Eastside community. About a dozen people linger outside, and a few sit in the large gymnasium that serves as a dining hall.

During mealtimes, between 800 and 1,000 people file through here every day. This is just a fraction of the millions of free or low-cost meals that are served each year at kitchens in the Downtown Eastside.

Recently, 11 of these kitchens — which estimate they serve a total of 1.5 million meals a year — came together to see how they could reduce waste, save energy and lower costs as they try to provide the most basic needs to area residents.

To read the complete article, click on link below:

http://vancouver.openfile.ca/vancouver/file/2011/05/greening-kitchens-downtown-eastside

Paint Your Faith

Brought to you by Wondercafe.ca and First United Church Mission, the Paint Your Faith project hit the city of Vancouver in April 2010 with a stunning display of contemporary street art.

Working as collective, four internationally acclaimed aerosol artists — Faith47 (South Africa), Titi Freak (Brazil), Peeta (Italy), and Vancouver’s own Indigo — brought their own expressions of faith to a unique and inspiring mural on the city’s Downtown Eastside. As it was being created, the mural became a sign of hope for the DTES, bringing together the community in new and surprising ways.

For more information, see www.paintyourfaith.ca, or you can visit the Paint Your Faith Vancouver mural at 55-57 W. Hastings Street, across from the Woodwards Building.

Help Save Storage Facility for Belongings of People Who are Homeless

• Provide homeless people a safe place to store their belongings
• Foster self-respect and dignity in homeless people
• Provide jobs for people from the community
• Build relationships and trust in the community