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We Are

FIRST UNITED

For over 135 years, we’ve been on a mission to seek a just society by nurturing each person’s spirit through ministry, housing, advocacy, and community service.

How We Help

We seek a just society by nurturing each person’s spirit through community services, housing, advocacy, and ministry in the face of the often-intersecting challenges of extreme poverty, historical and personal trauma, mental illness, and oppression in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

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How You Help

Be a part of building better futures through our Community Giving Program, volunteering, attending an event, or subscribing to our newsletter. However you choose to get involved, you can help us remain agile and responsive and meet the most pressing needs of our time.

How You Can Help

A Sanctuary Within our Community

We are on the frontlines

We operate from a harm reduction perspective to meet our community’s needs and provide essential services, connection and healing. As a low barrier service provider, we welcome and affirm every individual from all walks of life without exception.
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Our Work

We’re building better futures by responding to the most pressing needs of our community: providing essential services, connection, and healing. We provide direct support to our neighbours in the Downtown Eastside and advocate for compassion, dignity, and justice for the community.

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Latest news

We received an urgent call. Here’s what we did.

Date 13 Mar, 2024

Category Blog

On a frigid afternoon this past December, we received an urgent phone call. There was a mother cradling her newborn, desperately waiting outside Carnegie Outreach Centre to get a birth certificate for her baby. Could FIRST UNITED help spare Mom and baby a long wait in near freezing temperatures? Our response was immediate: yes, we […]

Coldest Night of the Year 2024 Recap

Date 28 Feb, 2024

Category Blog, Events

This year’s Coldest Night of the Year was a massive, record-breaking success, and it’s all thanks to this wonderful community who came out to walk in the rain, fundraise, and donate to support the Downtown Eastside. Thanks to the collective effort of everyone who participated, we raised a total of $112,725—and counting! That’s the most […]

BC Government Commits to Protecting Renters from Bad-Faith Evictions

Date 22 Feb, 2024

Category Blog

On Wednesday, BC’s Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin delivered the throne speech and drew specific attention to an issue that we’ve been working and advocating on for over a year: protecting renters and ending bad-faith evictions.  Though details on implementation were not provided, the speech promised that action will be taken in this legislative session. Last […]

Attend an Event

Join us for virtual and in-person events to learn more about FIRST and connect with our community.

2024

May 27

17th Annual FIRST UNITED Golf Tournament

$ $275