You are invited to a benefit concert by the Neighbourhood Gospel Band. Join us 4-6pm November 23, 2025 at St John’s Shaughnessy Anglican Church. Admission by donation at the door and all proceeds support the work of the Westside Anglican Neighbourhood Ministry.
Each year, in mid-October, Homeless Action Week is marked by communities and organizations throughout the region, with the City of Vancouver acknowledging that community and grassroots events and projects are essential to provide as much aid and comfort as possible to those who remain unhoused.
For the Westside Anglicans Neighbourhood Ministry (WANM) volunteers, homeless action outreach is not a yearly event but a weekly one. The WANM, founded in 2007 by the Revd Dr. Pitman Potter, consists of volunteers from the parishes of St. Anselm’s, UBC; St. Helen’s, Point Grey; St. Philip’s, Dunbar; St. John’s, Shaughnessy.
Each week, teams from the four parishes pack food, toiletries, sleeping bags, mats, clothing and other supplies for WANM outreach volunteers to deliver to our friends on the streets. The street outreach volunteers also provide Information about services offered in the City of Vancouver and those offered by the WANM’s twice-monthly Mobile Care Unit held at Kits Showers—housing applications, tax forms, ID replacement—and doctor’s assistance when available.
On average, WANM street outreach team members and Mobile Care Unit volunteers connect with nearly 2,000 people annually.
The Greater Vancouver 2023 Homeless Count, which occurred March 7-8, 2023, identified 4,821 people experiencing homelessness—a 32% increase compared with 2020, the last time the count occurred and the highest spike between consecutive counts since the homeless count report began in 2005. The City cancelled the count in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID pandemic.
Notably, the 2023 Homeless Count did not include those experiencing homelessness on March 8, 2023, nor those living in substandard housing or unstable tenancies, which generally number even more than those experiencing homelessness.
During the 2023 Homeless Count, survey respondents were asked what caused their most recent housing loss. The most common response was that they did not have enough income (35%). The other most common reasons were substance use (24%) and mental health (16%). Consistent with 2020 results, Indigenous persons continue to be overrepresented, with 33% (821) of the respondents identifying as Indigenous.
This continued increase in homelessness in Greater Vancouver vividly demonstrates the need for support and services for the most vulnerable in our society. We thank all the members of these parishes who strengthen this ministry with their prayers and contribute to the supplies WANM volunteers deliver each week. Your gifts allow us to connect one-on-one with our neighbours in need and demonstrate to them in a tangible way that homelessness does not mean hopelessness.
Joan Stewart
Co-chair WANM Board of Management
Instead of spending the money on “temptation goods” they spent it on necessities researchers at the University of British Columbia discovered. They also found that this trial of a basic income plan produced a net savings to the system as a whole.
Read the full National Post article here.
June 13, 1939 – December 30, 2022
A loving tribute to a dear friend, Jill Hamm, who entered her eternal rest on December 30, 2022, by Shirin Theophilus, St. Anselm’s Parish Liaison, Westside Anglicans Neighbourhood Ministry (WANM)
We received the sad news of Jill’s sudden passing in her sleep with deep sadness and a sense of thankfulness for her well-lived life.
Mine was 24 years of joyful friendship, partnering and organizing many events in our parish of St. Anselm’s. We all shall remember Jill as a vibrant, dynamic, loving and caring person with a sense of humour, a friend to many and willing to go that extra mile to help anyone in distress or need.
When the WANM became a reality under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Pitman Potter in 2007, it was natural for Jill to join, volunteering as an indoor team member at St. Anselm’s. She remained a volunteer for the Indoor Team until her last day. Jill’s organizing skills, gentleness in recruiting volunteers to the WANM, generosity and care toward those suffering were exemplary.
She travelled the world, visiting many continents and was an avid reader, which enabled her to see the “authentic” self in all and approach others with gentleness to make them feel at home in all novel situations.
Thank you, dear Jill, for living and expressing your faith in words and actions to uplift all who came into contact with you.
May your soul rest in peace through the mercy of God.
A memorial service is being held at St. Anselm’s Anglican Church, 5210 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6T 2H5, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 4, 2023.
For more information, click here: Vancouver Sun
After a 2 ½-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, the Kitsilano Community Centre Program Showers Program for anyone in need is up and running again.
The program is offered on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
Services offered:
Location: Kitsilano Community Centre, 2690 Larch Street, Vancouver, BC V6K 4K9. Entrance “Seniors Garden Entrance” off of West 12th Avenue.
Kits Saturday Program, a valued service
One of our regular attendees at the Kitsilano Community Centre Program Showers Program, happy to be back after a long absence and showing the variety of license plates on his valued transport vehicle.
Photos: Dr. Janet McKeown
Below are the winter emergency shelters map, list and a graphic explaining the different levels of shelters.
A Christmas Carol, live reading with local CBC Talent, live music, carols, sound effects and fun. Tickets available at eventbrite or St. Philip’s Dunbar.
Proceeds to the Westside Anglicans Neighbourhood Ministry.
After public hearings and hundreds of speakers, Vancouver city councillors voted 8-3 on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in favour of a supportive housing project slated for Arbutus Street and West 8th Avenue intersection, next to the future Arbutus SkyTrain station.
Click the Daily Hive for details on this story.
Tuesday, June 28th, 2022
7 pm at St. Anselm’s Anglican Church, 5210 University Boulevard
Light refreshments served
Through its volunteer base, the Westside Anglicans Neighbourhood Ministry (the parishes of St. Anselm’s, St. Helen’s, St. Philip’s, and St. John’s Shaughnessy) have been serving homeless and vulnerable people on Vancouver’s Westside since 2008.
At the annual general meeting, we celebrate the volunteers, give thanks for their service, offer an update on the past year’s activities and look to the future.
Not a volunteer? Curious about what we do? Want to learn why our watchwords are “Mutual Transformation?”
We encourage you to come and hear more about the services we offer to our brothers and sisters who live among us on the streets of Vancouver’s Westside. We value your input!
“On this date, April 14 of 2016, the provincial health officer of the day, Dr. Perry Kendall declared a public health emergency in relation to the opioid-related overdose deaths. In 2016, the rate of overdose deaths per 100,000 people was 20.4. That rate in 2021 was 43 deaths per 100,000 people.2,224 deaths last year, more than six people dying every day. Every day.
These are the statistics and perhaps if we simply keep them as statistics, we can try to ignore them or avoid them or not make any real eye contact with them. But these are real people. People who are our neighbours.
Continue reading “They are Not just Statistics Opioid Crisis Service of Lament”
Neighbourhood Ministry 