There are two yearly occurrences with the potential to increase instances of homelessness from July 1 through September 30th.  The community shelter closes during the summer months displacing those sheltering there, and single room occupancy (SRO) prices increase substantially for summer tourism, taking those rooms off the market in our rural community for people living in poverty.  In response, a success worthy of mention was how community partners increased outreach services to mitigate risks to our unhoused community members.  Our community partners, along with NVHSP, combined personnel and financial resources to bring temporary shelter options, food & hygiene kits, access to health resources, and access to shower & laundry facilities to people living without shelter.  Of those accessing services from the NVHSP, 68% required support with accessing food security options, nearly 50% received a financial supplement, and approximately 30% required assistance filling out applications for income assistance, government benefits, and rental subsidies for which they were eligible.

The NVHSP, ensured 79 community members received services focused on housing placement and stabilization of housing/wellness.  Success of the NVHSP can be seen by the numbers of community members supported to find housing placements.  Out of the 11 that were homeless, 6 were homeless living at shelter, living rough, or hidden homeless and 5 were homeless from either leaving the criminal justice system, leaving hospital, leaving recovery, fleeing domestic violence, or living in inadequate housing for their family size.  6 people were placed into housing and have remain housed  – one client did leave housing in Merritt for housing closer to family in another community.  Another five were provided with temporary housing through tent kits.  Additionally, two unhoused people affected by the closing of the shelter were supported with bus tickets back to their home community.  ASK Wellness Society only provides bus tickets to people seeking to go home and after confirmation with a person’s family/friends/place of residence is made to mitigate any risks of a person leaving a community with potential supports and going to a community without any.

Nicola Valley Homelessness Support Project’s (NVHSP) had 5 clients who identified employment and/or education as being a need.  One client successfully completed a recovery program, was supported to find housing, and began an educational program at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology.  Two other clients, both Indigenous, were able to start employment during this time period.  One client was supported with an Employment Insurance claim and connected to online job searches and WorkBC.  The last client has been supported in job searches and at time of writing of this report has been successful at finding part-time employment.