A 91原创 City resident stepped out of her apartment one morning to find a startling discovery 鈥� drug paraphernalia scattered about the property.
She called the City to report the mess, but instead of City staff or the police coming to clean up the mess, showed up at her door.
The non-profit society, which quietly opened an office in downtown 91原创 in December, has a two-person team available five days a week to pick up 鈥� and properly dispose of 鈥� used needles found anywhere within the City or Township of 91原创.
And they do it for free.
Afterwards, if the area continues to be a problem, it is added to the monitor list for the Rig Riders, teams of two people who patrol 91原创 on bikes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to provide needle recovery, overdose response and harm reduction services.
鈥淢onday the team goes out and they check the Walmart, Willoughby area, and then Wednesday they do the downtown core 鈥� Douglas Park, Rotary Park, that space. And then Friday they go out to the (homeless) camps,鈥� said Kathie Viirk, a Lookout outreach worker who started with the organization five years ago along the 鈥榃halley Strip鈥� in Surrey.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not just doing businesses, we鈥檙e also checking to make sure if you鈥檙e going hiking through a trail, you鈥檙e not going to find something you don鈥檛 want to find. So we鈥檙e cleaning those up as well, and any referrals in between. We cover all of 91原创 and all of Aldergrove.鈥�
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
Most of the Rig Riders are people with 鈥渓ived experiences鈥� who have been through addiction and homelessness before, and they are paid a small stipend for their services. One of the main participants is a gentleman named Nick, who recently became homeless himself.
鈥淲ith the collection of drug paraphernalia 鈥� that鈥檚 hard to see,鈥� said Susan Keeping, manager of Lookout鈥檚 91原创 branch. 鈥淚t makes you feel unsafe, there鈥檚 a huge emotional reaction. You can鈥檛 blame anyone, it does feel that way. But knowing that there鈥檚 a tool or a service that you can call (is comforting), and we鈥檒l immediately respond.鈥�
The Rig Riders represent just a fraction of the services offered by the Lookout Society, which helps adults with low 鈥� or no 鈥� incomes throughout Metro Vancouver. Volunteers started offering services in 91原创 two years ago on an as-needed basis. Now, they have two full time staff 鈥� Viirk and Stephanie Wilson 鈥� and a number of volunteers.
The organization, which is funded in part by BC Housing and Fraser Health, also has a mobile health van, offers harm reduction supplies 鈥� such as personal needle depository boxes, condoms and overdose kits 鈥� and has a 鈥楬ousing First鈥� program to help people find affordable homes.
READ MORE:
鈥淲hen we鈥檙e trying to do outreach to that really vulnerable population, by doing harm reduction we actually are able to then build rapport,鈥� Keeping said.
鈥淚t gives us the ability to build relationships with people who normally would not want anything to do with anybody. And it is an illness 鈥� we know that when you鈥檙e in the throws of addiction, there鈥檚 no critical thinking or the ability to think beyond the 鈥榙o drugs or die鈥� scenario. It鈥檚 very limited.鈥�
As part of this, the outreach workers act in a friendly, open and non-judgmental manner.
鈥淚f someone came in here and said, 鈥業 want 20 condoms,鈥� we don鈥檛 question it. We give them what they need, we try to chat with them, give them some water if they want some resources. We might even be able to get to the discussion if they鈥檙e homeless, if they need help,鈥� Keeping said.
鈥淎nd then when they鈥檙e ready for that 鈥� which often happens when they hit rock bottom or they have a traumatic event 鈥� they feel that, 鈥業 can go there. It doesn鈥檛 matter what I tell them, I know that they鈥檙e not going to judge me, they鈥檙e not going to make me feel worse when I hit rock bottom.鈥� That鈥檚 usually when you鈥檙e most vulnerable and most afraid to ask for help.鈥�
As they distribute harm reduction supplies, the outreach workers also teach people how to properly dispose of the products, and introduce them to a 鈥楪ood Neighbour鈥� policy to remind them to not loiter in front of businesses, openly use drugs or make a mess.
鈥淎gain, it鈥檚 in a respectful (way). It鈥檚 not a blaming matter as in, you guys are unworthy or you don鈥檛 matter,鈥� Keeping said. 鈥淓verybody has value, but we all have to live here together and we all want to make sure that we don鈥檛 negatively affect the community in any way.鈥�
The team also provides free training on Naloxone and overdose response, as well as drug paraphernalia clean-up, to anyone in the community who wants to learn, including churches, schools, businesses, parents, and those who use drugs themselves.
For more information on these services, and to report discarded drug paraphernalia, call or text 604-812-5277.
For more information on Lookout鈥檚 Housing First program, call 604-816-1387 or email langleyhf1@lookoutsociety.ca.
miranda@langleytimes.com
Like us on and follow us on
