Seniors need food, solutions

SVNH said they have been in conversation with The City of Vancouver, discussing solutions for food support in South Vancouver.

“We're working on creating a new food hub, that’s where we're at right now,” said Laura Gair, Seniors Hub programmer at South Vancouver Neighbourhood House.

Because of the Food Bank closure, from the end of March, the SVNH distributed meals and one hundred hampers to young families every week. Approximately 300 low-income community members were accessing emergency food every week.

“We need help,” said Gair Location barriers and distribution protocols were two of the main challenges facing community members wanting to access low-income food.

“Before COVID, my place would fit 60-70-sometimes a hundred people. Now with the new restrictions I can only seat maximum 35.” said Reverend Chien of Potter’s Place Mission.

Between Aug. 18 and October,

The same study found that one in five students are experiencing more financial pressure since the start of the pandemic. Financial barriers translate into lower voter turnout, as the B.C. government found that people with a higher unemployment rate and a lower median income are less likely to vote.

The percent of young people voting has risen over the last two provincial elections, but this trend could come to an end due to the constraints of school work and a provincial mandate asking students to stay home. Mail-in balloting is increasing in popularity this elec- tion but it is still unlikely to draw an increased number of voters, strictly due to the abruptness of this election.

Not all post secondary institutions are providing the U-pass that many students relied on to travel. Many of whom will need to take an increasingly risky transit system. Students are going to have to leave their homes and schoolwork and head to the polls on Oct. 24, 2020. At the same time, everyone is advised to remain in their homes as much as possible due to the COVID-19 restrictions, making going out to vote a difficult proposition.