LangleyAdvance Your community newspaper since 1931
Thursday, March 27, 2014
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Audited circulation: 40,026 – 24 pages
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Fraser Holland is an outreach worker with Langley’s Stepping Stone Community Services Society. That work includes Starting Point, a program for youth at-risk and youth homelessness.
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Enumeration
Seniors new homeless trend
Langley’s homeless are getting greyer, according to a local outreach worker.
Stone Community Services Society, was part of a crew that included 30 to 40 volunteers doing Langley’s homeless count. The Gateway of Hope and other local groups counted those staying in shelters, while others by Matthew Claxton fanned out throughout the commclaxton@langleyadvance.com munity, checking abandoned Langley’s homeless residents, buildings or homeless camps in like the rest of the population, wooded areas. are getting older. That may bring “I was finding people out in a host of new problems for the Glen Valley, where I’ve never agencies that try to find them found people before,” said housing. Holland. On March 11 and 12, the Metro He ran into a group of three Vancouver homeless count was people on bicycles east of Fort conducted, with Langley. volunteers and “To be out “I was finding people social service that far, you’ve out in Glen Valley.” groups working got to be pretty Fraser Holland together to find independent,” people inside and Holland said. outside of shelters. The teams found The regular counts are intended people living in their cars and in to give a snapshot of homelessparks. ness – how many people are Since the Salvation Army-run using shelters or sleeping outside, Gateway of Hope Shelter opened and who are they? in 2009, that and other initiatives Fraser Holland, an outreach have helped create a decline in worker with Langley’s Stepping the visibility of homelessness in
Langley, Holland noted. rent that force the person out, “But it’s gotten more compliHolland said. cated,” he said. In 2011, after the last homeThe age of people on the streets less count, Langley agencies took and in the shelters has been risnote of the number of youths ing. who were showing up as at risk “I ran into a couple that were of homeless. They were couch in their sixties,” Holland said. surfing, staying with friends, or It used to be rare to see people bunking down outside for a few in the 55-65 age nights at a time. range, he said. Aldergrove “Now, unfortuNeighbourhood “I think the next step nately, it’s comServices set for us… is definitely monplace,” he up a Youth taking a look at the said. Homelessness There are some Initiative and seniors piece.” people over 65 created the first Fraser Holland who are homeless emergency coldas well. Some are weather shelter for chronically homeless – people teenagers over the last winter. who have lived on the streets Now Holland said it looks like for years and have not managed the next group of concern will to get into a permanent housing be at the opposite end of the age situation. range. Others have only recently “I think the next step for us… found themselves living without a is definitely taking a look at the home. For many, it can be medic- seniors piece,” Holland said. al issues, the death of or divorce The count results for Metro from a longtime spouse, or dwinVancouver will be released later dling financial resources that lead this year, once the data has been to them not being able to make collected from every community.