1. society
2. work
3. unions

Run or pledge to support DEWC in 2015!
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
MONETARY DONATIONS
Y
our donation makes a difference
to the lives of women and
children. Tax receipts are available
for donations of $10 or more.
nD
onate online at Canadahelps.org
or by cheque or with a direct charge
to your credit card.
n P lease consider a monthly donation,
through automatic withdrawals
from your bank account or monthly
charges to a credit card.
n L eave a gift to the DEWC in your
will or estate plan – you will
contribute to a lasting legacy for
future generations of women and
children. For info on planned giving
please contact us.
Charitable Registration #12989 5959 RR0001
Thank you for your generosity!
IN-KIND DONATIONS WISHLIST
We always accept donations of:
n b lankets, bed linens, towels
n toothbrushes and toothpaste
n footwear, socks
n u nderwear, bras (new/gently used)
n c oats, rain gear, umbrellas
nw
omen’s clothing (new/gently used,
clean & in good repair)
n h ygiene products (menstrual &
incontinence supplies)
n toiletries, makeup
n a lcohol wipes, hand sanitizer
n r eading glasses
nD
VDs, usb/flashdrives
n a rts & craft supplies
If you have a donation, but are not sure
if it’s appropriate, please email. Drop off/
mailing address: Downtown Eastside
Women’s Centre, 302 Columbia St. (at
Cordova) Vancouver, V6A 4J1.
The best time to deliver donations is
from 2-4 pm or 10am-12noon every day.
We are open 353 days a year, but close
the third or fourth Wednesday of each
month, on social assistance cheque
distribution day. For more information
about donations, please contact us
at 604-681-8480, ext. 226, or email
funddevelopment@dewc.ca.
OFFER YOUR TIME
There are many volunteer
opportunities, both on and off site.
Please contact us at skills@dewc.ca if
you are interested. Believe in what we
do? Tell others about DEWC!
Thank you to all our donors & supporters!
UNIONS: BC Government and Service Employees Union, British Columbia Nurses’ Union, The BCNU Vancouver Metro
Region, Canadian Union of Public Employees, CAW Local 2200, CAW Local 3000, Compensation Employees’ Union,
Compensation Employees Credit Union, CUPE BC, CUPE Local 1936, CUPE Metro District Council-New West,
Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union, Health Sciences Association of BC, Hospital Employees’ Union,
ILW Union Local 400, International Union of Painters & All, Public Service Alliance Canada BC, RIVA REGION
BCNU, Unifor, Unifor Local 2002, Union of BC Performers, Vancouver Composite 20088. FOUNDATIONS: British
Columbia Masonic Foundation, Central City Foundation, CHIMP Foundation, Connor, Clark & Lunn Foundation,
Leon Judah Blackmore Foundation, Newman’s Own Foundation, The M.A.C. AIDS Fund, The Winnipeg Foundation,
The Zacks Family Charitable Foundation, The Young Foundation. ORGANIZATIONS & BUSINESSES: 0883467 BC
Ltd, 0945942 BC Ltd, ACCESS, A & M Ventures Inc, Alma Mater Society, Atira Women’s Resource Society, Bao Bei
Chinese Brasserie Inc, Battered Women’s Support Services, BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, Bobbi
Herrera Management Services, BOLD (P Hogan), Canada Helps, Canada Running Series, Carnegie Community
Centre, COBS Bread, The Community Arts Council of Vancouver, Customs Assessment Charity Drive, Customs Metro
Transit Fund, Earls, East is East, ERA Carbon Offsets Ltd, Eye Design Inc, Face to Face Communication Consultants,
Farrant, Federation of Post-Secondary Education, First Nations Studies Student Association, First United Church,
Fraserland Farms (S Harris), Front & Company Enterprises Ltd, Generockcity, Grace Memorial United Church, The
General Synod of the Anglican Church, Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society, HMCS Discovery, Holt Renfrew, Intact
Insurance Company, Kappa PS1 Pharmaceutical, Kebet Holfing Ltd, Kish & Drozd Holding Ltd, Kluskus Indian Band,
Kokopelli Hair Salon & Gallery Lounge, Laureate Alpha PHO, Lega Femminile, Lions Gate Chorus, London Public
Ltd, Mahoah Steves Elementary School, McGrady & Company, Moscrop Secondary School, Nelson Community
Services Centre, Net Impact Simon Fraser Chapter, Offsetters, Orbis Investments (Canada) Ltd, Pam Allen - Remax,
Pepper Wireless Solutions, Provincial Employees Community Services Fund, Public Myth Boutique, Random Acts,
Ray-Cam Community Association, Save-On Meats, SBC Restaurant, Serena Fashions Ltd, Seven Seas Fish Co Ltd,
Shpak Spence Inc, Shuswap Nation Tribal Council Society, Sitka Vancouver, Snowflake Trading Corp Ltd, Sri Sathya
Sai Community Centre of BC, St Andrew’s Wesley Church, TD Bank, Telus Community Affairs, The Spiritualist Church
of Universal Brotherhood, Union Gospel Mission, United Way Lower Mainland, Vancouver Aboriginal Community
PCS, Vancouver Co-operative Radio, Vancouver Fruit Tree Project, Vancouver Ikebana Association, Vancouver Police
Community Fund, Vancouver Soma Therapy, Victory Square Law Office LLP, Wealthvar Financial Services Inc., West
Point Grey Independent School Society, White Rock Business. INDIVIDUALS: E Adamson, C Aikenhead, B Alkenbrack,
V Allen, M Anderson, M Andrews, C Andruchow, S Anne, E Arnold, J Asch, GP Atkins, J Baird, B Baker, W Bancroft,
A Barker, P Barnes, K Barylski, L Barrett, Y Bayani, L Bemister, L Benna, S Bennett, S Benson, J Berka, J&M Bindon,
A Boroumand, E Bovee, S Boyd, C Boyle, J Bruce, K Brophy, A Bryant, JM Buckham, L Burke-O’Flynn, S Butterwick,
E
ach year DEWC participates in two charity runs
– please consider participating to raise funds for
DEWC or sponsoring a runner.
Published by the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre
302 Columbia Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 4J1
Tel: (604) 681-8480 Fax: (604) 681-8470
www.dewc.ca twitter: @DEWCVancouver
• Scotiabank Charity Challenge - June 28
Half-marathon & 5K fun run/walk in Stanley Park
• Eastside 10K - September 19
10K through the streets of the DTES
Registration is now open for both races, so
sign up to run or donate for DEWC at www.
canadarunningseries.com. Watch our website for more
information on DEWC’s involvement- www.dewc.ca.
AVAILABLE SOON:
2015 DEWC Elders calendar
Images of women of the centre showing off
donated & personalized fashions
&
Reflections of the
Downtown Eastside
Women’s Centre
– our first 35 years
History, workings &
culture of the DEWC
Watch our website for
more information:
www.dewc.ca
Shauna, R Carle, R Charles, D Chechik, M Chechik, V Chinsomboon, L Chisholm, J Clarke, A Clinton, L Cohen,
M Coldrick, M Conn, B Cook, C Cook, L Cool, A Coppes, R Cowell, B Cox, P Crawford, I Cromwell, J Crosby, G
Cumberbirch, M Currie, L Dagg, L Dansereau, J Davidson, C Davis, L DeLuca, M Dhaliwal, A Diamond, J Dickison,
S Dodd, C Donaldson, N Doucette, K Doyle, C Duggan, P Duhatschek, J Dwyer, L Dykstra, R Eagle, R Eaton, D
Eden, JE Ellis, V Eng, M Evans, S Evans, M Evens, D Faber, K Faith, J Fay, M Fergusson, L Findlater, M Findlater,
J Fisk-Schleger, S Flather, B Fletcher, G Flett, CLM Flood, R Folvik, J Fox, C Franiek, JE Fraser, JB Fraser, MA
Frederiksen, L Fredrickson, J Frost, G Fuji-Johnson, S Gabriel, J Gagan, D Gauld, R Gathercole, N Gayle, J Gerber,
C Gerson, H Ghanavizchian, P Gibbons, K Gibson, LJ Gilday, A Givton, P Goldsmith, J Goold, H Goto, K Gould,
SA Graves, J Gray-Graves, H Grewal, P Gudlaugson, P Gully, F Guttman, E Groundwater, J Hadley, S Hagan, T
Hagan, KL Halverson, J Hanvelt, L Harding, M Harris, D Harrison, C Hathaway, M Hecker, T Hepburn, D Herzig, S
Hetherington, B Hill, S Hobson, L Hoffman, L Horlick, K Howe, A Huang, J Ickringill, P Impey, L Ingram, L Irons,
J Irvine, A Ishiguro, L Ishiguro, R Iwata, A Jackson, B Janzen, K Jarvis, F Johnson, E Johnston, C Jones, M Jones, J
Jordan, L Jorgensen, K Juvik, E Kage, B Kane, M Kane, M Kelm, CA Kenney-Lee, P Kenney, E Kenyon, M Kim, M
Kimball, J Kingstone, P&G Kiss, LE Klassen, T Kokubo, W Keough, J Korman, K Korrigan, S Kozyniak, E Krieg,
B Kuhne, M Kuzyk, C Lanki, E Latraverse, C LaVallee, S Law, E Lazare, A Lee, L Lee, R Leistner, CP Leng Low, A
Lenters, L Leslie, CK Leung, J Leung, C LeVasseur, S Likely, J Logan, A Lohan, K Lotherington, D Ludvig, M Lund,
D Lupini, A Lynes-Ford, K Lypkie, I MacDonald, C MacMillan, A MacPherson, L Mann, M Mantei, S Marcantonio,
A Marchand, L Marshik, A Marriott, J Martell, S Mason, D Massey, G Masuda, J Masur, L Mathesius, D Matheson, S
Matthews, D McCarthy, P McDonald, C McDowell, N McEwen, S McFadden, C McKenzie, A McLaren, D McLean, S
McLean, M McMaster, K McNair, H McPherson, P McRae-Allen, M McVicar, R Micner, K Miller, M Miller, D Mitchell,
N Mitter, B Moores, M Moran, J Mordy, N More, D Morita, J Morstad, A Moyer, F Muir, H Muir, B Mukhopadhyay,
A Munroe, A Murfitt, J Murray, D Nadeau, DA Nason, K Nicolay, B Neumann, K Nuemann, C Northcott, M
Nugent, J O’Brian, J O’Brien, H Orth, C Ostrove, T Palys, O Panis, L Parsons, A Pegg, A Perrick, Y Peters, D Petten,
J Pettigrew, I Pettitt, T Pieroni, L Pilarsk, A Pinochet, M Piron, P Plummer, CA Point, M Poliakoff, J Pond, C Poppen,
V Posarac, J Potter, J Pritchard, C Proseio, C Proseiro, P Quartermain, P&L Quinn, J Rahiman, K Ranalletta, S Rawal,
J Rechenmacher, K Rempel, T Ricketts, M Robinson, R Robinson, N Robbins, L Roberts, R Robertson, S Robinson,
B Rose, K Rose, B Ross, AE Rowan, C Russell, L Russell, R Sakamoto, J Schmidt, C Schut, KM Scoffield, M Scott,
J Sharp, M Shugg, R Sidhu, W Siksay, M Simpson, S Singh, J Sleigh, D Slimmon, B Smith, H Smith, JRA Smith,
L Sochowski, S Soofi, J Star, L Stark, J St Germain, E Storey, SP Stout, C Strang, M Stamboulieh, D Strugnell, M
Sullivan, E Surowiec, E Sutherland, B Tang, D Tchakalian, D Thebaud, DN Thomson, S Tobvis, A Tomlin, K Tomlin,
K Tomkins, P Tong, L Townsend, J Tso, C Tsoi, S Turcotte, A Tzanadamis, J Van Snellenberg, JN Vincent, H Walia,
S Walia, D Walker, C Warbeck, L Ward, DJ Wardle, N Ware, A Watson, U Weissgerber, D Wellwood, C Welsh,
K Whitfield, R Wiens, P Wilkinson, AE Williams, H Williams, S Wong, M Wong-Moon, J Wood, K Woodcock, B
Woodward, S Yano, E Yap, J Yen, R Yorke, M Yoshizawa, C Young, M Young, F Yue, L Yurashak, E Ziff.
November 2013
Facebook: Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre and DEWC Vancouver
Elders’ Council is vital to Centre
F
ocused on sewing her gorgeous button
This is a huge part of what the Council
blanket and with a voice affected by
does. Joyce particularly likes participating
a raspy cough, Bea agreed to answer my
in the Healing Circle at the Centre, which
questions about the Elders’ circle. Seated
allows for all aspects of life and hardships
beside her, Joyce, a fellow Elder, insisted
to be presented and talked through. There,
that Bea should be the feature of my
“you get to heal all different parts of you,”
mini-interview since “she’s really great
she says. Carol feels just as strongly about
for this kind of thing.” Bea and Joyce are
this group at the Centre, insisting that
members of the Elders’ Council at DEWC,
healing can only happen as a group effort,
a group that provides leadership, spiritual
and a commitment to working through
teachings, and experience-based direction
even the bad and ugly moments. “We have
to the women of the centre.
to remember what the system has done to
The Council works hard to create
us,” she insists.
handiwork and accessories for fundraisers,
In the Council, women have grown to
which they depend on heavily for the funds define what being an Elder means. Words
to attend regional meetings and other
like guidance, love, caring, non-judgment
external events. Each year, their goal is
and spirituality often come up, and holding
to plan for the annual Elders’ Gathering,
on to the joys of life is also important.
which will be held in Saanich in 2015.
The women often talk about their
The women of the council are kept busy childhoods, about root and cedar picking,
all year long, accepting invitations to speak and seafood they gathered in abundance. It
about ending violence and the legacy of
is a huge source of pride, and a highlight of
residential schools, linking their efforts with their day to have their reflections heard and
those of grassroots groups in the DTES, and appreciated.
leading community marches.
Joyce says, DEWC “is great because you
Carol Martin, our Victim Services
can always feel safe here. This centre and
worker and staff support for the
Elders’ Council, talked of how the
Thank you for being the glue
that holds our nations strong
projects taken on by these brave
Because of you sister,
women are often both politically
we learn we belong....
and personally motivated. Just
Thank you for your arms,
last year, she took the council
that holds all our hearts
to Winnipeg for the Truth and
Whether they’re broken,
Reconciliation gatherings. As the
laughing or falling apart.
only Centre staff member there,
Your
strength is the guiding
she had to be mindful of checking
light for many that fall
in with the elders, teaching them
And
because of your sisters,
to pay attention to their emotional
many
more are walking tall.
triggers and to take on coping
Courage
does not always roar,
strategies like going for short
sometimes it is the quiet voice
walks to regain their calm. “But
at the end of the day saying.
they taught me too,” she insists.
“I will try again tomorrow.”
“To be humble. And that it’s okay
to cry.”
Native Sisterhood (excerpt) – Author Unknown
Veronica
displays a
traditional
Aboriginal
shirt.
the elders
always try
to include
everyone.
I like it
most when
people get
along.”
Bea adds,
“Change starts at a young age. We are all
equal. It’s not just one person who comes
into the centre, it’s people of all different
cultures.”
These are the values and views that
encourage Carol in her work, for she sees
that the Elders have increasingly started
to self-identify and embrace their roles at
DEWC. Her hope is that more people will
continue to join the group.
The Elders’ Council has an important
role at the Centre. These
women have seen and
experienced a great deal
and hold that as knowledge
and wisdom that they
bring to their dealings in
the Centre. They are a part
of our leadership, holding
a seat on the board of
directors, and advising both
board and staff regarding
both day-to-day workings
of the Centre and longterm planning for the
organization.
Button blankets are one
of the traditional crafts
created by Centre Elders.
Debbie
D
H
Heather
ebbie has
eather is an out-of-area
volunteered
volunteer who has
for more than six
volunteered in our kitchen as
years. One of her
a baker for seven years.
roles is as a Board
She firmly believes that
Member, where she
all people should be treated
discusses the many
equally. She was especially
needs of the centre.
spurred to do what she can
Debbie admits that at first, she had a hard
by the disappearances of
time opening up. As a survivor of abuse, she
Indigenous women.
used to spend her days crying. One day a worker
She worked as industrial baker,
said, “if you need someone to talk to, you can
but left when the company shifted its
talk to me.” And she finally did.
priorities. She chose to look for work
“If it wasn’t for the centre, I
with non-profits, such
would be a real mess,” she says.
as DEWC. She quickly
VOLUNTEER
Debbie says the centre really
realized that she could
PROFILES
helped her to become a stronger
not lift the heavy pots
person. It has helped develop her
and had reached the limit
DEWC depends on the
math skills. On Wednesdays, she
of her physical capacity.
commitment of many
tracks volunteer hours and their volunteers. Some are women She had to apply for
points. She used to be teased in
disability, but continued
who access services of
school for being a slow learner
volunteering with the
the centre, and want to
but now she is more confident
Centre.
give back or gain skills.
with her math skills. Thursdays,
Heather admits that
Others from outside the
she gives out cards to volunteers,
she
used to close her eyes
DTES, come to assist
and her Fridays are spent setting
on
the
bus coming past
in any way they can.
up the coffee and tea station.
this neighbourhood on
Debbie has met many women volunteering at the way to her job, unable to deal with
the centre. She loves coming to the centre every
the sight of so much suffering. She has
day because it gives her a chance to connect with learned gratitude, and feels that the
her friends and share a comfortable, safe space
Centre was a part of her own healing.
with women she gets along with.
She recounts how she finally was
Debbie wishes for a bigger centre to
able to attend the Annual Women’s
accommodate the many women who access our
Memorial March some years ago. As a
services. She comments on the fact that there is
baker, she used to be overworked on
often not enough room for all of the women to
this holiday, but now she was suddenly
sit down and have a meal during lunch hour, the free. Her experience was very powerful.
centre’s busiest time of day. Debbie also wishes
It poured that day, and she remembers
for an increase in donations of clothes and
realizing that she would have a dry place
toiletries because you can never have too much.
to go home to afterwards. Many of the
Debbie helps out every year with the Annual
women in attendance would not have
Women’s Memorial March for the missing and
that luxury.
murdered women of the Downtown Eastside
Heather also looks forward to making
(DTES). She has fond memories of participating “super nice desserts” for the Centre’s
in Healing Circles and helping with arts and
special seasonal meals.
crafts at the Elders’ group.
What drew you to the Centre?
What do you love most about volunteering?
I have good friends that give me support.
Do you have any advice for new volunteers?
It is good to volunteer so don’t be scared, but
if you are scared, just talk to one of the women
at the centre. Don’t give up. It is good to keep
yourself busy and learn.
unconditional acceptance.
And you always get more
than you give. You can be
at rock bottom yourself,
and the women will still
take you in.
How do you like to help?
If I can make a cake or do
something nice, women
see that someone cared to
actually do that. Most people take these
things for granted.
What do you love most about volunteering
at the Centre?
I love to bake! Maybe a piece of cake will
remind the women that there’s another
life. And that’s the other thing I love –
there’s so much support no matter what
is going on. And there’s a lot to be sad
about, but mostly we laugh – we have so
much fun. It’s real. That’s what keeps me
coming back.”
Any advice to new volunteers?
You have to be pretty accepting.You have
to let go of your social programming
and experience without judging other
people’s lives. Try your best to treat
everybody well. People are people –
they can lose their tempers. But you
can model a constructive way of solving
problems, and this is what matters in the
end. Don’t shape your actions by your
expectations of what you think you’re
going to get out of this. You can be
whoever you want to be here – that is,
you can actually be yourself.
What would be your wish for the Centre?
I can’t change society, so I wish for
funding.
Could you describe one of your fondest
memories here?
As a new volunteer, I was taken
to a buffet by Sara, DEWC’s Skills
Development Coordinator, in a group of
roughly 30 women. The women piled
their plates up, hiding food in their bags.
I turned to Sara, worried that we would
Social justice. Fairness is huge for me.
be kicked out of the restaurant. Sara’s
What have you learned from volunteering?
response was that “food is a celebration.”
I really had my eyes opened. I’m very
As women, we’re brought up to always
impressed by the women who work
show restraint around food. But here,
on the floor. They are accepting and
there was no holding back, and it was a
welcoming no matter what shape women blast. One of the women actually said,
coming in are in. Here, I encounter true ‘everything here is my favourite.’
Chinese Seniors find community
through DEWC program
S
tereotypes are easy to uphold. But
Community kitchens
for Anita Lau, our Chinese Seniors
allow women to share
Outreach worker, transformation can
traditional foods.
be seen in the honest, sometimes tearful
to provide care for
widening of perspectives of women of all
their grandchildren,
cultures. This is Anita’s goal in giving voice
without any
to the Centre’s Chinese seniors.
“[At DEWC] we are more multi-cultural; knowledge of English.
For some of these
our mandate actually ends up being
broader because of this and so much of my women, signage in Cantonese is
seniors in this area, but this is not at all
not enough, as some cannot read their own
work is to connect with other services,”
reflective of the population of the DTES.
language. Such is the patriarchal legacy of
she says. Combating discrimination takes
education prioritized for the sons of a family. The Centre now has one Mandarincollaborative efforts, so Anita now sits on
speaking volunteer for women who do not
On top of the difficulty of being
the newly formed Community Response
speak Cantonese, but on the days without
surrounded by services provided in a
Network, along with other DTES allies
this volunteer Anita works diligently to find
language they do not understand, many
such as Union Gospel Mission and the
interpretation by bilingual seniors or even
Salvation Army. Here, she hears testimonies women cannot qualify for social benefits
uses online resources. It is also
of cultural difference and brings these same because they have not
not infrequent for Anita to assist
lived in the country for
For some of these
real-life explanations to the cross-cultural
long enough or struggle
women, signage in other agencies with translations.
work she does at the Centre.
The program at DEWC is
to manage the high costs
Cantonese is not
“It can be very simple,” she explains.
flourishing. “We already serve
enough, as some
“Many people just don’t know that in Asian of sponsorship by their
over 80 women at daily drop-in
cannot read their
families. Due to feelings of
culture no one lines up, for example – this
own language. Such and 80 at the community kitchen
guilt, they try to minimize
is unlike our ideas of respect back home.”
- and there’s only one me!” Anita
is the patriarchal
In a similar vein, seniors hoping to pick up the stresses faced by their
exclaims. On the days she is
legacy
of
education
children. With the goal of
extra meals are motivated by a collective
working, attendance by seniors
prioritized for the
reducing the burden of their
mentality, as they want to support their
skyrockets, a sure sign of the
sons of a family.
low-income households,
peers who are unable to attend lunch
contribution programs such as
these seniors seek out free
servings due to illness or limited mobility.
Anita’
s
make
in the lives of these women.
services at places such as DEWC.
While eating meals at the Centre, they will
More of them are placing suggestions into
In Anita’s eyes, this is an inspiring show
be sure to place items they don’t wish to
the suggestions box, and are signing on to
of resilience. “These women have become
eat in the middle of the table for others
groups and volunteering at the Centre too.
tight-knit as a group of friends. When I
and they are always keen to share. These
With exciting outings – such as a recent
can’t accompany them to an appointment
women want to fit into a community, and
bowling trip and a dim sum gathering –
for a long time they simply could not do so. or meeting, they go in groups. They know
these women are finding new excitement
Through Anita and her translation many about free bread at the Salvation Army
and fun in their lives. Anita’s goal is to
on certain days, or oatmeal at DEWC on
seniors are voicing their interests for the
others, and they share this information with continue and increase such excursions.
first time, for many arrive in Vancouver set
A family law group for Chinese seniors
their friends. This is how
has been hosted at the DEWC, as a part
they are able to survive.”
of Older Women’s Dialogue project. The
No matter what
network of services for these women
information they have
continues to expand as Anita makes
been empowered with,
connections in the community, and informs
these women remain
other service providers about her work.
vulnerable. Anita can
“At the end of the day, we’re all women,”
name only two other
she points out. With this as a driving force,
workers for Chinese
Anita’s program is earning clear victories,
Chinese Seniors gain
including and honouring the participation
access to translation
of women who were previously left out.
and other services with
Now, finally, they get a voice
help from Anita Lau
(centre).