This July, some members of the Think Profits team volunteered at Lookout Housing and Health Society’s annual summer barbecue, held outside of their Powell Street location in the heart of Vancouver’s Downtown East Side.
Along with Lookout Society members and other volunteers, we cooked up and served about 1,000 meals to local community members, many of whom were homeless and all of whom were in need. Some of us were already experienced backyard BBQers, while some of us (ahem) had never touched a grill before, but by the end of the day we were all seasoned pros.
It turned out to be a highly successful cookout (with the exception of that one moment when our Senior Content Writer almost lit our VP on fire by accident) and we had a lot of fun getting to know many friendly, inspiring folks who make up the DTES community.
In addition to having a great time, we left feeling like we had made a positive impact on a large number of people and all of us agreed that we want to become more involved with Lookout going forward. We’ll definitely be volunteering there again soon, but in the meantime, we want to help out by spreading a little awareness about what Lookout does.
How Lookout Society Helps
Lookout Society has 32 sites in 11 municipalities across the Lower Mainland. These sites provide services to people who struggle with addiction, mental illness, chronic health conditions, social dysfunctions, and various other challenges.
Emergency Shelters
Lookout provides temporary emergency housing to those with no other options. Homelessness is a serious problem in the Lower Mainland, particularly in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side, and often shelters have to turn people away because they are already at capacity, so supporting organizations that provide housing is crucial to our community.
Health Services
Lookout Society tries to provide as many health solutions as possible, including a free medical clinic, a non-profit dental clinic, and mental health and addiction services. They also have a food bank and a community garden to help provide nourishment to those who need it.
Resource Centres
Lookout Society’s resource centres are a safe space for people to come, hang out, have some fun, and work on building their potential through collaboration and education. Lookout provides activities, peer programs, employment skill building, and more.
How You Can Help!
Volunteer
Lookout is always on the, well, lookout for new volunteers. There is a variety of ways you can help, from special events to gardening to seasonal decorating and lots more.
Find out more
Donate
Both financial and material donations are appreciated. To donate online and to see a list of items that Lookout accepts,
head over here.
