Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Volunteers embrace Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

Carnegie centre serves Christmas turkeys

A hurried Christmas shopper might ignore a cardboard sign in front of a homeless person sitting outside The Bay.

But for those who volunteer in Downtown Eastside, Dec. 25 is just another day and with it comes the struggle to find food, warm clothes and a place to live. The lucky might receive a can of beans or a package of pasta in a Christmas basket from a charitable organization.

In some ways nothing really changes, because for people who are on survival level, its just more of the same. It takes a little bit of a cushion in your life to see Christmas as a special time, said Gena Thompson, president of the Carnegie Community Centres board of directors.

As for Christmas wish-lists, Downtown Eastside residents have simple desires.

If theyre in a position where they need someone to give them socks at Christmas time, then what they really need is somewhere to live or somewhere better to live if they have a place already, she said.

But that doesnt stop the Carnegie centre from trying to make the holiday season a special time for the community it serves. Project coordinators design a month-long Christmas program that includes serving three separate turkey dinners on Boxing Day for a total of 360 people and hosting a childrens party with as many as 100 kids. Downtown Eastside community members can also attend an ornament making workshop, help decorate the centre and go Christmas carolling.

The staff certainly work really hard but Im not sure for the patrons how different it all is except for the fun thats on offer, Thompson said.

Its not so much about the ceremony, rather a place to get together, enjoy food and socialize indoors.

Christmas is the one day each year the Carnegie centre remains open for 24-hours so that people have a place to go that isnt the street, said Thompson. For the homeless, this is reason enough to celebrateit might be the longest they are able to stay indoors during the winter.

But the cant be high or drunk.

Security staff are very compassionate but theyre very strict about making sure its a safe space. So people who have to use every day whether its Christmas or not, if theyre on a binge they dont get to come in, she said.

Food is provided to people who have to stay outside.

All night long the kitchen staff are carrying food out onto the street. If there are folks out there who are using, we take out hot drinks and food. I think thats just basic, trying to share some of that spirit that this is a special night, said Thompson.

You know how it isif things go wrong at Christmas, or if youre alone at Christmas, how depressing that can be. Thats what we have in mind when we leave the centre open all night.

Carnegie is crowded from dusk until dawn on Christmas Eve, which is good Thompson said, because it means theyre with other people and not by themselves.

For more information about the Carnegie centre, contact Colleen Gorrie at 604-606-2708.