This spring and fall, the Creston Valley Public Library is inviting the community to take a closer look at homelessness with a compassionate eye.
The four-part panel series, “When Homelessness Hits Close to Home,” begins Saturday, May 24 at 1 p.m. at the library. Each session is free to attend and brings together local experts and service providers to unpack different aspects of poverty and the housing crisis to offer a more complete picture of what’s happening in Creston — and why.
After seeing an increase in the number of vulnerable people accessing services at the Creston library — and hearing heated public discourse that followed recent permanent shelter proposals — staff wanted to offer something educational and community-building.
“We’re hoping to do a little course correction to counter some of the nimbyism and harsh attitudes we’ve seen,” said Lisa Benschop, the library’s programming co-ordinator.
“The community discourse seems to include a lot of misinformation but not evidence-based ideas about how people become homeless, what the conditions are out there, and what should be done about it.”
The first panel, on May 24, explores the local context of the increased visibility of unhoused individuals in Creston, as well as the services and supports available. Speakers include Jared Basil from Ktunaxa Nation, Heather More from the Creston Valley Community Housing Society, Bobbie-Jo Fay from the Gleaners Food Bank, and Nancy DeVuono from the Creston Valley Den Society.
You can read the full article on the Creston Valley Advance’s website.
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