Lotus Light Brings Warm and Care to the Street Amid Record-Breaking Cold
It’s near the end of February, but the winter is still not leaving soon. Municipalities across the lower mainland have issued extreme weather and snowfall warnings and have opened extra warm centers for unhoused people to stay inside at night. The daytime temperature is lingering at freezing, 0ºC, but it’s as low as -9ºC with the wind chill effect.
Lotus Light volunteers went out on the street to distribute hand-warmers, hot chocolate, candy, fruits, chips, canned foods, and protein bars to people in need in the DTES neighborhood. Volunteers greeted people with smiling faces and caring words, “Take Care! Keep Warm!”
“This is the best hot chocolate I have ever had. You are the greatest.” an old lady told volunteers while sipping the hot chocolate handed out by the Lotus Light volunteers.
Lotus Light Extreme Weather Response program is part of the annual Winter Charity Drive, which has been running for 28 years. Every winter, Lotus Light partners with Vancouver Police Department Homeless Outreach team, BC Ambulance Services, City of Vancouver Emergency Shelter programs and other community organizations to distribute sleeping bags and blankets, winter care packages, and emergency foods for unhoused people in our community.
Lotus Light Charity Society (Vancouver) is a registered charity dedicated to helping the most vulnerable in our local community with the motto “Through caring and learning, we help to build a better tomorrow”. For further information about Lotus Light’s charity program, please visit our web: http://vllcs.org, or contact us by phone at 604-685-5548 or email at llcsvancouver@gmail.com.
