PRESS RELEASE
December 14, 2024
Lotus Light’s 2024 Annual Winter Charity Drive:
Public Distribution of Winter Care Packages and Resources to Vancouver’s Street Homeless
On Saturday, December 14, 2024, Lotus Light Charity Society (Vancouver) held its 2024 Annual Winter Charity Drive event to distribute much-needed winter emergency care packages and resources to Vancouver’s street homeless through our community partners.
Lotus Light Charity Society presented donations of winter care packages and emergency survival backpacks to representatives of the Vancouver Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Program, the BC Ambulance Service, the City of Vancouver’s Temporary Emergency Shelters, and the Homeless Outreach Program of MPA Society. Lotus Light also donated 10,000 lbs of rice to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society to help low-income families in our community, and donated gift cards and grocery foods to help low-income family students in inner-city schools. Community partner certificates were presented to thank the long-time support of our community partners and sponsors.
During the presentation, Lotus Light specially presented a Thank You banner to the NOVAGOLD team and a Community Partner Certificate to express thanks and gratitude for NOVAGOLD’s continued support. This is the second year NOVAGOLD has sponsored the Emergency Survival Backpack pilot project in partnership with Vancouver’s First Responders (police and paramedics). This initiative assists the Downtown Eastside’s poorest and most vulnerable, particularly those impacted by hospital discharge due to medical emergencies or drug overdoses, emergency disaster relief, and extreme weather.
Honourable guests attending the event included Vajra Master Lian Tzi, Chair of the Board of Lotus Light Charity Society (Vancouver); MP Jenny Kwan, Vancouver East; Hon. Terry Yung, MLA Vancouver-Yaletown and Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services; Ms. Joan Phillip, MLA for Vancouver-Strathcona and Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-Profits; City of Vancouver Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung and Councillor Pete Fry; Mr. Floyd Wong, Vice President of Lotus Light Charity Society (Vancouver); Cst Steve Dhaliwal, Coordinator of the VPD Homeless Outreach and Supportive Housing Team; Paramedic Chief Jenny Talbot of BC Emergency Health Services; Neighborhood Police Officers Cst Stuart Black and Cst Byron Yee; Ms. Melanie Hennessey, Chair of the Board of Directors, Covenant House Vancouver, and Vice President at NOVAGOLD; Ms. Monica Hamm, Manager of Communications at NOVAGOLD; Mr. Greg Douglas, Senior Director of Development, Greater Vancouver Food Bank; Ms. Lorraine Lowe, Executive Director, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre; Mr. Partap Sahota, Executive Director, Collingwood CPC; inner-city school representatives Ms. Janey Lee and Ms. Sadie James; Mr. Steve Tam, Manager of Superstore Grandview HWY; Mr. Dharm Sharma, Assistant Manager of Save-on-Foods Kingsgate Mall, and Operation Manager Sehaj Singh; Ms. Anne So, Manager of St. Germain Richmond; Mr. Denin Ulriksen, Store Manager of Nesters Market Woodward; as well as over a hundred volunteers from community organizations Lotus Light, Collingwood Community CPC, Project Hastings, and sponsors Grandview HWY.
MP Jenny Kwan praised Lotus Light’s community work in her greeting speech: “I am so thrilled to be here once again to meet you, to share care and love along with the Lotus Light Charity Society. Their dedicated work has been known for decades now. Yesterday, I had the honor to recognize Master Lian Tzi and her team’s community dedication and support through the King Charles III Coronation Medal Award Ceremony. It was such a pleasure to recognize and truly celebrate the community. There are so many unsung heroes in our community, in every corner. Congratulations!”
“Today’s event is another simple gesture to reach out and say to the people who are out there standing in the rain right now: we care, and we want to offer a little bit of warmth.
“I appreciate all the work you do, and to all the organizations, you are the true heroes. To help the people who line up, to the men and women providing service, congratulations to all. Happy Holidays!” MP Jenny Kwan said in her speech.
After the presentation, Lotus Light hosted a public distribution of winter care items, food, household resources, and sandwiches, with VIPs directly assisting low-income families and people experiencing homelessness. Many VIP guests and volunteers from partner organizations participated in this distribution in front of Lotus Light’s head office at 347 East Hastings Street.
“I would like to participate in your events. Please include me in your big distribution to help the people in need in the community,” said Store Manager Denin of Nesters Market Woodward.
Lotus Light’s 2024 Annual Winter Charity Drive, now in its 29th year, relies on financial and in-kind donations from individuals and corporate supporters to continue its campaign to distribute emergency care packages and hot lunches directly to homeless people, or through local shelters and social service agencies, including British Columbia Ambulance Service and the VPD’s Homeless Outreach Program. Lotus Light appreciates all the contributions and support from our community partners, corporate sponsors, and volunteer teams.
