PRESS RELEASE
December 13, 2025
Lotus Light’s 2025 Annual Winter Charity Drive:
Celebrate the 30th Anniversary Winter Charity Drive
Public Distribution of Winter Care Packages and Resources to Vancouver’s Street Homeless
On Saturday, December 13, 2025, Lotus Light Charity Society (Vancouver) held its 2025 Annual Winter Charity Drive event to distribute much-needed winter emergency care packages and resources to Vancouver’s street homeless through our community partners. This year marks the 30th Anniversary of Winter Charity Drive. Thirty years ago, on December 9, 1995, Master Lian Tzi, president of Lotus Light Charity Society, held the first Winter Charity Drive distribution at Oppenheimer Pack in DTES, now we gather to celebrate three decades of impact at our 30th Anniversary event. Let’s work together to bring warmth and hope to help the homeless survive the cold this winter.”
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 Peer Support Worker Team of VGH Emergency Department. 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.
“Year after year, the volunteers from Lotus Light show up and do the work that truly supports the most needy people in our city.” “This is the working heart of the organization—prepared, committed, and ready to help when it matters most.” “The Downtown Eastside doesn’t need fixing—it needs help, and Lotus Light is providing that help.” Praised Councillor Fry. Councillor Fry also thanks our first responders who works in the frontline and Winter Charity Drive special sponsor NOVAGOLD for their commitment in helping the most vulnerable in our community. This is the third year in a row 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); Hon. Terry Yung, MLA Vancouver-Yaletown and Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Service, Mr. Tyler Petersen, Senior Constituency Advisor for MLA Joan Phillip, MLA for Vancouver-Strathcona and deliver message of the Premier David Eby to event. City of Vancouver 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 Steve Somerville, Primary Care Paramedics of BC Emergency Health Services; Ms. Jocelyn Ward, Charge Nurse, VGH – Emergency Department, Neighborhood Police Officers Cst Stuart Black; Mr. Kevin Tay of Greater Vancouver Food Bank; Ms. Lorraine Lowe, Executive Director, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre; Ms. Amanda Burrows, ED of First United Church, Mr. Partap Sahota, Executive Director of Collingwood CPC; Ms. Cathy O’Connor Morris, Executive Director of Gas town Hastings Crossing CPC, inner-city school representatives: Ms Jann Schmidt, Principal of Strathcona Elementary School, Mr. Aaron Singh, Principal of Seymour Elementary School and Ms. Sylvia Raymond, Indigenous Education Enhancement Worker, Xpey’ Elementary, Mr. Steve Tam, Manager of Superstore Grandview HWY and the volunteer team, Ms. Anne So, Manager of St. Germain Richmond; Mr. Steve Hogeweide, Store Manager of Safeway Davie Street, Mr. Denin Ulriksen, Manager of Nesters Market Woodward; as well as over a hundred volunteers from community organizations Lotus Light, Collingwood Community CPC, Project Hastings, Capilano University Enactus Club.
Hon. Terry Yung read aloud the Premier’s letter of greeting to the event and highlighted Lotus Light’s 30th Anniversary Winter Charity Drive as a long-standing tradition that supports those facing homelessness and food insecurity during the challenging Christmas season. He thanked volunteers, first responders, Community Policing Centres, and partners for showing up year after year to help the most vulnerable.
He emphasized that everyone matters, that there is no shame in needing or giving help, and that meaningful change comes from collective community effort, not government alone. Citing “respect, acceptance, and love” as essential values, MLA Yung praised Lotus Light for meeting people where they are and offering real solutions with compassion. On behalf of the Province of British Columbia, he thanked all participants for giving the community hope and demonstrating the power of working together.
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. Over a thousand low-income residents in the DTES neighbourhood benefited and enjoyed the spirit of holiday giving.
Lotus Light’s Annual Winter Charity Drive, now celebrates its 30th anniversary, 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 financial support from NOVAGOLD, City of Vancouver Homelessness Service Grant and Leon Judah Blackmore Foundation, and to all the contributions and support from our community partners, corporate sponsors, and volunteer teams.
