Heroes and Advocates for the Homeless

Heroes and Advocates for the Homeless

The people who work at Lookout are my heroes. Just today…

Walking west on Alexander Street towards Gastown and casually conversing, Dave* pointed out some personal landmarks. “That’s where we were when we started a financial institution…” At my “oh, yeah” look he continued.

“In the mid 90s a group of us got together because our clients needed financial help and advice and needed access to loans.” A query from me, confirmed. “For microbusiness.” He went on to tell me how he and a few others did all the paperwork. How they received seed money from an Angel Investor and from a Government Grant, and even lobbied successfully for an amendment to legislation that would benefit micro loan recipients. “The whole thing was community driven. It was awesome!”

Through that venture they helped the street entrenched and the poor learn how to manage their money. They cashed cheques for them for a nominal fee, rather than the 10% of cheque value that some cheque cashing places charge. They set up savings plans. They gave loans of up to $250 for ventures. “And every cent was paid back. Even if a guy had to just give us $5 one month, he’d come back until it was all paid.”

Some of the projects they funded (which Dave says are almost too many to remember!), include the building materials for a cart that would be used to haul goods to the recyclers (a project now taken on by another organization). Another project was a selling kiosk for hotdogs.

“And the one guy,” he adds, “no one thought could do anything. He was just written off. But when he came to ask for his loan he had a business plan with schematics and blueprints, and knew how he was going to make sales, and everything.” Dave chuckled, as he always does at fond memories, “that guy surprised a lot of people. He was great.”

Where is the financial institution now? Unfortunately the backers abandoned the project. I hear that it has been revived, and enjoys some success. I’ll find out more and let you know.

Dave said he’d get more stories to me. But I know that today he’s setting up a Shelter. And making sure that no one’s sleeping on the streets nearby. And promoting Toque Tuesday for homelessness awareness (Feb 2). I’ll get more stories another day.

*Dave is a Manager at Lookout Emergency Aid Society