The Victoria Human Exchange Society

Birthday for VHES
Charlie Pyott of happy memory sharing his beloved cat with a member of the
first Apple Seed House. Charlie gave a small trailer to a man who was a street
scavenger thus assisting him off the street to work as caretaker of a gravel pit.
This set the tone for the sharing of gifts that is the mark
and witness of the Victoria Human Exchange Society.

Thank you to all those who joined us for our 19th Birthday Celebration/ Annual General Meeting in May

2011 - 2012 Board of Directors:

Linda Mayo, Wes Mellors, Jo-Anne Layton, Reine de Gagne, Erin Burden, (Victoria)

Leanne Salter, Stephanie McDowall, Elaine Blanco, Debbie Scott (Nanaimo Br.)

Margaret Pring, Judith Wells (Salt Spring Isl. Br.)

Patricia Fitzgerald (Mayne Isl.Br.)

Thank You

Paul Redchurch's Art Show, “A Sharing of Life's Gifts” ended on November 2nd. The proceeds, less Gallery fees, were generously donated to VHES at a time when rents, utilities and rates for water, sewer and garbage have risen at all our Greater Victoria houses. Thank you to all those who attended the Show, bought paintings from this versatile artist, and sent donations to us when they discovered our work for homeless people. Special thanks to the Times Colonist for an excellent article on Wednesday Oct. 5th. Titled: Solo Art Show proceeds go to Charity.
The Charity Golf Tournament at Northview on Saturday September 24th.was a great success. Thanks to all those who donated Silent Auction items and who entered the Helicopter Ball Drop. Thanks to The Prem Rawat Foundation for sponsorship, and thanks to all who took part and especially our Judith for her amazing organization of the Golf Benefit See Gift Exchange newsletter for further expressions of gratitude. We look forward to the 2012 Canadian Golf Benefit.

In this photo, Wendy Stewart cuts the cake, generously created by Thrifty Foods.

Thanks Wes for arranging this.

Cutting the cake at the 2010 AGM

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A person becomes homeless because of:

Unemployment or Underemployment
Inability to Pay Rent
Lack of Affordable Decent Rental Housing
Alcohol and Substance Misuse

Family Violence
Divorce
Mental Illness / Illness/
Accident
Lack of Family Support System

VHES - Providing Temporary Dignified Affordable Housing
for Over 19 Years.....

Anyone can become homeless/ unemployed overnight these days. Without an address and a phone number, people cannot begin to seek employment. The Society rents houses from sympathetic landlords and welcomes poverty-afflicted persons who live at these houses until they solve the challenges facing them and move on to permanent housing. We are particularly concerned with persons in recovery from substance misuse (who have at least three months clean and sober); persons with mental illness who have medication and support; and persons seeking re-integration with estranged families.

We currently facilitate eight houses:

In Victoria:	Charlie Pyott House, Edith Gulland House, the Fr.Michael J. McGivney House
On Saltspring Island:	Grandma’s House and Bittancourt Manor
In Sidney	Frances Thibeau House and Judy Thomas House
In Nanaimo	Esther's House

City of Gardens--the Other Side of the Fence : Human Exchange Fundraiser

Go to Publications Page for more Information on this first of a series of five Books by Patrick Schnerch. Each book will depict one year of real time, consisting of documentation of events, statistics and facts about Homelessness in Victoria BC

The whole idea for writing the book series is to provide awareness about mental illness, addiction and homelessness plus raise funds for charity. That is the sole reason for this five year project.

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The VHES is a completely volunteer non-profit Society and NOT an agency (which has paid staff and volunteers).

As we near the end of our second decade of providing housing, we require more people to share gifts of many skills and labours.

Please refer to the list of services and skills that are needed. If you wish to be part of the Human Exchange, download the Volunteer Application Form.

Thank you for your willingness to consider taking part in " the exchange of life's gifts".

Download Volunteer Application. (doc) (pdf

Thank you to those who have already offered to assist with furnishings and small appliances. We ask you to contact us if you have anything to spare:

See story from Daily News - March 10, 2011
"Group wants to help Nanaimo homeless
with temporary housing"

See story from Victoria News - January 12, 2007
Home, Sweet, Temporary Home

Connect with us on facebook.

email:

vhesvic@victoria.tc.ca

grandmas@saltspring.com

Greater Victoria pager: 361-2762
Greater Victoria: FAX: 656-6242
For the houses in Victoria: Linda:(250) 658-0170 & 857-3905 cell
From outside Victoria only : 1-800-691-9366
Mayne Island: phone/fax:1-250-539-5310
Patricia's Cell Phone: 1-250-920-5056

Financial donations may be sent to:
Box 8534
Victoria BC
V8W 3S1

Our Logo

The world - our world of friendship - is represented by the apple, which symbolized the early experiences of exchanging life’s gifts “under the apple tree” (the Johnson Street Bridge), and at our first “Apple Seed House”. Art Rosette believed that a seed was planted then, which would grow and give shelter to many more who otherwise might only have a tree under a bridge. Our hope is that the spirit of the Human Exchange will spread throughout the world!

Thank you to all those who joined us for our 19th Birthday Celebration/ Annual General Meeting in May

Thank You

A person becomes homeless because of:

VHES - Providing Temporary Dignified Affordable Housing for Over 19 Years.....

City of Gardens--the Other Side of the Fence : Human Exchange Fundraiser

VHES - Providing Temporary Dignified Affordable Housing
for Over 19 Years.....