For 38 years, the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre has provided a safe space for women and children in the Downtown Eastside. We provide practical support, basic necessities and hot nutritious meals to over 500 women and children every day. We support women to make positive changes in their lives by connecting them to a continuum of services including outreach, advocacy, wellness, recreation, housing and skills development. We provide practical support to over 500 women, children and seniors, every day. As well as providing a refuge and shelter from conditions of poverty and violence, the Centre provides basic necessities including: hot meals free clothing secure mailing addresses phone and computer access functioning and secure toilet and showers We also help reduce the effect of economic disadvantage by providing: toiletries feminine hygiene products computer access harm reduction supplies first aid The Centre assists women with their immediate and crisis needs so they can develop stability and access the resources they need to improve health, family, employment and housing situations. We promote positive change by offering individual long-term support, education, advocacy, peer mentorship and exposure to alternatives. Our community also works towards increasing awareness of systemic injustice and inequalities that contribute to womens vulnerability. One of our goals is to bring awareness of poverty and violence issues to the general public and to the government. Our Mission and Purpose The mission of the Downtown Eastside Womens Centre is to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment for women from all walks of life, who live and/or work in the Downtown Eastside. To achieve this goal, the Centre provides supportive surroundings with meals, counseling, advocacy and programs which nurture and empower members. The constitution of the Downtown Eastside Womens Centre was written in 1978 upon incorporation and is still relevant today: To provide a comfortable, safe Drop-In Centre. To provide recreation and self-help programs. To act as a source of information by assisting women with referrals concerning their needs. To provide a social space and facilitate the opportunity for women of diverse backgrounds to interact and build community. To educate the public and all levels of government about issues concerning women in the area.