Demand a Safe Place for the local homeless!

Vernon BC: So yesterday in class we did a fundraiser and today we had a class vote to decide where we chose to donate that money. The vote that won was to help the local homeless people, and we decided the best way to find out what the homeless people need.... was to go talk to the homeless people! So that's what 2 of my classmates and I did. Of course we were a bit on edge as we approached the "dangerous " part of town as we climbed out of a bug. But we took a deep breath and walked up to a group of people. I know there's a lot of comments going around that "they're all dirty and drug addicts." After spending close to an hour with them... I can assure you that they're NOT! Some definitely struggle with addiction, but I also met some trying to get clean, and one gentleman told me he and his girlfriend make $1700 a month, but that no one will rent to homeless people, and that the police took the tools he used to do odd jobs. After speaking to these people for well over an hour about what they need, we got an answer. And the general consensus brought a few of us to tears. Every single person we asked said, a place I feel like I'm not unwanted and somewhere to use the bathroom and shower! These people want basic human necessities met. When I informed them we only had about $300 to work with. The answers turned into, "we're tired of bandaid fixes... but sanitary products, water, and like chocolate puddings would be great!". My question is why are we all so quick to judge, and yet all we read on social media is the businesses' point of view on how awful these people are?! We shook hands, received hugs, and simply saw desperation and sadness in many eyes. Why don't these people have the right to use a bathroom?! In the time we were there, officers drove by twice and bylaw once. The sidewalk was not dirty, there wasn't garbage everywhere, and I saw no needles. One woman chased her garbage when the wind picked it up! She told me that the pictures on social media of when the camps are "dirty " are taken by bylaw once they've told them to move within x amount of time. Numerous people told me that they are harassed daily by police and bylaw, and that the homeless people that do choose to be disrespectful and dirty get "spoken to" by those trying to live civilly. I am so tired of seeing all of the hate! These are people that need somewhere permanent to go! Stop putting a bandaid on the problem, and stop judging the problem if you're not going to be a part of the solution! Let's give city hall options! These people could have a place with amenities at the kin race track, away from town, away from playgrounds, and still have the basic necessities of life! There's room for bathrooms, showers, and places to sleep so these people aren't being uprooted every single day! If we want change we need to act on it ourselves! Please sign this petition to make City Hall accountable for this issue!