We all want our property to be safe and secure. Listen to how one of our partners provides peace of mind for those who lack safe storage.

Imagine if all you own is one shopping cart and you have no place to live. As long as you are outside, you can keep an eye on your belongings, but what if you want to get a meal or you find a bed in a shelter? What happens to your stuff because it can’t always come inside with you? And if you leave it, someone may throw it out or steal it.

Until First United Church Mission Outreach in Vancouver, British Columbia’s Downtown Eastside set up an overnight storage facility for shopping carts and sleeping bags, many homeless people just stayed out in all kinds of weather. The fear of losing their few possessions was greater than the lure of a warm dry space.

It’s a unique program in the city. People on the street can register at the basement storage facility. They get a bin or a spot to park their shopping cart, and it’s safe for the day and night. Customers are asked to check in every day. If they don’t, the managers start looking for them to make sure they are OK. It means more people will take themselves off the street to eat a proper meal at First United or even stay the night in one of the beds. For other people, they can drop their belongings and go to a job interview or search for a permanent home. Storage—it’s such a simple idea, but it’s often the beginning of a long journey to a new, stable life.

Every gift to the church’s mission and service is used wisely and helps transform lives. Please continue to give generously - visit the Mission and Service donation page.