Foxglove is open! As of today, over 60 people have moved.
BC Housing arranged a formal event on Thursday, April 21 where all levels of government attended to acknowledge publicly the need for places like Foxglove that have the added component of enhanced health supports that are on-site, like nurses and the Managed Alcohol Program. It also means we can create space for Indigenous staff and staff with lived experience to work one on one with people as they move into the building.
The speakers included Randeep Sarai, Liberal MP for Surrey Centre; David Eby, Attorney General and Minister responsible for Housing; Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions; Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum; Norm Peters Fraser Health Regional VP; and MLA Rachna Singh as MC.
The Surrey Now-Leader did a great story on Foxglove, along with a video interview our Co-ED Catharine Hume after the event, about Foxglove and RainCity’s role in how this building will be a unique endeavour for all partners involved.
Back in the beginning of March, before anyone began working or living in the building, a prominent elder that works within the Surrey community came with his wife to the new Foxglove program to culturally cleanse the entire building. It signified a new beginning, an honouring of the ancestors on the land, and a positive start for when tenants enter their new home.
What is Foxglove?
Foxglove Supported Housing and Shelter is our first building in Surrey, located at 9810 Foxglove Drive. It’s also one of the first enhanced health supported housing programs in BC and includes three programs (shelter; supported housing; enhanced health supported housing) with RainCity and Fraser Health staff working alongside program participants to meet people’s health needs and connect people to culture and community.
People living at Foxglove are from Surrey, are over the age of 19, and are either currently homeless or unstably housed, focusing on people who might benefit from access to on-site health, cultural and peer supports.
There are 98 Supportive Housing units (96 studio suites and 2-one bedroom suites) and 34 people housed in supportive housing will have access to enhanced health supports. The shelter offers 31 units and one respite unit with three non-binary designated shelter units.
All three programs have access to 24 hour/7 day a week support staff with access to a medication program, overdose prevention services, Indigenous cultural and Peer supports. People accessing enhanced health supports will have access to on-site and in-reach clinical services provided by Fraser Health.
Thank you!
A huge thank you and congratulations to all those who have made this building and its new programming a reality! And thank you to all of our partners, politicians, and people in the community who have shown and continue to show their support for this building!
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