The entrance to the homeless camp at the east end of Fifth Avenue took on a festive mood Wednesday as local social agencies and branches of Northern Health teamed up to host a health fair.
With the help of a passport, patrons went from station to station, each beneath a series of tent canopies decorated with purple balloons where they could connect with community supports, get information about staying healthy while out on the street.
Patrons could even "personalize" with paint the naloxone kits many keep handy in case a friend overdoses on fentanyl.
The strategically-placed array was the brainchild of Jennifer Hoy, who coordinates the high-acuity support program at the Central Interior Native Health Society. More accurately, one of her clients came up with the germ of the idea and Hoy took it to the next level.
"We do harm reduction outreach with a peer and one of the residents of the other tent city had mentioned people don't carry Narcan (a brand name for naloxone) and there's been such an increase in overdoses," Hoy said. "It really bothered us because we work really hard to try and keep people alive and healthy and well connected.
"And so she had some ideas about how she 'would like to have a Narcan kit painting day and (said) 'I don't how I would do it.' I said 'well, we could probably organize something like that,' and then when we started talking about it, we were like 'well, there are a lot of other agencies that really love our street community and our downtown population and they'd love to get involved."
Among the patrons were Trevor Charles and Moe Whitehead, a couple who have been living in the empty lot on George Street across from the courthouse.
Why there are no public bathrooms downtown has left Charles puzzled, saying street people are left with no choice but to do their business in the alleys as a result.
On the concern that people may use bathrooms as a spot to shoot up, Charles said "that's why there are safe injection sites" and added that using a bathroom to consume is better than doing it out in public.
"They're not gonna quit just because there's no bathroom," he said.
Like many, Charles said more housing and easier access to treatment would go a long way to reducing the city's homeless population. Even for those who are ready to go into detox and treatment, "it takes you just about a week to get in there," chimed in Whitehead as she draped an arm around Charles.
On the plus side, they expressed strong support for the POUNDS Project, the street-level outreach program.
Charles, 51, said he used to "drink and fight" and got hooked on opioids after an adversary smashed in a side of his face with a golf club.
"They had to put a plate in my face...and pain control, for me, that's what I was after," he said. "I needed something for pain, they wouldn't give it to me so I turned to the street and that's how I got started."
Whitehead, 43, said she became addicted to cocaine while living in Dawson Creek.
"It was curiosity. I was 19 and I didn't even know what cocaine was, but that feeling it gave me, and I've been addicted ever since," she said before walking away briefly to deal with another matter, then returning to give Charles a big smooch as he continued to talk.
Both ended up on the streets of Prince George hooked on opioids in the time before fentanyl seeped into the supply. They're now on a safe supply of methadone and have been doing some peer support work while relying on disability for income.
Charles stressed education as the way to keep young people from veering down the road of drug addiction. If he knew then what he knows now, Charles said he never would have ended up in the position he's now found himself.
"I didn't have that chance when I was young," he said. "It was 'you don't see it, you don't say it, it's not there' right? But it's out there, it's everywhere."
While at the fair, Charles filled out an application for supported housing through BC Housing on behalf of himself and his partner.
If accepted for a spot, Charles is hoping it works out better than the last time.
They ended up leaving because of the noise and because people were getting hold of the key to their room and breaking in to steal their possessions.
"Whoever was working had to have the key in case someone OD'd, right," he noted.
Charles admitted to the occasional relapse, "but not like an everyday thing, like I used to."
"I've lost quite a few friends over the years," he added as he fought to hold back a sob.
- Plenty of naloxone kits were also being handed out at no cost.
Cianna Pawluk, a community health nurse at the Foundry, provided lessons on how to use them and said she can bring a supply to interested groups and businesses and show how to deliver the life-saving medicine.
For more information, call 236-423-1571 ex 113 or email cianna.pawluk@nbc.ymca.ca.
