Tampons, floss, socks, chapstick, scarves, mittens, shampoo — there are people in Prince George who don’t have access to these kinds of essential items.
That’s why an organization called Spare a Pair is working year-round to distribute basic essentials to individuals in need — especially those living without housing in downtown Prince George.
Spare a Pair is run by University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) nursing students Veronique Gauthier, Danika Serafin and College of New Caledonia (CNC) nursing instructor Anita Muchalla Yeulet.
“For some individuals, the donations they receive means they can focus on finding a safe space to sleep rather than worrying about where they will find a tampon,” says Gauthier in an interview with PrinceGeorgeMatters.
“For others, it means their feet, hands and ears many not get frostbite overnight. For each individual, it means something different but it comes down to the fact that they know their community is there for them.”
Some of the voiced needs Spare a Pair collects and distributes to those in need. (via Facebook/Spare a Pair)Spare a Pair originated through a nursing school assignment where students were asked to do a needs assessment of a rural community and provide a solution to issues at hand.
Gauthier decided that in addition to the assignment, she and her team would make hot soup in Serafin’s kitchen and deliver it to the streets of Prince George.
“It was -15 C that night and while we were out there we realized it wasn’t food that was in shortage but rather essentials that we take for granted on a daily basis,” said Gauthier.
“We saw individuals wearing flip flops with no socks. We heard stories of a lack of feminine hygiene products. We listened to our community, we realized we needed to be doing more and so Spare a Pair was born.”
Spare a Pair hosted its first walk on Nov. 24, 2017, and since then the group has handed out thousands of basic essentials over the course of 25 community walks.
Gauthier says Spare a Pair’s platform operated on voiced basic needs, meaning that all items the group collects and distributes were voiced as being needed by someone in the community.
She says year-round they collect basic needs and plan monthly community walks where they gather volunteers for each walk to sort basic needs into various bins, and when they arrive downtown, they allow for the community to come pick out what they need.
A community walk in December 2018. (via Facebook/Spare A Pair)“It’s amazing how we pull up in our vehicle and we are recognized as ‘the backpack ladies,’” says Gauthier. “The community has become comfortable with asking for certain items and we would like to think they know we will come back with the items they request. We definitely try!”
Spare a Pair has a lot of support from many local organizations. Beverage supply store Kup at a Time (834 Central St. E) houses a year-round collection bin for Spare a Pair, the British Columbia Nurses Union provides donations and support, and CNC/UNBC faculty have been involved since the beginning.
Gauthier says they also have community members who constantly check-in to see what’s needed, or provide donations when they can or volunteer their time.
“It is both rewarding and sad to see how the things we might take for granted, like a pair of socks, can be the turning point for someone else,” says Yeulet.
“Hearing that a blanket we handed out saved one individual from freezing overnight is motivation enough to keep coming back,” says Serafin. “I see my family when we walk downtown. I see faces that remind me of my grandma, uncle, brother. It could be anyone, and they are someone’s family. They are people — human beings going through a hard time.”
Spare a Pair’s long term goal is to see that everyone in the community has their basic needs met.
“We are inspired by the stories told to us and continue to grow this initiative because we are a community and everyone deserves to have their basic needs met,” says Gauthier.
“We want the community to know that there is a need downtown for basic needs, and we can help meet that need by coming together. Just people helping people in their times of need. Spreading hope and empathy can go along way.”
Anyone who’d like to support Spare a Pair can drop off donations at Kup at a Time, or email Spare a Pair ([email protected]) to arrange monetary or larger donations. Those interested in volunteering can also join Spare a Pair’s volunteer hub on Facebook.
