Category: low-income
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Nanaimo’s Free Sunday Night Pasta Dinner
Every Sunday between 5pm to 6pm is a FREE Spaghetti dinner at Harvest Church (6553 Portsmouth Road) known as “On Eagles Wings”. These meals are on hiatus during July & August. Coordinator Susanne Lee graciously answered PAN’s questions about the meal program. 1. What prompted the idea to serve a…
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The TRUTH about PAN
Written by PAN Founder Sarah Pump 🟡The entire PAN team is 100% volunteer. 🟡PAN is run on a shoestring with NO consistent funding. 🟡PAN doesn’t have an office. 🟡PAN doesn’t have a phone number. It’s been a rough few days. We are frequently contacted by people in crisis, but demand…
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Learn about Vibe Bikes
A huge thank you to Dustin of Vibe Bikes for his willingness to answer some questions about their organization! 1. What is the purpose of Vibe Bikes? The purpose of Vibe Bikes is to provide free bicycles for kids and affordable bicycles for adults. 2. What is your role and…
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News that surprised exactly ZERO frontline workers
By Sarah Pump, PAN Executive Director “Despite increased demand, access to basic needs services in Nanaimo has declined over the past decade,” says a report from staff at the City of Nanaimo. On May 12th, 2025, City of Nanaimo staff presented a report to the Governance and Priorities Committee about…
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Medical treatments are often out of reach for disabled people in BC
By PAN Founder, Sarah Pump I have a chronic, degenerative illness. I am on provincial disability (PWD). One of my specialist doctors feels strongly that a specific type of physiotherapy would help with my mobility challenges and chronic pain. He thinks I would need up to eight sessions to see…
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I’m a Frontline Worker. Your Disrespect Is Loud and Clear.
Guest post from Marnie Boers. I am a registered emergency nurse with over 17 years of experience. I have spent years working on the frontlines of the toxic drug crisis here in Nanaimo. I have also volunteered and worked with Risebridge, a reasonably new non-profit that supports our city’s most…
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Childhood Poverty and the Canada Child Benefit
By PAN Contributor Cody Wolfe The Canada Child Benefit, introduced a year after the Liberals took power in 2015, has helped nine out of ten families with children under 18 receive more benefits than they did under the previous system, the Universal Canada Child Benefit. After the inception of this…
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Low-income folks can be more negatively impacted by natural disasters
Natural disasters and emergencies can impact low-income people more adversely because we don’t always have the financial capacity to prepare. Nanaimo had a lengthy power outage in many areas during Fall 2024, and many people were left in the dark and cold, with little supplies or support. Here is a…
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Why public libraries are not substitutes for warming centers: a librarian’s perspective
From Sarah Pump, PAN Executive Director Currently, there is only one funded daytime warming center for unhoused people in Nanaimo, the Drop-In Center located at 55 Victoria Road and run by Island Crisis Care Society. Their capacity is 20 people at a time. Estimates of the number of unhoused people…
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Funeral Resources for low-income people
Anyone in need is eligible for BC government support. They do not need to be on Income Assistance or Provincial Disability to receive this support. Also, if the decedent contributed to CPP for at least 10 years, their estate is eligible for the CPP death benefit of $2500. This is…
Poverty Advocacy Nanaimo 