A local advocacy group has been named the second winner of the Drug Awareness Recovery Team’s (DART) Bob Scott Award for Making a Difference.
Active Support Against Poverty (ASAP) has been advocating for people on welfare and other “financially disadvantaged” people in Prince George since the late 80’s. They received the award at an event at the House of Ancestors tonight (Thursday).
“It was a fantastic surprise,” Kim DeMeyer, the Executive Director of ASAP, told My PG Now. “DART has been such an influence in our community, being recognized by somebody like them is humbling.”
“There are so many people in this community, so many organizations, that do a lot of the work that is very similar to what we do who are trying to help people who are disadvantaged,” DeMeyer continued. “To be selected from that group was an honour.”
ASAP primarily works with Prince George’s homeless population.
According to DART, the organization went from providing short-term winter shelters to buying, building and maintaining low-income housing, shelter spaces, and other easily accessible supports.
ASAP most recently played a key role in the development of the First Avenue housing project, which DART said “provides housing that is enhanced by on-site members trained in mental health issues.”
“We try to be a wraparound service,” DeMeyer explained. “We provide advocacy for housing for working with the ministry, we have expanded into supportive housing and housing for people who are at risk of homelessness.”
She said they also offer subsidies for people who are struggling to pay bills – mainly rent – as well as tax and financial services, a mail room, provided donated clothes, and more.
DART is celebrating its 26th anniversary this year, they presented the award last year for the first time in the memory of Bob Scott, DART’s founder.
You can read more about Bob Scott, DART, and the award here.
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