COVID-19 in the New Year, 2022

Message for NightShift volunteers in Surrey and Langley, BC:

It’s a new year and here we still are with COVID-19 restrictions in place. We continue to persevere with our nightly outreach services and as many programs as we are allowed to provide that are so important to the people we serve. Thanks to the continued dedicated service of our volunteers, ongoing support to provide a hot, nightly meal, care kits, blankets and a change of clothing during the frigid temperatures, access to basic health care, and so much more has been astounding. We can’t thank you enough.

During the past almost two years, we have issued a number of updates with changes to our outreach procedures, in accordance with Public Health Orders and the BC Centre for Disease Control, and thank you for responding and adhering to the restrictions that are placed on us all.

We returned to outdoor serving, along with increased volunteer capacity, in July 2021. This winter, new restrictions mean that there are some modifications to our serving protocols as summarized below:

NightShift Outdoor Serving Restart – updated 4 Jan 2022

• All volunteers must be badged – no visiting groups.
• All volunteers must have a specific serving role; no extras for socializing or mingling.
• In accordance with PHO guidelines, masks are required inside and are recommended outside.
• Please be conscious of physical distancing; no physical contact with our guests (such as high fives, handshakes, hugs, or hand-holding).
• It is imperative volunteers stay home if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status.
• Practice good hand hygiene.
• Clean and disinfect surface and objects regularly.

SURREY OUTREACH:

• No more than 12 volunteers on site during outreach.
• Volunteer roles include: driver, outreach serving trailer, dessert table, coffee/drinks table, clothing distribution, prayer requests, inside clean-up.
• Return to plating food onboard the serving trailer.
• All desserts to be wrapped or bagged in sleeves, and served from a table.
• Coffee/drinks to be served from a table, no refills in the same cup.
• Prayer requests to resume, keeping six feet of physical distance from guests.
• Prayer circle to resume, keeping six feet of distance from others in the circle.
• Clothing distributed from truck (to avoid clustering around the door) on odd-numbered nights of the month.

LANGLEY OUTREACH:

• No more than 10 volunteers on site during outreach.
• Volunteer roles include: TOH driver, food truck servers, dessert table, coffee/drinks table, outreach support from the MOU (Mondays), prayer requests.
• Return to plating food onboard the TOH food truck.
• Running water, soap, hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes available on the TOH food truck.
• All desserts to be wrapped or bagged in sleeves, and served from a table.
• Coffee/drinks to be served from a table, no refills in the same cup.
• Prayer requests to resume, keeping six feet of physical distance from guests.
• Prayer circle to resume, keeping six feet of distance from others in the circle.
• Clothing/care kits distributed from Mobile Outreach Unit (MOU) in Langley on Mondays.

Thank you, volunteers, for so faithfully serving our friends struggling with homelessness, addiction, poverty and mental illness. Your commitment to share a hot meal, outreach services and love, hope and purpose to people in need is inspiring, and essential.

Keep up the great work! If you have any questions about phase one, please connect with with us.

In Hope,

MaryAnne Connor (Mac), Rev., RPC
Founder/President
NightShift Street Ministries