COVID-19 – Looks like we made it!

Message for NightShift volunteers in Surrey and Langley, BC:

The 16-month-long COVID-19 state of emergency in British Columbia has been lifted. Because of the dedicated service of our volunteers, NightShift Street Ministries was able to continue serving a hot meal every single night throughout the pandemic, along with distributing clothing, blankets and providing basic health care.

Thank you, volunteers, for so quickly responding and adhering to the changes in our outreach procedures last year, in accordance with BC Health orders.

With BC’s phased restart plan, NightShift is ready to launch our return to outdoor serving, along with increased volunteer capacity, in two phases. The first phase will begin on July 19.

We aren’t completely out of the COVID-19 woods yet, so we are asking you to carefully read PHASE 1 of NightShift’s Outdoor Serving Restart plan. In order to keep all of you, and the friends we serve, as safe as possible, there are some important guidelines we kindly ask you all to follow.

NightShift Outdoor Serving Restart – Beginning July 19, 2021

*Timelines are subject to the dictates of Provincial Health Agencies

PHASE 1

• All volunteers must be badged – no visiting groups.
• All volunteers must have a specific serving role; no extras for socializing or mingling.
• Volunteers who have not been fully immunized are advised to continue wearing masks for their protection. In addition, we have been advised that masks should be worn to protect the vulnerable population we serve.
• Sanitation protocols must be adhered to; frequent hand washing with warm, soapy water as before.
• Please be conscious of physical distancing; no physical contact with our guests (such as high-fives, handshakes, hugs or hand-holding).
• Meals prepared as always at NightShift, or in another Fraser Health approved kitchen.
• Kitchen, equipment, tables, serving trailer or Taste of Heaven (TOH) food truck, etc. to be cleaned thoroughly with soap and water, then sanitized with a bleach solution, as usual.

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 warehouse (to avoid clustering around the truck) 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.

BC Centre for Disease Control Recommendations

You have an important role to play in serving our vulnerable friends on the street – and also in continuing to keep them safe from possible spread of COVID-19.

Please continue to follow best practice (regular hand-washing, cleaning and physical distancing):

1. Stay at home if you’re not feeling well.
2. Wear a mask when it is not possible to maintain safe physical distance. This is especially important when serving vulnerable people.
3. Practice good hand hygiene.
4. Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects regularly.

PHASE 2

Dates and details to be announced in September for Surrey and Langley nightly outreach changes.

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