That’s right, the much anticipated W2 Media Cafe is open for business! They’re serving yummy Saltspring coffee and a variety of other delicious offerings. Come for the food & drink, stay for the community, politics, media and art!

The media cafe is collectively run social enterprise with a mandate to provide accessible technology for media and communications to all those to all those who need it. And that need is a pressing one: according to W2′s statistics, at least 6,000 DTES residents are without telephone, internet, or computer access. We see this in BOB’s Supported Employment Program, where many of our clients describe having no phone or computer at home, and get only limited access to communications technology through inner-city community resources that are often very busy and only open during standard business hours; many see this lack of access to technology as an obstacle to achieving their goals in life and on the job. It can also make it hard to find a job, secure permanent housing, and assert one’s voice to advocate for political change.

Fojan, an acting student, is making delicious coffee and helping with W2 programming

In terms of community, W2 hired all local DTES and East Van residents to staff the cafe. BOB’s BusinessLinks program assisted the W2 team with with hiring outreach and candidate selection, and sponsored barista training for 12 folks to get FoodSafe certification, customer service training, a programming overview of the media cafe, and more. Cafe staff are getting great opportunities to build skills and pursue activities beyond the cafe counter; several of our BusinessLinks graduates enthusiastically report getting involved with event coordination and program development for projects like the W2 Letterpress Studio and kids & youth media camp.

Debbie is a mother of 3 made temporarily homeless by unwanted apartment renovations in East Vancouver. She plays goalie for the DTES Women’s Street Soccer team and is going to Paris to play in the 2011 Homeless World Cup. She and her family are now well housed. She cites her employment at the cafe, as well as the community she connected with there, as a key part of her return to housing stability. Congratulations Debbie!

Tech geeks, artists, and anyone interested in DIY electronics will appreciate the interactive light display largely DIY’d by W2′s Tech Director WillStacey. You control the interface from within the cafe. Adjust the display pattern and the RGB scale, and look up to see the results! More exciting interactive art and technology installations to come through their Media Artist in Residence Program. Sensitive to the needs of the neighborhood, the cafe also provides free community meeting space, publicly accessible washrooms and lounge, a community media lab, and much more.

BOB is pleased to be part of supporting the start-up of W2 Media Cafe through our Loans Program. We congratulate all the founders and staff on the cafe opening, and look forward to seeing more great things come out of this ambitious project founded on grassroots principles of social inclusion. Well done!

BOB Staff in our New Digs

As you might expect, it was a big job involving the whole team as well as other members of our community. First we hired a project manager through PM Volunteers to help with the logistics.

Dan Suratos, Project Management Volunteer Extraordinaire

Once we got organized, we rented re-usable Frogboxes and packed everything up.

Frogboxes hold a LOT of stuff!

And then we had to get it all up the stairs at the new place!

Up, up, and away!

As you can see, we worked as a team and tried to maintain a good sense of humor. But the best part of all is that we decided to take advantage of the great services  available in our neighborhood and used inner-city businesses from start to finish.

Want to know how we did it? Check out the following business listings and consider their services next time you’re moving. You too can get the job done while supporting the inner-city community!

My Black Sista’s Painting Company

Corinthian Clark is the proud proprietress of this inner-city based painting company. Corinthian did a beautiful job of painting our new office, with great attention to detail, prompt service, and accurate quoting. And her painting company is a social enterprise devoted to empowering women in trades! 604-724-0287 or corinthianclark@yahoo.ca

Take the Green Challenge

During our move we needed to lighten our load and get rid of some junk, so we called Take the Green Challenge! Their business is an inner-city focused social enterprise, employing people with disabilities and providing eco-friendly waste disposal. They provide undeniably friendly service and give free quotes, too. 604-992-5316

Frogbox

We rented these convenient, eco-friendly, re-useble, heavy duty, hard plastic stacking moving boxes for the duration of our move. Frogbox also kindly donated a storage box as a door prize for our New Directions Party. Wondering what puts the frog in Frogbox? 1% of their profits go to saving or restoring frog habitat! 1-877-FROGBOX

AJK Moving

These enthusiastic guys worked tirelessly to tote our desks, filing cabinets, and Frogboxes up and down stairs. They were an indispensable part of our move. 604-875-9072

Recycling Alternative

They had no trouble making an extra pickup on short notice for ALL the extra paper we had to recycle. Recycling Alternative actively cultivates an inclusive workplace, employing folks with and without barriers to work together and learn from one another. 604-874-SAVE

These are all shining examples of the variety of socially and environmentally responsible businesses that are actively involved in the inner-city. The diversity and quality of services they offer is remarkable. The next time you need to move, you know who to call.

And be sure to drop by and check out BOB’s new digs, upstairs at 87 East Pender!

A word from Wes:

“There are several things that I’m eager to be a part of through this BIA, but perhaps more than anything I’m very excited to see how the Hastings Crossing BIA model can serve the more traditional needs of businesses while also playing a role in the social economy of the Downtown Eastside. There are amazing social enterprises at work in this community and they are playing an increasingly important role in local economic development and the livelihoods of residents. Being able to find common projects that support local businesses and provide opportunities for local residents through social enterprises, co-ops or community groups is something that can really make this BIA unique, and I’m stoked to be a part of something like that.”

Wes brings a remarkable amount of professional experience and accomplishment to this position. He worked at BOB from January of 2010 until March 2011. He first started at BOB through Simon Fraser University’s Co-op program where he was placed as Communications Liaison. Having successfully completed two co-op placements Wes was then offered the new position of Business Development and Communications Associate. Wes’ work in this new role supported a number of business development projects, but most notably the Urban Farm Network and the Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association. With the successful formation of the Hastings Crossing BIA he was offered the position of Executive Coordinator, and contingent on potential funding coming in for the UFN, he will remain an independent contractor with BOB to continue overseeing projects related to its formation.

Wes was born in Inuvik, North West Territories, where his parents owned and operated their own aviation company for over 20 years before moving to Kelowna, BC, where he spent his formative years. He moved to Vancouver in 1998 to pursue a career in acting and music, and toured as a performer throughout the United States, Japan and Canada. In 2004 he began studies at Langara College where he completed an Associate of Arts Degree in Geography, and he now serves as a director on the Board of the Langara College Alumni Society.

Having worked his way through college at Langara, and then through his studies at SFU, Wes has held a variety of positions in communications, marketing and management. He is soon to graduate from SFU’s Faculty of Environment with a BA in Human Geography as well as the Undergraduate Certificate in Urban Studies, and a minor in Political Science. He looks forward to putting his education to work in projects that help build community capacity and contribute to a better world.

He is passionate about the environment, social justice and equity, community economic development, urban design and development and the lifelong pursuit of knowledge. He enjoys cycling, squash, golf (an extremely guilty pleasure for an environmentalist) basketball, soccer, hiking and is a consummate lover of good food, good wine (and craft brewed Cascadian beers!) and good company.

Wes will continue to be actively engaged with the inner city community through this Executive Coordinator role with the Hastings Crossing BIA. Now that you know a little more about him, we hope you get a chance to meet him in person and further develop the strong community connections that exemplify the DTES and the Hastings Crossing neighborhood.

Our topic for this month is 10 Mile Hiring: Local is Best, and presentations will include survey results about the social impact work has on the lives of inner city residents. Continental breakfast provided by Potluck Catering will be served.

We invite interested employers to bring a colleague and join us for this fun, informative, and delicious event! Please RSVP to Liz Charyna at liz.charyna@bobics.org or 778-328-7669.

Former owner Al DesLauriers had several offers for the building in the 1990s from prospective condo developers who were drooling over the site. He turned them down, stating that he would rather give up his business for free to someone who wanted to maintain the butchery.

Rumours have been swirling since last year that Save-On Meats was being bought by restaurateur Mark Brand. Brand has ample experience in the business, having opened Boneta, The Diamond, and Sea Monstr Sushi in Gastown.

In a report published by the City of Vancouver last week, it became official: early in 2011, the doors of Save-On Meats will open once again, under Brand’s ownership.

Many organizations came together to make this happen.

Our former Business and Social Enterprise Developer, Brian Smith, helped BOB partner with Vancity to provide a $500,000 loan to Brand for this project. As well, the City of Vancouver supplied a grant of $35,000 through the Greenest City Neighbourhood Grants program to catalyze the re-opening. The façade of the building will be upgraded under the Hastings Street Renaissance Project.

Another partnership that was integral was the one with Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House. Part of their Kitchen Tables project is to widely introduce their food philosophy in the neighbourhood. The Neighbourhood House’s food philosophy states that no one should be without access to healthy and natural foods. Food is one of the basic human rights, and nutrition can play a big role in physical and mental wellbeing.

This is where Brand hopes Save-On Meats will come in.

The building is three stories tall; each floor will have a different function.

The first floor will include a walk-in meat counter and café open to the public, as it had been since 1957.

The second floor will feature a commissary, a centralized food-making facility that will supply Brand’s restaurants. Those who work in this communal kitchen will be local residents trained through a program at Potluck Café and Catering, conveniently located across the street.

The third floor would be the operating area for the Downtown Eastside food incubator, which would encourage entrepreneurs in the neighbourhood to build upon their ideas. Incubators such as this one help small businesses sustain themselves.

The words “SAVE OUR CITY” have been painted across the boarded up storefront at Save-On Meats. Interpret it how you will, but this could be the start of a new era for Hastings Street. Once a vibrant retail area that catered to everyone regardless of income level, Save-On Meats could be the very spark to reignite the flame.

In smaller letters underneath the graffiti reads ‘Work in Progress’. It is pretty safe to say that Brand, the citizens of Vancouver, and especially DesLauriers are happy with the direction in which that progress is heading.

It’s not every day that you find a huge sale before the holidays. Then again, Everything but the Kitchen Sink Emporium is no ordinary store.

If you have not been to the Emporium yet, now would be an excellent time to visit.There are many great deals to be had. See their flyer for more details.

As well, there is currently a promotion for those who spend $25.00 or more on items at the store before December 23rd: your name will be entered into the draw to win a Panasonic 26” LCD television!

How good would this face look on a new television?!

Still creeps me out to this day.

As always, proceeds from sales at the Emporium go toward funding the work of the Network of Inner City Community Services Society (NICCSS), which provides many programs for youth and families in the Downtown Eastside, Grandview-Woodlands, and Strathcona areas.

If you stop by, make sure to let us know what kind of deals you snagged! Happy shopping!

875 E. Hastings Street – Open Monday to Friday 11am to 5pm and Saturday from 11am to 4pm.

Potluck Café and Catering

Potluck is a social enterprise in the Downtown Eastside that runs a café and provides catering services, both of which serve hundreds of customers in the area. Potluck offers many great community programs to residents of the Downtown Eastside. They (rightfully) believe that no one should be deprived of quality, nutritious food and are committed to sharing this message.

BOB has maintained a good working relationship with Potluck for a number of years. We have partnered with them on numerous occasions, including collaborating with them for monthly SHINE dinners for clients, as well as employer breakfasts.

Barney and the band

BOB and Potluck also worked together to offer a Banquet Server Training Program last year. As a part of BOB’s Business Links program, clients were taught valuable skills in order to enter the workforce and were given the opportunity to interview with employers once they completed the training.

The night at the Vogue not only supports a fantastic cause, but is guaranteed to be a good time. Tickets can be purchased at: https://tickets.voguetheatre.com/Online/default.asp 

If you are not able to make it to the fundraiser and still want to support Potluck, visit their café at 30 W. Hastings from 8-4 Monday to Friday or donate here.

At the first meeting of the group, there were six identified priority areas for which the group agreed to establish sub-committees.  Each sub-committee’s first objective was to prepare a short document on the priority area for the next meeting on July 14th. This draft document is to outline the main opportunity in the specific area, along with 3-5 actions that could lead to green job growth. The Working Group will then research these recommendations and incorporate them into a draft implementation plan for the Greenest City initiative, which will be open for further comment by the entire External Advisory Committee.

The sub-committee that Brian has proposed and is interested in helping to steer concerns Community Economic Development.  This applies directly to the inner-city and people who have barriers to employment, but has positive implications in other neighbourhoods too.

In Brian’s words:

…CED is applicable across the City and, in turn, could benefit a variety of neighbourhoods, small businesses, social enterprises, co-ops and people. Given the City’s apparent commitment to the Greenest City initiative, I feel there is a good opportunity to advance some CED in Vancouver.  BUT, I need your help! So, please reply to BOB with your respective interest and time availability in helping to shape a CED strategy that can be included in the Greenest City Implementation Plan.

Cheers,

Brian

Please read Brian’s overview of the CED Sub-committee below:

Community Economic Development (CED) for the Greenest City

CED is a holistic approach to economic development involving the mobilization of resources from various economic and non-economic sectors in the community with the intention of building local capacity and local solutions.  It is particularly relevant to the world’s greenest city as it uses local resources, which generally are lower in carbon intensity, to find local and more sustainable solutions to local problems.  Integrating CED into the green economy strategies for Vancouver’s Greenest City ambitions compliments the more traditional macro-economic development strategies by integrating localized approaches with broader global outreach strategies. The benefits of a CED approach include:  local employment, local investment, increased local capacity and commitment, local spending in the local economy, and appropriate sustainable solutions to local challenges.

Goal: Foster green business development and associated job creation for Vancouver’s marginalized inner-city residents

Action 1: Apply a CED Lens to all programs and policies of the City, where each department, program, grant, expenditure from parks and social development to legal services and planning would eventually be able to articulate the social, economic and environmental impact of their work/business/purchasing.

Action 1a: Establish a City of Vancouver funded Community Economic Development Commission that would:

• work internally applying the CED Lens and externally facilitating CED on the ground;
• develop and implement procurement policy that directly benefits co-operatives, social enterprises and small businesses that are committed to hiring people with barriers to employment; and,
• educate community (NGOs, workers, and businesses) about realistic opportunities for green job and green business development

Action 1b: Institutionalize – as part of any development permit process, require  a Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) as a necessary component of all new developments (for local jobs, procurement, and/or training).

Action 2: Establish a green zone (may need an incentive attached) in the DTES for piloting green enterprise development projects.

Action 2a: Develop employment agreements with incentives for medium to large size green businesses to hire people with barriers to employment.

Action 2b: Establish and administer a green CED fund to facilitate green employment or business development projects in the inner-city;

Action 2c: By way of an immediate pilot project, establish, through the allocation of City-owned land, an Urban Farm Network that trains and hires people with barriers to employment

Action 3: Develop and direct education and training in green collar vocations to people with barriers to employment.

Please comment below or contact Brian directly at brian.smith@bobics.org to share your thoughts and ideas.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden $5000

Concept: Green Audit for traditional Chinese garden including office, visitors service area giftshop and business operations. Improving sustainability best practices.

EMBERS Staffing Solutions $5000

Concept: A business plan to analyze the viability and employment potential of of starting and operating a weatherization business focused in the Greater Vancouver Area. Full service green retrofits, air sealing and blower door testing, insulation, water conservation etc.

Saul Good Gift Co.$7500

Concept: Brand development (including brand discovery workshop, development of brand pyramid and 3 COR brand drivers) website development, redesign of logo and packaging and marketing collateral, to aid in the growth of company and increased procurement from inner-city suppliers and social enterprises (such as Tradeworks Training Society)

Recycling Alternative. $4200

Concept: Assess the success to date with the organics waste pickup service; evaluate the opportunity to target and partner with local community organizations providing food services in the DTES; Develop an initial business plan for pursuing these target clients.

Strathcona Business Improvement Association. $5,500

Concept: Materials exchange network, development of online infrastructure to run the exchange via a web platform.

Potluck Cafe and Catering. $8000

Concept: Creation of a business plan for reusable dishware/container service social enterprise in the DTES, reducing waste from to go food containers and creating healthier storage options for housing challenged residents.

Megaphone $1300

Concept: Fundraising consultant to help raise the profile of the publication and assist in a fundraising campaign over the summer, ending Sept 5th.

Vancouver Aquaponics Initiative (Limited funding for consultation with David Lee)

Concept: Creation of a feasibility study and business plan for a sustainable urban aquaponics project in Vancouver’s inner-city (Tilapia, Salmon and organic vegetables/fruits)