The Association Advocating for Women and Community (AWAC) is celebrating 30 years in Prince George with a fun fair in front of City Hall on Saturday, Aug. 17 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This anniversary coincides with AWAC’s third annual Mark De Souza Memorial Barbecue, named in honour of the man who was a strong advocate for the homeless in Prince George and was known for spending many nights doing outreach, providing food and blankets to those in need while offering encouraging words of comfort.
“We decided to do a fun carnival theme this year,” said Juanita Hyslop, AWAC community services manager.
The free event is a great alternative for those who cannot afford to go to the BCNE, she added.
“This will be fun for the whole family with burgers, carnival games and prizes,” Hyslop said.
There will also be snow cones and popcorn.
The non-profit organization has grown to include a low-barrier women’s shelter, the safety site at Moccasin Flats, the service hub at Moccasin Flats to bridge the gap for people who need services in the community and Mark’s Place, named after De Souza.
“We also have the Olive’s Branch, a sober living program, and we also do Branching Out, which is jobs in the community to help support our members who are living a life of sobriety and we also have a night time outreach team, which runs until 3 a.m. nightly doing wellness checks and servicing those who are living out on the streets by providing food, drinks, warm clothing, transportation to shelters and hospital,” Hyslop said. “We also have a floor of housing at Victoria Towers, where we help people establish housing as they are coming out of the sobriety program. So we have our tentacles all over the community.”
AWAC is always looking for donations and cash is always welcome. Right now there is a great need for women’s leggings and pants, socks and underwear, for those arriving at the low-barrier women’s shelter.
Any donation is gratefully accepted during the barbecue.
