By day the streets of beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, fill with shoppers and tourists, musicians and street vendors.
But it is the street people and homeless who come out at night whom Kathy Kossen seeks to serve.
Every Friday night, Kossen, a member of Victoria Christian Reformed Church, joins other volunteers rolling carts laden with food and clothing down those same streets.
They are all part of CARTS (Christian Actions Reflecting the Spirit), a volunteer group that helps the people who find shelter in the doorways and back alleys of the downtown core.
Kossen counts on help from her congregation for volunteers and donations. “The church [gives] an overwhelming response to the week-to-week needs,” she said.
As the carts roll toward the city’s needle-exchange site and end at a street shelter, Kossen and her team are warmed by the familiar and new faces they have met. “These incredible interactions of love, back and forth, cannot be purchased for all the gold in the world,” she said.
About the Author
Jenny deGroot is a freelance media review and news writer for The Banner. She lives on Swallowfield Farm near Fort Langley B.C. with her husband, Dennis. Before retirement she worked as a teacher librarian and assistant principal.
