Throughout our Winter Solstice Fundraiser we have shared powerful stories and reflections from our seniors. Tonight, we want to tell you about 鄺寬 Quang Khoan. Originally from Vietnam, Quang’s arrival in Canada was not easy. In her own words, “sometimes there are language barriers that cause inconvenience, so I am grateful for the help from everyone at Yarrow”. Indeed, for many immigrants and refugees, the path to Canada and the process of building a new home is challenging. We are proud that through culturally relevant and accessible programming, we have been able to support seniors like Quang Popo. Today, December 21, is your last chance to make a tax-deductible year-end gift to help keep Yarrow’s essential services running!

In light of recent stigmatizing discourse surrounding drug use and drug use clinics in Vancouver’s Chinatown and Downtown Eastside neighbourhoods, Yarrow is releasing a statement of commitment in support of people who use drugs and their right to safe supply. At Yarrow, we believe that access to safe supply is a health equity issue and that all people seeking medication and treatment deserve unstigmatized access to safety and life-saving care. We are committed to educating our members, volunteers, board, and staff in support of people who use drugs and safe supply/harm reduction movements. In the new year, we will be working with community members to provide broader, culturally and linguistically appropriate education in Chinatown in support of people who use drugs and to support advocacy for access to healthcare for all. As an organization that actively works to remove barriers to healthcare, it is important for us to work in solidarity with our neighbours to advance healthcare for all marginalized members of the Chinatown and Downtown Eastside community. Stay tuned for more information in the coming year. In the meantime, we encourage you to support the following organizations and groups leading important harm reduction work in our neighbourhood: Coalition of Peers Dismantling the Drug War (CPDDW) Community Managed Alcohol Program (CMAP/Drinkers Lounge) Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) Overdose Prevention Society (OPS) Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society (WAHRS) In Solidarity, Team Yarrow 聲援藥物使用者聲明及承諾 鑑於最近於溫哥華唐人街和市中心東端社區圍繞吸毒和吸毒診所的污名化言論，世代同行會於此發布承諾及聲明，聲援支持藥物使用者及其安全毒品供應權。我們認為，獲得安全毒品供應是一個健康公平問題，所有尋求藥物和治療的人都應該能夠不受歧視地獲得安全和可拯救生命的護理。 我們承諾致力教育我們組織的成員、義工、董事會和員工，以支持藥物使用者和安全毒品供應/減少毒品危害運動。 在新的一年裡，我們將與社區成員合作，在唐人街提供更廣泛的、文化和語言上適當的教育，以支持藥物使用者並支持全民醫療保健權的倡議。作為一個積極致力於消除醫療保健障礙的組織，我們必須與我們的鄰居團結一致，為唐人街和市中心東端社區的所有邊緣化成員推進並提倡醫療保健。 我們將於來年提供跟多信息，敬请期待。 與此同時，我們鼓勵您支持以下組織和團。這些組織和團體正在我們的社區開展重要的減少毒品危害工作： Coalition of Peers Dismantling the Drug War (CPDDW) （暫譯：消除毒品戰爭的同行聯盟 CPDDW） Community Managed Alcohol Program (CMAP/Drinkers Lounge) (暫譯 :社區管理的酒精計劃 CMAP) Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) (暫譯 : 藥物使用者解放陣線 DULF） Overdose Prevention Society (OPS) （暫譯 : 藥物過量預防協會 OPS） Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) （暫譯 : 溫哥華地區藥物使用者網絡 VANDU） Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society (WAHRS) （暫譯 : 西部原住民減少危害協會 WAHRS) 世代同行會 敬上 声援药物使用者声明及承诺 鉴于最近于温哥华唐人街和市中心东端社区围绕吸毒和吸毒诊所的污名化言论，世代同行会于此发布承诺及声明，声援支持药物使用者及其安全毒品供应权。我们认为，获得安全毒品供应是一个健康公平问题，所有寻求药物和治疗的人都应该能够不受歧视地获得安全和可拯救生命的护理。 我们承诺致力教育我们组织的成员、义工、董事会和员工，以支持药物使用者和安全毒品供应/减少毒品危害运动。在新的一年里，我们将与社区成员合作，在唐人街提供更广泛的、文化和语言上适当的教育，以支持药物使用者并支持全民医疗保健权的倡议。作为一个积极致力于消除医疗保健障碍的组织，我们必须与我们的邻居团结一致，为唐人街和市中心东端社区的所有边缘化成员推进并提倡医疗保健。我们将于来年提供跟多信息，敬请期待。 与此同时，我们鼓励您支持以下组织和团。这些组织和团体正在我们的社区开展重要的减少毒品危害工作： Coalition of Peers Dismantling the Drug War (CPDDW) （暂译：消除毒品战争的同行联盟 CPDDW） Community Managed Alcohol Program (CMAP/Drinkers Lounge) （暂译 :社区管理的酒精计划 CMAP) Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) (暂译 : 药物使用者解放阵线 DULF） Overdose Prevention Society (OPS) （暂译 : 药物过量预防协会 OPS） Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) （暂译 : 温哥华地区药物使用者网络 VANDU） Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society (WAHRS) （暂译 : 西部原住民减少危害协会 WAHRS) 世代同行会 敬上

*PLEASE SHARE WIDELY - EVENT RESCHEDULED* In light of snowfall warnings currently in effect for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, Yarrow has made the difficult decision to reschedule our Winter Solstice Party to Sunday, January 8th 2023. We have made this decision with the safety of our seniors in mind, many of whom are at greater risk of being impacted/injured by snow, ice and slippery conditions. We appreciate your patience, understanding and continued support of our community. Please stay tuned for more details about our Winter Solstice Party in the new year! Individuals who have scheduled online order pick-ups today can reschedule a pick-up appointment wih us through via Calendly. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with us by email at info@yarrowsociety.ca. Wishing you warmth and safety in the snowy weather today!

Good news, we have been hard at work packing your orders and they are now on their way to you! For those who opted for in-person pick-ups, you can now book a time at calendly.com/yarrowsociety/pickup. Please note that all pick-ups (Dec 17, 19, 20, 23) will take place on the 4th Floor of Sun Wah Centre except for Sun, Dec 18 which will be at 312 Main St during our Winter Solstice Celebration Event (come have dumplings and make cute holiday cards with us). If none of the dates listed work for you, please email info[at]yarrowsociety.ca to make alternative arrangements. Thank you for supporting our organization during our critical fundraising period and we hope they make your days brighter just as you have made ours! Much love from Team Yarrow. ❤️

In celebration of the Winter Solstice, and as a part of our Winter Solstice Fundraiser, we are hosting an in-person community event at 312 Main St! Join us for an afternoon of hot dumplings and intergenerational crafting with seniors from Chinatown and the DTES! Crafting supplies will be provided. Pick-up for online shop orders will also be available at the event. Please RSVP at bit.ly/yarrow-winter-solstice. Date: Sunday, December 18, 2022 Time: 1:00PM - 3:00PM PST Location: 312 Main Street, Vancouver. This is an in-person event, and all are welcome (including drop-ins). The venue entrance, main space, and washrooms are accessible for cane/walker/wheelchair/scooter users. More access information about the space can be found here. COVID-19 SAFETY: Wearing a face mask is required for this event. There will be a HEPA air purifier in the space.

Winter solstice represents an important time for many communities to gather and reflect with pride and gratitude on the year’s accomplishments. In this spirit, we sat down with one of our seniors, 胡明 Hu Ming (Jack), to learn what the winter holiday means to him and how the work of Yarrow has impacted his life. “[Whenever] Yarrow has events, it helps us seniors’ physical and mental health. We feel happy, a lot less lonely.” Hearing Hu Ming speak fondly of the arts and crafts workshops, morning exercise sessions and other activities Yarrow hosts for seniors truly affirms the value of these culturally relevant and accessible programming and propels our mission to build connectedness in Vancouver’s Chinatown and DTES. Help us grow and foster an environment that cherishes our seniors and youth today by making a donation at yarrowsociety.ca/donate.

Hot off the press! Read the second issue of our Yarrow Senior Newsletter. This issue, we recap our recent self-portraiture workshop with Sunny Chiu and a lunch-and-learn session with Indigenous elders at Britannia Community Centre. There is also a poem submission from one of our seniors! Download and read the newsletter below!

Join us for a pop-up screen printing party at Sun Wah Centre (268 Keefer St)! As part of our Winter Solstice Fundraiser, we are hosting an in-person, pop-up screen printing party and workshop with artist J Wu. WHAT: Screen print Yarrow's signature lucky cat design onto any blank material. This event is BYOT (bring your own tote/shirt/cloth)! Space and materials can only be guaranteed for people who RSVP. However, drop-ins are welcome and will be accommodated if possible. DATE: Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 TIME: 1:00PM - 4:00PM PST - RSVP for a 30 min session LOCATION: Sun Wah Centre 4th floor, 268 Keefer St, Vancouver. This is an in-person event, and all are welcome (including drop-ins). Accessibility information for the space can be found here. COVID-19 SAFETY: Wearing a face mask is required for this event. There will be a HEPA air purifier in the space, in addition to MERV13 filters used in the HVAC system. Participation by cash donation!

Today we are launching our Winter Solstice Fundraiser 冬至籌款活動! Help us meet our fundraising goal of $15,000 to continue cultivating intergenerational relationships, reducing isolation for seniors, and ensuring access to healthcare in the face of language and cultural barriers. Donations are not only a financial action, but also a political action. We believe that building a broad base of individual donors from the community is an important way to sustain our work. We are now reaching out to our community again and asking you to help us continue to grow so we can focus on serving and empowering our youth and seniors! Visit our donation page to learn more about how you can support us from now until the Winter Solstice 冬至 (dung1 zi3 / dong1 zhi4) on December 21, 2022. Please share widely, and stay tuned for more updates about events and other exciting ways to support us!

Shop pre-orders close today! If you want to grab a holiday gift for yourself or a loved one, now is the time. Yarrow’s online shop will be closed until 2023 once pre-orders end tonight, Nov 29 at 11:59 PM PST. This #GivingTuesday, grab some limited edition Yarrow merch to help us meet our winter solstice fundraising goal of $15,000!

Community support is an important way to sustain our work, helping us to continue providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services to seniors like Lisa. Any donation amount is appreciated, it truly means a lot to us at Yarrow! Today, 姚秀英 Yao Xiu Ying (Lisa) shares her favourite winter activities and what Yarrow means to her. Community support is an important way to sustain our work, helping us to continue providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services to seniors like Lisa. Any donation amount is appreciated, it truly means a lot to us at Yarrow! To support seniors like Lisa, please visit yarrowsociety.ca/donate.

Place your Yarrow merchandise pre-orders through our online shop when it launches on Tuesday, November 22! The launch of our online shop will feature: Dreaming Hand-in-Hand Intergenerational Chinatown Zine Limited edition lucky cat tote bag - screen-printed by hand Every purchase will go towards our $15,000 fundraising goal during our Winter Solstice Fundraiser, so mark your calendars. If you'd like to contribute directly to Yarrow, visit yarrowsociety.ca/donate. Psst, the first 50 orders come with a free Yarrow sticker! 👀🎁