Guest Speaker - Darrell Burnham

Rotarian Darrell Burnham has worked with Coast Mental Health for 26 years.  They provide food, shelter and employment training to people with mental illness.  They made the first supportive housing in Canada in 1973 by buying a 25 unit apartment building in the West End.  Over the years they have done 35 more buildings in the lower mainland - one third of them are owned.  A recent project was the 51 units built at Dunbar and 16th Ave - 30 units are for people with mental health and 12 units were for homeless.  There was a lot of opposition to this building but now that it is finished and operating there have been no problems.  These buildings have staff to ensure the residents get their medications.  Darrell sees the power of safe housing affect the residents and their ability to integrate eventually back into society.  One of their best known fund raisers is the Courage to Come Back Awards - this not only helps financially but also reduces the stigma of having a mental illness.