WISH Stories & Press Releases

International Sex Worker Pride Day, September 14, was established to celebrate the self-determination of sex workers and the achievements of the sex worker rights movement. A great way to celebrate this day...

This was not just a Pizza Night, but a community strengthening and confidence building event, bringing participants together in a positive group setting. I’m more than proud to say the participants had a fabulous event. An event where they created the narrative.

WISH programs are led by WISH values—acceptance, caring, dignity, and respect—and they support the self-determination of participants. To commemorate WISH’s 40th year, we asked, “what does self-determination look like?” Local illustrator April dela Noche Milne had a beautiful response.

The day-to-day reality for non-profits is a constantly shifting landscape. This uncertainty affects efficiency, and WISH’s ability to serve participants. When donors choose to give monthly, it makes a huge difference!

InReach and Housing Support Workers prioritize self-determination, supporting participants to access what they need, in a respectful, non-judgmental environment.

This DTES non-profit is commemorating 40 years of non-judgmental support to women and gender-diverse people in need.

As featured in The Tyee.

Have you ever been faced with an impossible choice?

This year, WISH was recognized with a nomination for the Untapped Workplace Inclusion Awards, and on September 19, WISH was announced as the winner in the “Inclusive Culture Champion – Non-Profit” category.

The search for a new ED began nearly five months ago, and was conducted with the help of There Consulting, including input from WISH staff at all levels.

Have you ever been faced with an impossible choice? Everyone deserves the opportunity to make free, healthy, and positive choices—but the people WISH Drop-In Centre Society exists to serve are often denied that fundamental right.

June 6, 2023 marks the one-year anniversary of WISH’s Sex Worker Circle (SWC), held as part of our Indigenous Health & Safety Program. The Circle is a safe, dedicated space for participants who are current and active street-based sex workers.  

Choice is a loaded word. Many of the participants who walk through our doors face limited options. When Avery Gray* was living in a tent on Alexander Street, she didn’t know what WISH was. One freezing night, she was invited into the drop-in for a hot chocolate and decided to check it out.

Kwaakwii, also known as Elder Terri, is a proud Haida woman from Haida Gwaii, who came to the Lower Mainland about 30 years ago. Her journey began as a participant in the program and in less than three years she became WISH’s in-house Elder.

This spring, we are proud to be re-launching our Indigenous Health & Safety Program (IHSP) at WISH. The IHSP is a recurring six-month-long program that runs twice a year and is one of three streams that WISH’s Indigenous Health and Safety focuses on: Indigenous Drop-In; Indigenous In-Reach Services and; and IHSP.

It’s hard to believe it’s been one year since WISH opened the doors to Canada’s first-ever 24/7 temporary emergency shelter for street-based sex workers. The overwhelming demand for the space continues to highlight the urgent need for housing and safe spaces for women and gender diverse people.