The Neighbourhood Small Grant CRASH received in November 2025 had a very real impact on our outreach throughout the winter months.
CRASH Harm Reduction is entirely volunteer-run, and winter outreach can be incredibly heavy. Many of the people we connect with are trying to survive freezing temperatures, rain, hunger, isolation, and long nights without adequate shelter or warm gear. This funding helped us continue showing up during that time. The grant allowed us to purchase groceries for outreach meals, including sandwiches, snacks, and beverages, alongside winter survival supplies like emergency blankets, hand warmers, rain ponchos, and waterproof booties.
Between November 2025 and January 2026, we distributed approximately 500 care packages during Friday NightReach. These items may seem small, but in the middle of winter they can mean someone gets through the night warmer, drier, safer, and reminded that their community has not forgotten them.
This funding also relieved a lot of pressure from our volunteers. Grassroots outreach often depends on community donations and volunteers quietly covering costs out of pocket when supplies run low. Having this support during the winter season helped us continue outreach consistently when it was needed most.
We are incredibly grateful to have received this funding again for the spring and summer months, where it will help us continue purchasing food and supplies while also supporting access to bottled water, sunscreen, hats, cooling items, and other hot weather essentials. We are deeply thankful for the Neighbourhood Small Grants/Campbell River Community Foundation’s support of grassroots community care in Campbell River.
