Victoria Cool Aid Society

The Victoria Cool Aid Society, also known as "Cool Aid" is a charitable organization that provides shelter and other services to disadvantaged and homeless youth and adults. It was founded in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, in 1968 as an emergency hostel for transient youth.[1][2]

History

During April and May 1968, members of the Victoria Youth Council researched the extent and quality of helping facilities available to youth in the Greater Victoria area. For housing, the picture was “dismal” with the Salvation Army housing only men, and the YMCA housing women but charging $2.50 - $3.50 per night. For counseling, the outlook was even worse. This led to the idea of a hostel and an emergency-oriented, crisis intervention service, run by youth. Having obtained permission from a Vancouver group to use the name “Cool Aid,” the group began operations with a phone number and a single shelter.[3]

Between 1970 and 1976 Cool Aid evolved into a more serious and adult run organization operating a shelter and medical clinic.[4] In 1976 the organization was formally incorporated as the Victoria Cool Aid Society. Over the following years and decades Cool Aid has expanded its shelter facilities and increased the range of services to include medical and dental, counseling, employment and a community center which promotes healthy living.[5][6][7][8]

See also

Homelessness in Canada

References
  1. Valerie Green (2001). If These Walls Could Talk: Victoria's Houses from the Past. TouchWood Editions. pp. 44–. ISBN 978-0-920663-78-3. Retrieved 6 July 2013. - He also worked with Cool-Aid, a society which has its origins in the Cool Aid Hostel established in 1968 to provide short-term emergency shelter for transient youth, and today offers a wide range ...
  2. New Zealand. Committee on Drug Dependency and Drug Abuse in New Zealand (1973). Drug dependency and drug abuse in New Zealand: second report. Board of Health. p. 197. Retrieved 6 July 2013. -Aid in Victoria and Oolagen in Toronto. Cool-Aid in Victoria was started by the Victoria Youth Council in 1968 to meet the needs of the young transients who flock to British Columbia in the summer.
  3. "Victoria Project Newsletter, February 17, 1969, page 1". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ""Peace, Brother, It's Chow Time," Victoria Daily Times, July 26, 1971".
  5. "Judith Lavoie, "Cool Aid looking to move downtown," Times Colonist, August 11, 1988".
  6. "Judith Lavoie, "Cool Aid shares in $23-million rehab fund," Times Colonist, September 21, 1988".
  7. "Susan Danard, "Province kicks in for homeless shelter," Times Colonist, April 20, 1996".
  8. "Victoria Cool Aid touts plan to solve homelessness". Retrieved 8 February 2014.

Further reading
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