2,400 ZACPACS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO VANCOUVER'S MOST VULNERABLE WHO SUFFER FROM
"PERFECT STORM" OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PRESSURES
VANCOUVER, BC, April 30,
2024 /CNW/ - Zac
Weinberg, a West Vancouver
teen advocate for the unhoused, is assembling 2,400 ZacPacs
for the region's most vulnerable. A ZacPac is a 30-litre dry
bag filled with essential items that is distributed via community
outreach organizations. Since the project began in 2020 and
including this year, the teen has fundraised and helped assemble
8,800 ZacPacs.
The 16-year-old, Grade 10 student at Collingwood School said:
"I'm seeing a perfect storm of challenges for those who are
suffering the most. People waiting for safe and affordable
housing were already in a desperate situation but now everyone must
deal with higher living costs across the board. On top of
this is the opioid crisis. About 14,000 lives have been lost due to
toxic drugs since the emergency was declared in 2016, and there
were a record 2,511 opioid deaths in 2023 alone. I want to
let people who are currently unhoused know that we care about them.
Much more must be done to provide support services in mental
health and addiction while increasing access to safe and affordable
housing. I believe that youth can help by getting involved and
figuring out ways to give back to our community".
The ZacPacs will be assembled Friday, May 3rd, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Morrey Mazda at 818 Automall Drive
in North Vancouver.
Representatives from approximately 40 community outreach
organizations will pick up their ZacPacs and distribute them
to those in need.
Each 30-litre ZacPac will contain a waterproof sleeping
bag, a reusable water bottle donated by Royal Bank, socks donated
by the Tassan and David Sung Family Giving Fund, hats donated by
Lorne and Melita Segal, emergency blankets donated by ZLC
Financial, toothbrushes donated by Seawall Dental, and a
non-perishable food item. Another important donor is Morrey Mazda
of North Vancouver which
donated to the project directly and will provide space for the
ZacPac assembly and distribution blitz on May 3rd.
"We have 40 pallets of goods being delivered and would welcome
extra hands to help assemble the ZacPacs", commented
Zac. Volunteers can contact him at
zacpacproject@gmail.com.
"The need is there, and I'm so grateful to everyone who supports
the ZacPac project with either a financial donation or an
in-kind product. Without the support and generosity of these
businesses and individuals, I wouldn't be able to provide this
gesture of comfort to the most vulnerable people in my community,"
said Zac.
Learn more about the ZacPac Project on Facebook or
Instagram @zacpacproject. Tax-deductible donations may be made at
www.zacgivesback.com. If you would like to help donate a
ZacPac to an unhoused neighbour, please visit
www.zacgivesback.com or contact us directly at
zacpacproject@gmail.com.
About Zac
Weinberg and the ZacPac Project
Zac Weinberg, originally from
Winnipeg, moved with his family to
Vancouver in the summer of 2016.
As he became more familiar with Vancouver, he noticed the large number of
people living on the street in the Downtown Eastside. Zac also
learned more about the range of challenges faced by those
experiencing homelessness, and he felt compelled to take action and
find some way to help. Zac worked closely with Coast Mental
Health outreach staff to identify a list of items that people
might need while waiting for low-cost housing. In November 2019, as a grade 6 student, Zac spoke in
front of 19,000 people at Rogers Arena about his project to supply
essential items to people experiencing homelessness in
Vancouver.
Zac successfully launched the ZacPac in March 2020 after fundraising and contacting
various companies and organizations for donations of goods and
services. He raised over $135,000 of
cash and donations in kind. That year, over 2,200 dry bags were
distributed, each containing a toque, scarf, socks, gloves,
emergency blanket, rain poncho, collapsible umbrella, 500 ml
reusable water bottle, granola bar, 6x8 tarp, bus ticket, and some
toiletries. Then, in 2022, the project expanded to Metro
Vancouver and provided 3,000, 30-litre bags, each including a
waterproof sleeping bag. In 2023, Zac returned to his hometown
of Winnipeg where 1,200
ZacPacs were distributed. This year, based on the most
recent 2023 homeless count, the ZacPac project is donating
2,400 dry bags to Vancouver
outreach teams who will distribute to their clients most in
need.
SOURCE Weinberg Foundation Inc.