Welcome to the Victoria Housing Crowdfund!
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Our mission is simple: remove barriers between people who want to give and organizations that want to help.
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Our fund is directed through CanadaHelps, which has gathered 3+Billion dollars for 85,000 charities over the last 24 years. No donation is too small to make a difference. With our dollar matching from bigger donors, your individual donation goes further!​​​​
What are we working on right now?
We are currently raising funds to purchase new supportive/transitional housing for SOLID Outreach. They have been working with the street community since 2007 and currently operate two facilities in Victoria, in addition to an overnight shelter at St. John the Divine church and several outreach and harm reduction teams. For more information on their organization please see their website.
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Still have questions? Check out our Donor FAQ Section
See what community leaders are saying
"SOLID has run a nightly shelter in the Lower Hall of St. John the Divine Anglican Church for over a year. SOLID’s shelter operation and its shelter and senior staff provide important, effective services to shelter guests, to the neighbourhood and to the larger community. We value their model of building a staff who relate directly and effectively with people living with homelessness, addictions and mental health problems, and they are contributing to the care and safety of all who use the church precinct."
- Carol Anne Harper, Warden, St John the Divine.
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"Having dedicated my career to housing affordability in Canada, I know that identifying gaps in the market and filling them is the key to solving this housing crisis. The Victoria Housing Crowdfund is a great initiative to address low barrier housing needs in Victoria."
- Julian Wells, Founder, Studenthaus​
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"I have been collaborating with SOLID for about twenty years when the organization was just forming. As a social worker I understand how an organization that supports people with lived and living experience of drug use to make a difference in their community is essential for substance use health. And as an academic, I greatly value the role that Solid has played in research and the implementation of research into practice. Over and over I've seen SOLID's willingness and interest to provide much-needed services in our community, and SOLID's commitment to providing these services in a responsive way that's driven by community needs and informed by research."
- Dr. Bruce Wallace, Professor, UVIC School of Social Work,
Scientist, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR)
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Thank you to our generous donors!
Donation Matchers:
​Clairmont Conditioning - $5000​​​​​
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Local Businesses:
ADP Catering
Big Birch Capital
Cracked Mug Cafe
Dogwood Therapeutics
Habit Coffee
Hone Consulting
Loft and Ladder
Mack Law Corp
Pole Coven
RITUAL Nordic Spa
Siemens Weightlifting​​​​​​
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Individual Donors:
Anonymous Donor x 13
Victoria Bernard
Andre Bisseck
Anna Bruce
Timothy Carter
Bryanna Cassidy
Mylan & Jessica Clairmont​
Rob Clairmont
Laura Clairmont
Kerswill Collins
Kelly Commandeur
Laura Corbett
​Sheila Craig
Kim Dillon
Matthieu & Nicole Foucault
Kyle Gasper
Keely Grass
Thomas Harley
Tamara Harley
Haleema Jenna
Margot Johnston
Charlotte King-Harris
Allison MacNeil
Jessie MacNeil
Mary Alice MacNeil
Rosella MacNeil
Katie McFarlin
Kai Muir
Leah Mack & Cole Emerson
Debbie Newman
Sarah O’Kelly-Lynch
Hemi Patel
Michael Poole
Maia Rardon
​Calise Salter
​Lori Schmeichel
Sydney Sedgman
Nicole Siemens
Sarah Smith
Paisley Smithson
Jane Stevenson
David Stocks
Ivan Syreyshchikov
Aaron Thornell
Jess Tran
Mark & Alexa Tod​​​​​​
Zoey Thompson
Marilyn Van Imschoot
Jeremy Vernon
Sophia Wells
Geri Yates
Audrey Yen
Dino Zincarini
Donor FAQs
What are we raising money for?
We are currently raising money for SOLID Outreach to be able to purchase a new space to run supportive/transitional housing for unhoused people in Victoria.
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Why SOLID?
SOLID Outreach is a grassroots organization that has been working with folks in the street community since 2007. They have grown to over 100 employees and run two facilities in addition to a shelter out of St. John the Divine. SOLID’s street outreach teams and several overdose prevention sites run 365 days per year. SOLID has established relationships with the folks who need help and have connections with municipal governments, provincial governments and NGOs to be able to move people along as they progress through treatment. They also have the staff and the will to make it happen.
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What will this facility look like?
It will be in Greater Victoria, will have 20-25 beds, and be low barrier housing with wrap around supports. This will not be a safe injection site, though with a housing first model it won't require those sheltering to be sober to get a bed.
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How much money do we need and how long will it take to get it?
We are aiming to raise 400K for a down payment on a new shelter. Sooner is better, but we are aiming to raise this money by the end of 2026.
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How is the money being collected and distributed?
Money will be collected through www.canadahelps.org. Canada Helps has raised 3 billion+ dollars for 85,000 Canadian charities over the last 24 years. They collect 3.5% of monthly donations to cover transaction fees+admin costs on their end and issue tax receipts for all donations. Funds raised are then transferred to SOLID on a monthly basis.
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Why the crowdfund model?
Although housing and addiction fall heavily under the jurisdiction of the provincial and federal governments, it is clear that government bodies are not able to move fast enough to enact change in time to save lives and give shelter to the people living on our streets and in our parks. This is an opportunity for big businesses, small businesses and individuals alike to collaborate and move the needle on an issue everyone can agree on.
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Who is your ideal donor?
Our donors fall into 3 categories:
- Big Businesses/Philanthropists: Able to provide larger sums of money to match donations of our other two groups.
- Small Businesses/Community Groups: Able to provide lump sums or monthly payments but more importantly, leverage their network to broaden our base of support.
- Individuals: No donation is too small. $5/month adds up over a couple years. Tell your friends, tell your coworkers, tell your family. We are aiming to be the solution and not waiting for others to act for our community.
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Why donate?
On top of the butterflies you’ll feel knowing you’re making a difference you will also receive...​
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A tax receipt for any donations made.
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Your name or business name written on a board recognizing all donors at the new facility. If you would like to not be acknowledged, please donate anonymously or reach out to let us know.
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Mentions/shout outs/tags for businesses on our website and social media.
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Positive mentions/shout outs whenever we are doing interviews with media.
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Who is organizing this?
My name is Mylan Clairmont. I live downtown Victoria and run my business there as well. I have no political affiliations and no ambitions other than to help bring funds to those who want to do the work to make housing a reality for everyone in our city. If you have any questions or would like to help out, please email me at mylan@clairmontconditioning.com .
Follow this link to donate: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/127463
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Victoria Housing Crowdfund
Website: www.victoriahousingcrowdfund.ca
Instagram: @victoriahousingcrowdfund
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Solid Outreach
Website: https://solidvictoria.org/
Instagram: @solidoutreach