Outreach van ready to do extra duty

WATERLOO REGION — Bitter cold winter weather is a challenge for those who are homeless or have little, but their needs in the summer are even more intense.

Dehydration, infected wounds, sunburn and heatstroke are common issues for people who are spending much of the summer outdoors.

“The summer is not really a cake walk, either,” said Violet Umanetz, outreach manager for Sanguen Health Centre. “Heat can be just as dangerous as cold.”

Helping people stay well during the dog days of summer will be a focus for the centre’s community health van.

Starting in July, the van will be out in Waterloo Region an extra night every week. Currently, it’s on the road two nights, seeing close to 250 people a week in Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo.

Umanetz expects that with the added night, 300 to 350 people will stop by the van weekly by the end of July. A second van was bought to serve Guelph, and is now being retrofitted.

Sanguen, which focuses on hepatitis C treatment and prevention, has offices in Waterloo and Guelph. The van is a relatively new way to reach out to people who could benefit from the services but have trouble getting to the office.

The need for the van’s services and supports is consistent yearround, Umanetz said. In the winter it’s all about staying warm, while the hot summer months bring a host of other issues.

“It’s definitely a different challenge altogether,” Umanetz said. “It’s more intense.”

Often, people are camping out, rather than staying in shelters, during the summer. That’s related to people having to leave shelters during the day, pets not being allowed or couples wanting to stay together.

But camping full-time for months is far different than for a long weekend.

“There’s no running water, there’s no hydro, there’s no opportunity to practise good hygiene,” Umanetz said.

Days of rain make it tough to dry sleeping bags and clothes, and critters soon discover food in a tent.

Wounds and abscesses become more common, and serious, in the warm months.

“Our nurses are so busy treating those wounds, looking at abscesses,” Umanetz said.

And that’s on top of the other medical services the agency provides, including testing for bloodborne infections.

People can also get referrals to other community groups and agencies.

The van is packed with harmreduction supplies including naloxone, clothes, food and hygiene products — all free thanks to community donations and partnerships.

“When people want to support us in any way, we’re just so happy about it and grateful,” Umanetz said.

Even a small donation can have a big impact, and usually gets into the hands of people who need it that week.

“I now know $10 can do so much,” she said.

Donations needed now include camping gear, bottled water or juice, freezies, razors and deodorant, and first aid supplies. In the summer, a lot of sunscreen, shortsleeved shirts and shorts, and rain gear are handed out.

Helping people stay cool and hydrated is important. In the winter, it’s all about handing out hot chocolate and warm coats.

“Instead of hot chocolate, we bring out a big container of ice water,” Umanetz said.

Workers do their best to make it a positive place where people can go for help without facing judgment, and Umanetz said “the van’s always a happy place.”

People who appear at the van’s stops have a “phenomenal” sense of community, she said.

“I find people who don’t have a lot of money or things often have a much better sense of community,” Umanetz said. “Everybody’s looking out for everybody else.”

Find out more about the van and how to donate at sanguen.com.