Manna Homeless Society received a letter from the City of Parksville to cease and desist their weekly disbursements, to the homeless and less fortunate people of Oceanside.
Cited as saying a huge mess had been left week after week, including needles and clothing, after Manna had left the property.
Manna does not, and has never provided needles.
They come from the provincial government. Manna workers are all good citizens and make a big deal of cleaning up the grounds when they leave the site on Saturdays.
The City should have approached Manna with these concerns, found out the truth, and perhaps offer them a safe and accessible site to continue their good work.
Seems a small group of people who do not represent the less-fortunate, set up tents and made an unsightly mess downtown, and the city is pointing fingers, without looking into it first.
Manna was seen next to the site each Saturday and became the scapegoats.
This is an atrocity.
Good, kind-hearted volunteers trying to help the less-fortunate, with warm winter clothing, a small gesture of food, and a medical van with nurse practitioners to help those in need.
And now they have been kicked out of Parksville.
’Tis the season!
Linda Quesnel
Parksville