EFry in the News

Government closes units for female young offenders ( PDF 611KB)
By Lindsay Kines, Times Colonist, January 18, 2012
The declining number of young people in B.C. jails has prompted the government to close two units for girls in Victoria and Prince George and cut 23 corrections jobs...

The Globe & Mail - Letter to the Editor: Shelter Safety ( PDF 1.7MB)
By Shawn Bayes, The Globe & Mail, December 24, 2011
To protect personal safety, people's needs must be met before there's a crisis . Some homeless people battling mental illness cycle through prisons and emergency rooms...

Vancouver symposium to focus on women's safety in homeless shelters ( PDF 213KB)
By Yolande Cole, Straight.com, November 14, 2011
It was the death of a former client of an Elizabeth Fry shelter that prompted Shawn Bayes to organize a symposium on the safety of women in co ed shelters.

Symposium looks at ways to improve shelters for women ( PDF 120KB)
By Cheryl Rossi, Vancouver Courier, November 12, 2011
Emergency coed facilities should have separate areas to ensure safety, says director of Elizabeth Fry Society.

More emergency shelter spaces needed for women, Vancouver council hears ( PDF 252KB)
By Yolande Cole, Georgia Straight, March 18, 2011
City council signaled their support this week for increasing emergency shelter spaces for women in Vancouver.

EFry's Storybook Program at Surrey Pretrial Services Centre
The Province of BC, February 10, 2011
EFry works with BC Corrections to connect incarcerated parents and their children through our Storybook Program.

Society hopes to build social housing for women ( PDF 43KB)
By Theresa Mcmanus, The Record, January 15, 2011
The Elizabeth Fry Society is seeking public feedback about a plan that will allow it to expand its services.

Elizabeth Fry Storybook Program (MP3 9.4MB)
CBC Radio Early Edition, December 24, 2010

Students help feed the hungry ( PDF 105KB)
By Theresa Mcmanus, The Record, December 23, 2010
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver hosted a Christmas dinner for 700 people last week with a little help from its friends.

Riverside kids cook, help ( PDF 58KB)
By Diane Strandberg, The Tri-City News, December 17, 2010 12:00 PM
It was a feat no amateur cook would dare try: Cook and carve 30 turkeys in a day. But Riverside secondary culinary arts teacher Darren Straumford and his 80 Grade 11 and Grade 12 students were up to the challenge.

Residents advised to be aware of charity scammer ( PDF 43KB)
Michael McQuillan, New Westminster News Leader, December 14, 2010
New Westminster residents are being warned to watch out for a door-to-door scam involving individuals posing as representatives of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver.

Overwhelming support for Vancouver sobering centre ( PDF 889KB)
Suzanne Fournier, The Province, December 9, 2010
A "sobering centre" that could save the lives of people arrested for being drunk is getting overwhelming support from police, health and native advocates.

Another level of protection is needed ( PDF 169KB)
Janet Brown, CKNW(AM980) Local News, December 9, 2010
Vancouver Police, health officials and first responders are calling for a centre to be built where intoxicated people can go to sober up, instead of being tossed in jail.

Women's housing project named after advocate ( PDF 106KB)
Neil Corbett, Abbotsford News, December 6, 2010
The new Abbotsford housing complex run by the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver will be named the Firth Residence, after longtime volunteer Joan Firth who lived in Abbotsford.

Giving a second chance and changing lives: Elizabeth Fry Society (JPG 1MB)
Karen McCluskey, Sounding Board, November-December 2010
Helen was born in Africa and while she dreamed of becoming a nurse, she was forced into an arranged marriage that quickly became abusive...

Vancouver community groups seek sobering centre ( PDF 95KB)
Gerry Bellett, Vancouver Sun, Novermber 29, 2010
As plans are progressing to build a Sobering Centre in Surrey, community groups are pushing to have a similar centre built in Vancouver.

EFry's Job Training Program Adopted as a Model in Other Jurisdictions (JPG 1MB)
Shawn Bayes, Sounding Board, October 2010
Our goal was to get women off social assistance. We knew many of our clients wanted to work, but office or service industry jobs weren't an appropriate fit," explains Marla Chandler-Soanes...

Women Working Wonders (JPG 977KB)
Shawn Bayes, Construction Business, September/October 2010
Pilot program trains women for non-traditional jobs.

Sharing their harvest ( PDF 1MB)
Theresa McManus, The Record, September 29, 2010
Members of the New Westminster Community Gardening Society are sharing the fruits of their labour with the Elizabeth Fry Society.

Elizabeth Fry Camp (WMV 4MB)
CBC News, July 29, 2010
More than 5000 kids in BC currently have a parent behind bars and it can be tough to enjoy summer when your mom or dad isn't at home. A new summer camp is helping some of those kids feel better.

Children of prisoners camp interview with Shawn Bayes (MP3 3MB)
Early Edition with Rick Cluff, CBC Radio, July 26, 2010
A Vancouver summer camp is bringing together a very special group of children: each of them has a parent in the correctional system. The program is the first of its kind in Canada.

Help kids be kids ( PDF 397KB)
Theresa McManus, The Record, July 14, 2010
The Elizabeth Fry Association of Vancouver is ensuring that children are able to experience some summer fun. The association is introducing free summer day camps as part of its program to support the unique needs of children who have parents involved in the justice system.

EFry day camps teach coping and leadership skills ( PDF 594KB)
New Westminster News Leader, July 12, 2010
The Elizabeth Fry Association of Vancouver (EFry) will be holding week-long summer day camps for children with parents in trouble with the law.

Summer camps offer free fun for Vancouver kids affected by justice system ( PDF 249KB)
Shadi Elien, Georgia Straight, July 7, 2010
The executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver doesn't think the Canadian government is providing any programs that fit the "special and very unique needs" of children whose parents have found themselves tied up in the criminal justice system.

Women's shelter OK'd ( PDF 587KB)
Kevin Mills, Abbotsford News, May 12, 2010
A new women's support shelter is one step closer to being created.

An American view on Vancouver's struggle with homelessness ( PDF 248KB)
Kim Murphy, The Vancouver Sun, February 10, 2010
Vancouver frequently ranks among the most livable cities in North America, with multimillion dollar condos offering breathtaking views. But the Downtown Eastside remains a netherworld of openair drug dealing, makeshift sidewalk shelters, public drunkenness and prostitution.

Vancouver wrestles with homelessness ( PDF 1532KB)
Kim Murphy, LA Times, February 9, 2010
The city's downtown Eastside area is home to some of the worst poverty in Canada. Advocates fear the homeless will be swept away as the Olympics begin.

Not enough female-only shelters, advocate says ( PDF 18KB)
Lori Culbert, Vancouver Sun, January 22, 2010
The 'hidden homeless' would come inside if they didn't have to sleep in communal rooms beside men, experts say.

Award of distinction for Bayes ( PDF 564KB)
New Westminster News Leader, June 4, 2009
Shawn Bayes, the executive director for the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, is officially a woman of distinction. On Wednesday, she was named the recipient of the women of distinction award in the non-profit and public service category.

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