Hope in Shadows Calendar 2011

Every year, I make an effort to write about the Hope in Shadows Calendar, and to buy one. Supporting causes that improve the wellbeing of Downtown East Side residents is really important for me. As I was walking to my UBC office, I bumped into one of the vendors who sells the Hope in Shadows calendar (his name is Ronald McGrath, and from what he told me, he has also contributed pieces to Megaphone Magazine, which I profiled a few months ago). I told Ronald I would be writing about Hope In Shadows, and here it is!

Hope in Shadows is a charitable organization creating positive social change for people and communities impacted by poverty and marginalization. Our projects empower, educate, and provide employment training to low income people in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and beyond.

Our flagship project is the annual Hope in Shadows photography contest – coordinated by the Pivot Legal Society – which gives Downtown Eastside residents the opportunity to portray their community through their own eyes. A selection of the contest’s best images is featured in the annual Hope in Shadows calendar which is sold on the streets of Vancouver by homeless and low-income vendors. Free training and support are provided to those interested in managing their own micro-business.