This page was last updated on July 14, 2020.
At Dixon Transition Society, the safety of our staff and clients is always a priority.
Transition houses and safe spaces for women and children are an essential service: this is still true during a pandemic. In fact, upheavals like this can increase the risk of violence for women, so our work remains as important as ever.
During this pandemic, we continue to prioritize health and safety while continuing to offer quality services. We want to share some of the measures we are taking to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Our Transitional Housing Programs continue to operate.
Front line staff continue to come to work and provide essential services to our current residents while practicing caution, good hygiene, and physical distancing measures.
Staff who can provide services remotely are working from home.
If you or someone you know is in need of our services, you can always call our 24-hour intake line at 604-298-3454. If you are in danger, please call 911.
Some administrative staff continue to work remotely.
As of July 15, Holdom administrative staff are working from the office at least one day a week, depending on operational needs and staff availability.
In-kind donations are accepted only on an as-needed basis. Please get in touch with our Community Relations Assistant about your donation prior to dropping off. Due to limited space and enhanced pandemic protocols, our capacity to receive donations is more limited than usual. We share the specific needs of the women and children in our programs in our monthly newsletter. Subscribe here.
As of June 1, 2020, some volunteer activities are resuming under enhanced protocols. As of July 15, we are also beginning to recruit new volunteers. If you are interested in supporting our work by volunteering, get in touch.
How can I help?
First of all, thank you so much for your interest in supporting Dixon during these uncertain times. We are so encouraged to see how willing and generous the community can be, even now.
Go the #DistanceForDixon as part of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge.
This year, the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon and 5K will be virtual due to concerns around COVID-19. However, the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, the fundraising component of the event, remains a priority for many of the participating charities, including Dixon Transition Society.
Funding for our child support program has been eliminated and we must rely on donor generosity to continue running the program for children in need. For these reasons, we haven’t changed our goal to raise $25,000 during the Scotiabank Charity Challenge.
Join Team Dixon or donate, or click here to find out more.
Write a note of thanks to our front line staff.
We really can’t overstate how extraordinary our staff have been through the early stages of this pandemic. Our support workers and counsellors have risen to the challenge of adjusting the way they provide their vital services.
Whether you’re writing to a specific support worker or to our staff in general, you can send your thank you’s and encouragements to our Communications & Development Coordinator or, if you would rather hand-write, by mail to:
204-2101 Holdom Ave
Burnaby, BC V5B 0A4
Raise awareness
Many of you have recognized or heard on the news that social distancing can increase the risk of domestic violence. We believe this to be true, as well.
Despite that, we have not noticed a substantial increase in calls to our intake line this past month compared to previous years.
There are many reasons why this might be the case. Women might not have a private moment to phone. They might not foresee a safe moment to leave if abusers aren’t going to work regularly. They might be worried about taking their children to live in a communal situation. Or perhaps they don’t even know that we’re still open, to begin with.
We want your help in making sure that women know that we’re still here and that they can get in touch by phone or through the Contact Us form on our website.
Here is a message that you can share on your social media or by email:
Home isn’t safe for everyone. Domestic violence was a worldwide women’s health and safety issue long before this pandemic, and COVID-19 is making it worse.
Help is available. Get in touch with Dixon Transition Society by calling their 24-hour phone line, 604-298-3454, or you can send an email at dixonsociety.ca/contact-us/
We have a responsibility to keep each other safe at this time. Please share widely.
