Nicola Valley Shelter and Support Society

06/05/2026

As we prepare for celebrations this month, we had the honour of welcoming a talented drum maker to our shelter this week.

With care and precision, he guided staff and shelter guests through the process of building their own drums, which will be used during upcoming Indigenous Day celebrations. Everyone had the opportunity to take part, carefully stretching the soaked hide and learning how to tie it to the drum frame.

The day created good opportunities to learn new skills while connecting to the culture and traditions of so many in our region. We are always so grateful to host teachers like this who support the growth, well-being, and cultural connection for our shelter participants.

Staff and guests enjoyed the sunshine, conversation, and hands-on learning. We can’t wait to hear the drums once they’re dry and ready to play!
A heartfelt thank you to Derrick for sharing his knowledge, time, and culture with us. We’re looking forward to celebrating Indigenous Day together this month!

05/15/2026

Today, we received a very unique donation to the shelter.
A piano!

While it may seem like a simple gift to some, it represents something much bigger for our guests and residents.
For someone who once played music, this may be the first opportunity they’ve had in years to sit down at a piano again. For others, it will be the chance to listen, sing along, connect, and simply enjoy the comfort that music can bring.

Music is one of humanity’s greatest gifts. It has the power to calm anxiety, lift heavy spirits, build memories, encourage creativity, and bring people together in ways words sometimes cannot. Music creates connection, community, and moments of joy. Singing old songs from memory, and learning other popular tunes, can change the atmosphere and environment of even the most difficult places.

It was a special and heartwarming donation, one the staff, residents, visitors and volunteers will be able to enjoy!

To the donor -🙏 Thank you for bringing music, comfort, and connection into our shelter community. 🎼🎶🎵

05/10/2026

This past week, Nicola Valley Shelter and Support Society participated in the Red Dress Day memorial walk in honour of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S).

The weight of the event was deeply felt. Across Canada, Indigenous women and girls continue to experience violence at disproportionately high rates. It is a painful reality that impacts families, communities, and generations. These are not just statistics. They were daughters, sisters, mothers, aunties, nieces, friends, and loved ones whose lives mattered deeply.

One Elder shared a powerful reminder during the walk: that we are all connected, and that those we have lost remain a part of us. Red Dress Day is not only about remembrance, but about creating space to honour lives, acknowledge grief, and stand together in solidarity and truth.

In many Indigenous teachings, red is believed to be the only colour spirits can see. The red dress serves as a call to the spirits of missing loved ones, while also standing as a powerful symbol of love, strength, resilience, and the ongoing call for justice.

As we walked together, the red dresses were impossible to ignore. Each one represented a life, a story, and a family that was changed forever. They are a visual reminder that awareness must be followed by action, compassion, and continued advocacy.

Today, and every day, we remember those who were taken too soon, stand with the families still searching for answers, and commit to listening, learning, and supporting reconciliation in meaningful ways.

04/28/2026

A few April Highlights from Nicola Valley Shelter and Support Society.

As we head into the final days of April, we’re taking a moment to reflect on a month that brought both connection and reflection for our community.

We began the month on a lighter note, hosting a special Easter breakfast alongside an Easter egg hunt. This created space for joy, laughter, and a sense of togetherness for our staff and guests.

April also marked the 10-year anniversary of the toxic drug crisis in BC, a heartbreaking milestone that has claimed more than 18,000 lives. For many of us, this loss is not distant. It continues to shape the way we show up each day, how we support those we serve, and how we frame ongoing conversations for the unseen grief in our community. It’s also a powerful reminder that there is still so much work ahead.

This month, our leadership team had the opportunity to step away from day-to-day operations and attend the RENT Conference in Kelowna with the BC Non-Profit Housing Association. It was a valuable chance to learn, reflect, and bring back ideas that will help strengthen our work moving forward.

We also participated in the Health and Wellness Fair at the Civic Centre, an event that reinforces how closely our mental and physical well-being are connected, and how important it is to support both.

It’s been a full and meaningful month.

We’re heading into May with fresh perspective, renewed energy, and a continued commitment to the people and community we serve.

We’re grateful to be part of a community that continues to support our work. If something here resonates with you, we’d love to hear your thoughts or reflections below.

04/15/2026

This past week, we had the opportunity to join the Scw’exmx Community Health Services Society at their OCDA Health Fair.

Events like these are so important. They create the right space for connection, awareness, and meaningful conversation within our community.

We’re grateful to stand alongside partner organizations as we continue to share knowledge, reduce stigma, and support ongoing education around the overdose crisis here in BC and across Canada.

When we come together, we can build momentum for change, for compassion, and for stronger advocacy around the policies and supports our communities need.

Together, we can support our neighbours on their journey toward healing and recovery. 💛

04/02/2026

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer for our community? We are looking for volunteers who enjoy helping people and doing math. Does this sound like you?

The Community Volunteer Tax program with NVSSS, is a registered program with the CRA, and full training and ongoing support will be provided. If you like good coffee and snacks, and meeting great people, this is a perfect opportunity for you.

Scan the QR code to register with the CRA and our organization and then send an email to: [email protected] to express your interest! We look forward to seeing you!

03/31/2026

Homelessness is not just one story. It's many stories, and so many of them do not look the way people assume.

Right now, 11 of the 40 people staying in our shelter are over the age of 65. That means more than 1 in 4 of our current shelter guests are seniors.

These are older adults in our community living on fixed incomes, small pensions, or limited supports who can no longer keep up with the rising cost of rent and housing. This is a reality, not just in Merritt, but across Canada.

When we talk about homelessness, we need to talk honestly about affordability, aging, and the growing number of seniors being pushed out of stable housing.

Homelessness is not just about one stereotype. Sometimes, it’s about a lifetime of work and still not being able to afford a place to live.

03/27/2026

03/24/2026

Over the past several days, there have been a lot of comments online about our shelter, our staff, and the individuals that stay with us.

We understand our community has concerns. However, these concerns should be raised respectfully and done in good faith.

Any concerns that are raised and (brought through the proper channels) about staff conduct, policy adherence, or operations are taken seriously. These are then reviewed through the appropriate process.

Good communication, and effective responsible discourse that maintains relationships, starts with curiosity. Without it, those relationships end.

NVSSS cares about being a good neighbour, despite the stories and comments online. Community safety does matter to us, along with accountability.

We also believe that accountability is important for other community groups that act on their own, without support or acknowledgement from the city, or local law enforcement.

Much of what we are seeing online goes well beyond reasonable narratives. Many of the comments being shared are harmful. They are stigmatizing, dehumanizing, and show a lack of awareness for the realities that those facing homelessness deal with.

Here at the Nicola Valley Shelter and Support Society, people experiencing homelessness are still people. They are our neighbors, our elders, our family members, and members of this community.

The truth is homelessness in the Nicola Valley is not hypothetical. The most recent Point-in-Time Count in May 2025 identified 94 people experiencing homelessness in our region. At NVSSS, we can safely shelter 40 people.

Right now, 11 of the people staying with us are over the age of 65. That’s 27.5% of our residents here. This tells a much different story than what is currently circulating online. Not everyone who uses shelter services fits the stereotypes that so many believe. Some are seniors living on fixed incomes. Some are people facing health challenges, poverty, housing crisis or are facing a family crisis. Some are dealing with mental health challenges, and yes, some struggle with substance use.

One other thing to note: Not every issue that is visible to the public near the shelter is caused by the shelter, or by people accessing our services. Our staff conduct hourly exterior perimeter checks, respond to concerns within our control, and contact RCMP and Bylaw when any issue goes beyond our authority or capacity to do so.

The work at NVSSS is not simple. It is, however, visible, emotional, and complex.

But removing shelter services does not remove homelessness.

What it does do is leave vulnerable people without support, safety, or a place to go.

If the shelter suddenly did not exist tomorrow, where would those 40 people go?

That is the real conversation we need to have in our community.

We will welcome respectful and solution-focused conversations.

We will not engage in abusive comment threads, and we will be reporting any comments that are dehumanizing, incite violence, and spread misinformation.

03/22/2026

We want to respond to the recent social media post containing inaccurate and inflammatory statements about the Nicola Valley Shelter and Support Society and the people we serve.

We want to be clear: our shelter operates under established policies, procedures, and safety protocols. At the same time, shelter work often involves complex, real-time decisions where trained staff must exercise professional judgment to prioritize safety, de-escalation, dignity, and harm reduction. These situations cannot be fully understood through outside observation alone, and public assumptions made without context can be very misleading.

We will not discuss specific guests or client-related situations publicly. Protecting privacy and confidentiality is a core responsibility of our organization.

What is especially concerning is not only that these allegations were shared publicly instead of being brought directly to our leadership team, but also the tone in which they were presented. Language that fuels fear, stigma, or hostility toward people experiencing homelessness is harmful. It does not solve problems, and it does not contribute to community safety. What it does do, is deepen division and further marginalize vulnerable people who are already facing significant barriers.

Our community can and should have conversations about safety, accountability, and shelter operations. But those conversations must be grounded in facts. They need to be done with respect, and a genuine commitment to solutions. Communication is not effective through public accusations, assumptions, or rhetoric that encourages blame and hostility.

Citizens on Patrol and its representatives, have direct access to our team, including shelter management, front desk staff, community engagement, and executive leadership. If there are legitimate concerns about our operations or specific incidents, there have always been appropriate channels to raise them.

We remain committed to transparency, accountability, and working collaboratively in the best interests of both our shelter guests and the broader community. We also remain committed to standing against stigma and advocating for respectful, informed dialogue about homelessness and the realities of this work.

Public commentary that stirs anger toward vulnerable people does real harm and undermines efforts to build a safer, healthier community for everyone.

If there are specific concerns or incidents, we encourage them to be brought forward directly so they can be properly reviewed and addressed. We remain committed to transparency, accountability, and working collaboratively in the best interest of the community.
Here is our contact information.
[email protected]
(250) 378-9244