Ward Draper, the leader of a local church that aims to support Abbotsford’s homeless, has sounded the alarm on the worsening conditions faced by the vulnerable population.
In an interview with CIVL Radio, Draper, who heads “5 and 2 Ministries,” highlighted the severe impact of rising living costs on marginalized groups, particularly seniors. He emphasized that the number of homeless individuals in Abbotsford has reached unprecedented levels.
“When I started 5 and 2 over 20 years ago, we were looking at just over 100 to 200 people on the streets [in Abbotsford]. And it’s more than quadrupled and showing no signs of slowing,” Draper stated.
During the interview, Draper called for both cultural and political shifts to address the root causes of homelessness and improve living conditions for Abbotsford’s homeless population.
