By Robin Campbell, Manna Homeless Society In Parksville—our postcard-pretty coastal haven—a full-blown humanitarian crisis rages on, and city hall does nothing about it. The number of desperate souls crammed into vehicles has exploded, with recent counts showing around 90 unsheltered people and many more living in their cars in the Parksville-Qualicum area (mostly sleeping rough or in cars), scraping by in hunger, freezing rain, and misery. Yet these officials bury their head

In the heart of Oceanside, British Columbia, where the beauty of Vancouver Island meets the harsh reality of growing poverty, one organization has steadfastly shouldered the burden of caring for the homeless and at-risk: Manna Homeless Society. For years, Manna has provided emergency food, clothing, hygiene supplies, temporary shelter, mobile foot care, and compassionate outreach to those forgotten by society—individuals, families, and seniors teetering on the edge of despair

Dear Friends, Community Leaders, Businesses, and Potential Partners in Oceanside, I write to you today with a heavy heart, but also with a spark of unbreakable hope—one that I believe we can fan into a bright flame together. Last winter, I met Tom on a bench near the Parksville waterfront. He was once a skilled tradesman who raised a family here, paid his taxes, and coached minor hockey. A job loss, mounting medical bills, and a string of bad luck left him sleeping in his tru