Calling All Partners: Public-Spirited Individuals, Businesses, Faith groups, Foundations, and Local Governments

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 truck, then under bridges, then nowhere at all. The cold bit deep, hunger gnawed constantly, and the isolation—the quiet shame of feeling invisible in the community he loved—nearly broke him.

Tom is not alone. In Parksville, Qualicum Beach, and across the Oceanside region, too many of our neighbours—veterans, seniors, families, young people starting out—face the same crushing reality of homelessness or the constant fear of losing their homes. It tears at the fabric of our community, leaving empty storefronts, strained services, and a shared sense of helplessness.

Yet there is hope. Real, proven hope.

Manna Homeless Society has served the most vulnerable in Oceanside for years. We know these individuals by name, understand the complex challenges they face—addiction, mental health struggles, trauma, economic hardship—and we know how to help with compassion, respect, and practical support. We have built trust, delivered meals, provided emergency aid, and walked alongside people as they rebuild their lives. But we also know that true, lasting change requires more than temporary fixes.

It requires a place to call home, meaningful work, and a supportive community.

That is why Manna is working tirelessly to acquire land in the coming years—a peaceful piece of property where we can create a transformative community for those experiencing homelessness or at risk. Picture this: small, dignified trailers providing safe, private homes; gardens and fields where residents grow fresh food for themselves and the community; meaningful jobs tending the land, maintaining the property, and contributing to shared meals and markets. This is not just housing—it is healing. It is purpose. It is dignity restored.

We have already saved funds toward this goal, but it is not enough yet. We need partners—public-spirited individuals, businesses, faith groups, foundations, and local governments—who share our vision to make this dream a reality for Oceanside.

This model works. It has transformed lives elsewhere, and it can do the same here.

In Austin, Texas, Community First! Village spans 51 acres and provides permanent homes in tiny houses and RVs for hundreds of formerly chronically homeless neighbours. Residents tend community gardens, work in on-site micro-enterprises, create art, and support one another. Once isolated and struggling, many now thrive with stability, friendships, and pride in their contributions. The village has become a national model, proving that land-based, community-focused housing ends cycles of homelessness while building stronger neighbourhoods.

Closer to home, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, the 12 Neighbours community—built through private and community investment—offers tiny homes that restore hope and dignity to people who once had nowhere to go. Residents describe it as the first place they have felt truly seen and valued.

And programs like the Homeless Garden Project in California show the power of farming: participants experiencing homelessness gain paid training, grow organic food, and find purpose and healing through meaningful work on the land—skills that lead to lasting employment and self-sufficiency.

These examples are not distant dreams—they are proven realities. With the right land and the right partnerships, Oceanside can create something even better: a community tailored to our region’s needs, producing local food, offering jobs, reducing strain on emergency services, and giving people like Tom a real path forward.

Imagine the impact: fewer people on our streets, safer parks and downtowns, fresh produce supporting local food security, and formerly homeless neighbours becoming contributing members of our community again. Parksville and Qualicum Beach would lead the way in compassionate, effective care—one that lifts everyone.

Manna Homeless Society is ready. We are established, respected, and deeply knowledgeable about what works here. We just need that piece of land—and your partnership to get there.

Will you join us? Whether through financial support, land contributions, in-kind services, grants, or simply spreading the word, your involvement can change lives. Together, we can turn sadness into strength and build a brighter future for all of Oceanside.

Please reach out to me at Manna Homeless Society to learn more or discuss how we can partner. Let’s make this hope a reality—together.

With gratitude and optimism,

Robin Campbell

Manna Homeless Society

Parksville, British Columbia