The annual event, set for Dec. 21, offers an opportunity to remember our neighbors who passed in 2022
Members of the faith community, homeless service providers, advocates, people experiencing homelessness and community members will gather together on the longest night of the year to remember, show support for and honor those who have died while or after experiencing homelessness, and those who have served people who are experiencing homelessness, in 2022. The event – Homeless Persons Memorial Day – is open to the public and is hosted by Council for the Homeless, Outsiders Inn and St. Paul Lutheran Church.
Homeless Persons Memorial Day will be held Wednesday (Dec. 21), at 5:45 p.m. on the front steps of St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1309 Franklin St., Vancouver. Refreshments will follow inside the church. The ceremony will include honoring each person who died by reading their names. There will be speakers and an opportunity for fellowship. Names will also be displayed on a poster, where people can write messages or add names of people they know who were impacted by homelessness and died in 2022. Approximately 35 names are on the list this year.
“People without homes – especially those who live on the streets – are often invisible,” shared Adam Kravitz of Outsiders Inn. “When they die, they can be easily forgotten. We want people to know their life mattered, and we want people who care about them to be supported.”
“Housing is a human need. Homelessness impacts a person for a lifetime,” shares Laura Ellsworth of Council for the Homeless. “This night is an opportunity to reflect on our neighbors without homes, and people who served them, all who died in 2022, and honor their memory. These people were siblings, parents and children. They were artists, musicians, construction workers, teachers, sports fans and more. Most importantly they were members of our community.”
Additional event planning partners are Immanuel Lutheran Church, Dave Slocum, Judy Enders, Jamie Spinelli and St. Andrew Lutheran Church.
Council for the Homeless is a nonprofit organization that provides community leadership, compelling advocacy and practical solutions to prevent and end homelessness in Clark County.
Also read:
- Michelle Belkot speaks out after Clark County Council kicks her off C-TRAN board
Clark County Council removed Michelle Belkot from the C-TRAN Board of Directors after she opposed funding light rail operations and maintenance. - Rep. John Ley’s bill to assist the construction industry receives approval from Washington State House of Representatives
House Bill 1857, introduced by Rep. John Ley, aims to reduce construction costs by exempting certain building materials from asbestos-related restrictions. - Lilac Days 2025 & Plant Sale set for April 19 through May 11Lilac Days 2025 at Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens celebrates its 50th anniversary with blooms, garden tours, a plant sale, and special events from April 19 to May 11.
- First Clark College classes planned for RidgefieldClark College is expanding into Ridgefield, launching new classes at Boschma Farms in April ahead of an official Fall 2025 opening.
- Opinion: School district levies – What they are and aren’tDick Rylander explains the complexities of school district levies, breaking down how they work, what they fund, and their impact on taxpayers.
- Democrats expected to push tax hikes to fund inequitable pay raisesSenate Republicans propose the $ave Washington budget, countering Democrats’ push for tax hikes to fund pay raises, citing a more balanced fiscal approach.
- Opinion: The long list of ways Washington’s Democratic legislators are pushing to raise taxesNancy Churchill critiques Washington Democrats’ push for tax increases, highlighting major legislative proposals that could impact residents.
