Our Place presents A Just Society

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Thursday, June 20th, 2019
6:30 PM to 9:15 PM

A Just Society explores Vancouver Island’s opioid crisis

Our Place presents locally filmed documentary on June 20

VICTORIA, B.C. – When filmmaker Nick Versteeg set out to make a documentary on British Columbia’s opioid crisis, he had one big question in mind: why? Why, in this day and age, could we allow such a death toll to land on our doorstep?

To answer this question, Versteeg ventured into his own backyard of Vancouver Island to interview people who had first-hand experience. By interviewing people suffering from addiction and all those around them, Versteeg delivers an eye-opening look at the agencies battling on the front lines of this crisis.

Filmed at Our Place in Victoria, plus facilities in Duncan and Ladysmith, Versteeg conducted over 30 interviews, many of them with people experiencing homelessness and drug addiction across the Island.

“It was a challenging film to piece together,” says Versteeg. “The stories are heart-breaking, but also inspirational when you see people receiving the unconditional help they need.”

Don Evans, CEO of Our Place, is interviewed inside a new Therapeutic Recovery Community that Our Place opened in direct response to the opioid crisis.

“With so many people dying on our streets, Our Place quickly opened an Overdose Prevention Site in our courtyard,” says Evans. “And while we saved hundreds of lives, we felt we needed to do something that delivered hope to our streets, an opportunity for people to transform their lives out of addiction. That’s where the Therapeutic Recovery Community comes in.” The Victoria premiere of A Just Society, presented by Our Place and hosted by First Metropolitan United Church, will be held on Thursday, June 20 at 7:00pm. Admission is by donation.

Event: A Just Society - Documentary

When: Thursday, June 20, 7:00 pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)

Where: First Met United Church, 932 Balmoral Road, Victoria

Website: www.ourplacesociety.com

For over 50 years, Our Place has been a unique inner-city community centre serving Greater Victoria’s most vulnerable: working poor, impoverished elderly, mentally and physically challenged, addicted and the homeless. Individuals and businesses provide much of the financial support for its programs and services. Our Place provides over 1,000 meals per day, plus 1,200 snacks, hot showers, education, job skills, health care, addiction recovery services, donated clothing, counseling and outreach services; plus 45 transitional housing units and over 100 shelter spaces. Most importantly, Our Place provides a sense of hope and belonging to our neighbours in need.

https://www.ourplacesociety.com/