Local businesses and organizations are taking part in a province-wide program designed to help give people a place of refuge should they find themselves in trouble, and offer them a helping hand.
The aim of the Safe Harbour program is to help create safer and more welcoming communities that support all forms of diversity, including gender, race, ability, age, and sexual orientation.
Participating businesses and organizations advertise themselves as a temporary refuge, a place to make a phone call or have a glass of water, for individuals who are lost, in trouble, or facing discrimination.
The central theme is to offer respect for all, says program coordinator Lindsay Marsh.
“Participants in the program commit to the respectful treatment of everyone who walks through the door,” she said.
Safe Harbour sites are marked with a Safe Harbour decal on or near the front doors of each location.
“When people see the Safe Harbour decal, they know that business will provide them with respect and good customer service, and if they are in trouble, they can help them,” said Marsh.
So far close to 500 business across the province have taken part in the program, with 18 in Maple Ridge currently participating, including the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre, Greg Moore Youth Centre and Bowman Employment Services.
Tammy Diniz, the manager of Maple Ridge paint store Bare Interiors and Safe Harbour participant, said the program is all about being a good neighbour.
“We’ve had numerous times where people came in asking for help,” she said. “Some people were lost, we had a young boy who was locked out of his apartment.
“A lot of it is just being a good human being,” she said.