Latest news with #MissionPossible
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Vancouver streets are full of so much human waste they need 'poop fairies' to clean it up
Vancouver, renowned for its natural beauty and laid back lifestyle, has a human waste problem so bad that businesses have hired 'poop fairies' to speed the cleanup on city sidewalks. Dodging human and dog waste has become a real problem for pedestrians navigating the city's sidewalks, and it's not just a problem plaguing the Downtown Eastside. The city's own feces removal response program can't seem to keep up so business improvement districts have hired the 'poop fairies.' 'Everybody down here feels that you end up walking in stuff no matter where you go. So, basically, it's getting tracked around,' said Dave Hamm, vice president of the Vancouver Network of Drug Users, which counts about 3,000 people in its membership. He's encountered people defecating in public on the city's Downtown Eastside. 'What are you going to do? You give them their privacy,' Hamm said. 'It's in the alleys more than the sidewalk.' He's been lobbying the city for more public toilets for over a decade. 'It's one of the worst things down here that we have to put up with,' Hamm said of poop littering the ground. Vancouver launched its feces removal program four years ago 'to address feces complaints submitted through 311 and to proactively patrol and collect feces in the Downtown and Downtown Eastside areas of Vancouver,' Doug Thomas, who speaks for the city, said in an email. 'The program is run by Mission Possible under the city's street cleaning grant program,' Thomas said. 'Mission Possible staff collect feces for proper disposal and sanitize affected areas with a disinfectant spray. Collection takes place weekdays across five Business Improvement Areas: Chinatown, Downtown east of Burrard, Strathcona, Gastown, and Hastings Crossing.' 'The issue is something we see throughout the downtown area,' said Walley Wargolet, executive director of the Gastown Business Improvement Society. Wargolet pegs a lot of the problem on 'folks not picking up after their dogs.' His business improvement area and the neighbouring one in Hastings Crossing are both providing free bags for dog poop as a trial. But he'd like to be able to test the collected feces to determine whether it came from a canine or human source. 'We're hoping someone will come up with an idea about that, because I'm sure that there's analysis that could be done.' There are some public restrooms available in his area for people struggling with homelessness. 'But maybe not enough,' Wargolet said. 'We also know that some folks are just really severely mentally ill who cannot take care of themselves even if there's washrooms close by. In some cases, we've seen this, where there are (public toilets) but they're still not using them.' The businesses have also hired CleanStartBC, a social enterprise, which provides people, known as 'poop fairies,' to clean up the feces. 'We were Monday through Friday, but we moved that to Monday, Wednesday, Friday, just from a cost perspective,' Wargolet said, noting he's budgeted between $30,000 and $40,000 this year for the service. 'It's not cheap work because it's not a fun job and they also are sanitizing the areas as well.' The city's feces removal program 'is not reactive enough,' Wargolet said, noting that it can take up to 72 hours for a response. 'One, it doesn't look great in the area,' he said. 'But it also creates messes for folks as people step in it and walk into stores and things. It's not a good situation so we're trying to tackle it the best that we can.' About 98 per cent of the feces collected by the city are discovered through regular patrols, 'even before a complaint is filed,' Thomas said, noting residents or businesses can report feces through 311 or the Van311 app. In 2022, the city's feces program logged 1,311 complaints and collected 20,800 poops. Complaints dropped to 753 the next year, with 19,900 feces collected. Last year, the program fielded 761 complaints and collected 17,670 feces. In the first three months of this year, it logged 232 complaints and collected 3,370 poops. Hepatitis A outbreaks have been linked to public defecation, said Lezlie Lowe, author of No Place To Go: How Public Toilets Fail our Private Needs. 'There are many diseases that are carried in feces, and we don't necessarily think it's going to affect us, but we step in feces accidentally and we bring that, and the pathogens in it, into our homes,' Lowe said. 'If you're out on a nice patio enjoying a beer and some nachos and a fly lands on some human s–t and then comes and lands on the cheese on your nachos, it's serious.' Landon Hoyt, executive director of the Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association, has 'poop fairies' operating five days a week, with a two-hour shift each day. 'They'll clean, at the latest, within 24 hours (of a complaint), but ideally it's usually sooner than that.' The poop problem 'has been getting worse over the years,' Hoyt said, because of higher rates of drug use, homelessness and the closure of drop-in centres and 'affordable businesses where people could go in and get a $1 coffee' and use the bathroom. His area has a 30 per cent business vacancy rate on the ground level. 'Safety and cleanliness issues' play a role in that, as does 'general neglect' Hoyt said, noting many businesses and social enterprises that once offered bathrooms have left or closed. 'No one wants to poop on the sidewalk,' he said. 'It's embarrassing; it's terrible.' But when people are using drugs 'they may not have control, or they may not have the dignity or care' to use a public bathroom, he said. There are some public toilets in his area. Three are supervised 24/7; one is currently broken. 'I'd love to have one on every other corner.' He's hoping to see the city add a new public toilet to his area and replace the broken one by the end of this year. Both will be Portland Loos, which cost about $135,000 each, with another $40,000 to get them installed. 'The Portland Loo was created by the City of Portland, Oregon, which had this problem with open defecation and public urination, and they also had a significant homeless population,' Lowe said. 'A lot of public bathrooms are created either like, 'We've got to keep these homeless people out,' or, 'We're going to build it for the homeless people.' But the Portland Loo was designed for everybody.' The public toilets — built by Madden Fabrication — are large enough to take a baby stroller or a bicycle inside, she said. 'It's got potable water on the outside so everybody can use it to wash their hands or get drinking water,' Lowe said. 'And the bottom is open, so you can see if somebody is in distress in there.' But she cautioned that more public toilets alone won't solve the problem of open defecation. 'It's one part of the puzzle,' she said. 'You have more bathrooms. That gives more people more opportunities to, I'm not going to say make good choices, because there is no person who would be like, 'There's a bathroom, but I think I'll just go between these two parked cars.' Nobody is thinking that.' It's 'highly simplistic' to think adding more public toilets is going to solve the problem, 'but that is the core first step,' Lowe said. 'Obviously if somebody is having a difficult reaction to a drug or even food poisoning, it's not always going to go the way we hope it would go.' A poo-dunit: Who left the dog dumpings along White Rock's promenade? B.C. tenant who allegedly 'smeared feces on walls' won't have damage deposits returned, tribunal rules Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
National Post
16-05-2025
- General
- National Post
Vancouver streets are full of so much human waste they need 'poop fairies' to clean it up
Vancouver, renowned for its natural beauty and laid back lifestyle, has a human waste problem so bad that businesses have hired 'poop fairies' to speed the cleanup on city sidewalks. Article content Article content Dodging human and dog waste has become a real problem for pedestrians navigating the city's sidewalks, and it's not just a problem plaguing the Downtown Eastside. The city's own feces removal response program can't seem to keep up so business improvement districts have hired the 'poop fairies.' Article content Article content 'Everybody down here feels that you end up walking in stuff no matter where you go. So, basically, it's getting tracked around,' said Dave Hamm, vice president of the Vancouver Network of Drug Users, which counts about 3,000 people in its membership. Article content Article content 'What are you going to do? You give them their privacy,' Hamm said. 'It's in the alleys more than the sidewalk.' Article content 'It's one of the worst things down here that we have to put up with,' Hamm said of poop littering the ground. Article content Vancouver launched its feces removal program four years ago 'to address feces complaints submitted through 311 and to proactively patrol and collect feces in the Downtown and Downtown Eastside areas of Vancouver,' Doug Thomas, who speaks for the city, said in an email. Article content 'The program is run by Mission Possible under the city's street cleaning grant program,' Thomas said. Article content 'Mission Possible staff collect feces for proper disposal and sanitize affected areas with a disinfectant spray. Collection takes place weekdays across five Business Improvement Areas: Chinatown, Downtown east of Burrard, Strathcona, Gastown, and Hastings Crossing.' Article content Article content 'The issue is something we see throughout the downtown area,' said Walley Wargolet, executive director of the Gastown Business Improvement Society. Article content Article content Wargolet pegs a lot of the problem on 'folks not picking up after their dogs.' Article content His business improvement area and the neighbouring one in Hastings Crossing are both providing free bags for dog poop as a trial. Article content But he'd like to be able to test the collected feces to determine whether it came from a canine or human source. 'We're hoping someone will come up with an idea about that, because I'm sure that there's analysis that could be done.' Article content There are some public restrooms available in his area for people struggling with homelessness. 'But maybe not enough,' Wargolet said. 'We also know that some folks are just really severely mentally ill who cannot take care of themselves even if there's washrooms close by. In some cases, we've seen this, where there are (public toilets) but they're still not using them.' Article content The businesses have also hired Clean Start B.C., a non-profit social enterprise, which provides people, known as 'poop fairies,' to clean up the feces. 'We were Monday through Friday, but we moved that to Monday, Wednesday, Friday, just from a cost perspective,' Wargolet said, noting he's budgeted between $30,000 and $40,000 this year for the service.
Associated Press
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Dr. Juan P. Chisholm, Author of Mission Possible is recognized as a Distinguished Favorite Winner for Overall Excellence
Dr. Juan P. Chisholm, Author of Mission Possible is recognized as a 2025 Distinguished Favorite Winner from the Independent Press Award for Overall Excellence. 'It is an absolute honor to be recognized as a Distinguished Favorite Winner by the Independent Book Awards for overall excellence for my book, Mission Possible: How to Graduate from College Debt-Free.'— Dr. Juan P. Chisholm NEWARK, NJ, UNITED STATES, May 1, 2025 / / -- Dr. Juan P. Chisholm, Author of Mission Possible is recognized as a 2025 Distinguished Favorite Winner from the prestigious Independent Press Award for Overall Excellence. In a recent announcement, the highly-respected Independent Press Award named American author and Florida native, Dr. Juan Phillip Chisholm as a 2025 Distinguished Favorite Winner for his book, Mission Possible: How to Graduate from College Debt-Free. As such, on May 3rd, 2025, Dr. Juan Phillip Chisholm will be presented with a 2025 Distinguished Favorite medal for his win in the Young Adult Nonfiction category by Gabby Olczak, the 2025 Independent Press Award sponsor. The ceremony and dinner will celebrate both the NYC Big Book and Independent Press Award winners and favorites that attracts hundreds of authors and publishers from around the world to congregate in the states of New York and New Jersey for the occasion. Also, this incredible and remarkable accomplishment is also a testament to the impact of Mission Possible: How to Graduate from College Debt-Free as its message continues to positively impact the lives of college students, high school students planning to attend college, their respective parents, guardians, families, and others interested in pursuing a college education. In addition to this, the message of Mission Possible and its practical steps to follow to go to college and graduate debt-free (and/or as close to debt-free as possible) continue to be celebrated around the world as Mission Possible: How to Graduate From College Debt-Free has also been recognized by the Florida Book Awards, International Book Awards, Pencraft Book Awards, Paris Book Festival, the London Book Festival, the American Book Fest, and others as an inspirational and award-winning book. Additionally, its author, Dr. Juan P. Chisholm has also been recognized as both a Pencraft Book Award Winner for Literary Excellence and London Book Festival Winner as well as an International Book Award 'Finalist.' Dr. Chisholm has also been recognized for Mission Possible: How to Graduate from College Debt-Free in his home state of Florida by the Florida Book Awards when the book was initially published. 'It is an absolute honor to be recognized as a Distinguished Favorite Winner by the Independent Book Awards for overall excellence for my book, Mission Possible: How to Graduate from College Debt-Free. I feel incredibly blessed and honored to witness a book that I wrote be celebrated and read around the world. Thank you, Independent Press Award for this incredible recognition.' Copies of Mission Possible: How to Graduate from College Debt-Free can be purchased from Amazon, the Publisher's website ( ) and/or from the Graduate Debt-Free Club Online ( ). ABOUT DR. JUAN PHILLIP CHISHOLM Dr. Juan Phillip Chisholm is an eleven (11) time Internationally Acclaimed Award-Winning Author, Winner of the 2024 prestigious PenCraft Book Awards for Literary Excellence for Winter's Best Book for Young Adults, and a 2024 prestigious London Book Festival Award Winner in the 'How To' Category based on his book, Mission Possible: How to Graduate From College Debt-Free. Dr. Chisholm is also a proud recipient of a Bronze Medal from the Florida Book Awards and is an 'International Book Award Finalist' for Mission Possible. Dr. Chisholm has also received national recognition from the American Book Fest as a 'Finalist' for its Annual Best Book Awards in the College Guide category for his book, Mission Possible: How to Graduate From College Debt-Free. Additionally, Dr. Chisholm is an acclaimed business owner, teacher, investor, and motivational speaker. He has successfully completed the world-renowned Executive Education program in Strategic Finance for Smaller Businesses at the Harvard Business School in Boston. Dr. Juan P. Chisholm is also a proud graduate of Florida State University (FSU). After graduating from Florida State University, Dr. Chisholm earned his Law Degree from Florida A&M University College of Law in Orlando, Florida where he was the two-time recipient of the prestigious Percy R. Luney Spirit of Service Award. All of this was done debt-free. Dr. Juan Phillip Chisholm is also the Founder & Executive Director of the Graduate Debt-Free Club® ( ) and Young Investors®, Inc. ( ). Dr. Chisholm's goal is to use these organizations to educate high-school students, college students, their parents/guardians, and others about financial literacy and how it is possible to go to college and graduate from college debt-free. Additionally, Dr. Chisholm teaches interactive virtual classes online based on the topics of financial literacy, the stock-market, and ways to graduate from college debt-free at Dr. Chisholm is happily married to his amazing wife and best friend, Audrey K. Chisholm. They are the proud parents of four amazing children. Also, be sure to connect with and follow Dr. Chisholm on the following Social Media Platforms: -Facebook: Graduate Debt Free Club -LinkedIn: Juan Chisholm -Instagram: @ -TikTok: @ For press inquiries or media interview requests with Dr. Chisholm, contact his Publisher, Greenlight Books & Publishing, LLC at email address: [email protected]. ABOUT THE INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD The Independent Press Award is one of the most highly respected book award programs globally for independent authors, publishers, and illustrators. The competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers and professional copywriters. Selected Independent Press Award Winners and Distinguished Favorites are based on overall excellence. The Independent Press Award will recognize its winners and favorites on May 3rd 2025. Learn more about the Independent Press Award and its' upcoming Award Dinner at: For general information about the Independent Press Award, learn more about it on its website: Greenlight Books & Publishing, llc +1 407-591-1612 [email protected] Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Associated Press
10-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Apparo's Transformative 2025 Mission Possible Award Program Open for Nonprofit Registration
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 10, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Apparo opens their 2025 Mission Possible Award Program, a nonprofit accelerator sponsored by Accenture that takes nonprofits on ideation journeys to envision how technology can solve nonprofits' most pressing challenges. Mission Possible was launched to address Charlotte's economic mobility crisis, identified in research by Harvard economist Raj Chetty, which ranked the city last among major U.S. metro areas for upward mobility and the Triangle Area slightly above, at 48. Apparo created this program to drive systemic change and uplift economic mobility across our communities. Now open for the 2025 season, this program has equipped organizations with the frameworks to expand their impact and improve economic mobility. Each year, Mission Possible provides participants with strategic guidance from corporate skilled volunteers to create a proposal for a tech-based solution to maximize your organization's work, with two lucky organizations walking away with a $10,000 grant and up to an additional 50 hours of pro bono consulting. TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT OF MISSION POSSIBLE AWARD PROGRAM Hope Renovations, a North Carolina nonprofit providing hands-on training in construction trades for women and gender-expansive individuals, has transformed its workforce development program by implementing Canvas learning management system (LMS). This game-changing advancement was made possible through Apparo's Mission Possible Program. Hope Renovations, the 2023 Mission Possible winner, was seeking a solution to enhance training accessibility, engagement, and scalability. The organization provides a hands-on, construction-based workforce training program to help individuals secure jobs in the skilled trades, an industry facing a massive labor shortage. However, their previous training model relied heavily on in-person instruction, limiting how many participants they could serve and requiring significant administrative work to track progress. Through Mission Possible, Hope Renovations worked with Apparo and skilled Accenture consultants to implement Canvas LMS, a leading learning management system used in educational and professional training settings. With this technology-driven solution, the nonprofit has experienced measurable improvements, including: 40 Percent Reduction in Administrative Workload: Staff now spend significantly less time managing materials, tracking participant progress, and organizing lessons- more than 300 hours of staff time annually on cohort communications alone. Increased Trainee Engagement and Flexibility: With on-demand access to structured digital coursework, participants are more engaged and better prepared for hands-on learning. Trainees can review course materials at their own pace, making it easier to accommodate different learning styles and personal schedules. Enhanced Scalability: Hope Renovations can now train more participants at once, expanding access to life-changing career opportunities. In 2023, Hope Renovations had 3 cohorts; in 2024 they have 10, and they now have a goal of 20 cohorts for 2025, doubling their service in cohort programs. 'This experience with Apparo has been a huge win for Hope Renovations,' said Sarah Campbell, Vice President of Training of Hope Renovations. 'Technology can be something that really hinders nonprofit growth, efficiency, and productivity. For a nonprofit, hindered productivity directly impacts people's lives so this type of work is incredibly valuable and sets nonprofits up for future success. I appreciate Apparo seeing the nonprofit need, filling the knowledge gap, and being there to support us.' The shift to a hybrid training model, enabled by Canvas, aligns with Hope Renovations' broader goal: to increase access to sustainable careers for individuals facing barriers to employment. With this new system in place, the organization can expand its reach beyond North Carolina, providing more individuals with the skills they need to succeed in construction and skilled trades. Hope Renovations' success demonstrates the power of technology to transform nonprofit operations and create profound, sustainable impact. Through Mission Possible, Apparo partners with nonprofits with potential for growth and provides them with customized technology solutions, expert guidance, and hands-on corporate volunteer support. 'We know that technology can be the key to breaking down barriers to economic mobility,' said Kim Lanphear, CEO of Apparo. 'Mission Possible exists to ensure that nonprofits like Hope Renovations have the digital tools they need to expand their impact and help more people build better futures.' 'Canvas makes our training more professional and efficient. It instills confidence in our trainees, staff, and community partners. Growth is necessary to continue fulfilling our mission, and we couldn't achieve this growth without a tool like this,' said Sarah Campbell, Hope Renovations Vice President of Training. 'I felt so supported by Apparo and Accenture and am so appreciative of everyone who was involved in the Mission Possible process.' Since its inception in 2017, Mission Possible—led by Apparo and Accenture—has supported nonprofits in streamlining operations, improving efficiencies, and scaling their services, proving that investing in nonprofit technology is an investment in stronger communities. Nonprofits interested in Mission Possible 2025 can learn more and apply today through March 7 at About Apparo: Apparo is a Charlotte-based 501(c)(3) organization that empowers nonprofits through technology and business process improvements and corporate volunteer partnerships that enhance capacity, amplify nonprofit missions, and create profound community impact. Learn more and get involved at NEWS SOURCE: Apparo Keywords: NonProfit and Charities, Apparo Mission Possible, Accenture, Apparo nonprofit technology, Mission Possible grant, Economic mobility, Charlotte Corporate skilled volunteering, Nonprofit technology funding, CHARLOTTE, N.C. Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P123934 AP-R15TBLLI
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MLK Prayer Breakfast set Feb. 1, Dr. Jason Banister guest speaker
MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (KFOR) – The Midwest City Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer BreakfastCommittee is gearing up to host the 28th Anniversary Celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday at the Reed Conference Center. Attendees can expect a program celebrating and honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his unwavering commitment to equality, justice, and unity, says MLK Prayer Breakfast Committee leaders. The Theme for 2025 is Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence365′. Petition started for body cameras on jailers inside OK County Jail Event leaders say, the theme defines the 2025 King Holiday Observance events and programming while serving as a compass for all the work planned in the upcoming year and beyond. Guest speaker for the scheduled 2025 event is Dr. Jason Banister, a decorated Army veteran, who has received numerous awards and citations for his military service. One of his most notable accolades Dr. Banister received came from President Barack Obama who presented Dr. Banister with the Presidential Legacy Lifetime Achievement Award. The event will also include an awards ceremony highlighting the Mrs. Clara Luper Community Services Award Recipient that will be presented to Mrs. Joyce Henderson, a retired educator and civil rights activist. Two scholarship awards will focus on outstanding students, Ms. Jacqelyn Brown, Senior with a 4.1 GPA, Carl Albert High School, and Mr. Makisi Tulikihskau, Senior with a 3.7 GPA, Carl Albert High School. Following the Prayer Breakfast attendees are invited to attend a Silent March Program starting at 12:30 p.m. at the St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral, 127 NW 7th Street, and the MLK Holiday Paradestarting at 2:00 p.m. running from Northwest 6th Walker to Reno. Details: Date: Feb 1, 2025 (Saturday)Time: 7:30 Reed Conference Center- Sheraton HotelAddress: 5750 Will Rogers Road Midwest City, OK 73110 For additional information regarding sponsorships, and volunteer opportunities, please contact: Anthony R. Douglas, Chair (405) 427-8000, or Heather Graham, Secretary (405) 249-1091. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
