WISH Drop-In Centre is a four-star charity with average results reporting and reasonable overhead spending. With its current reserves, it can cover around five months of annual program spending. 

Established in 1984, WISH Drop-in Centre (WISH), is a charity which aims to help people who are involved in Vancouver’s street-based sex trade.  Its programs are open to cis and trans women, as well as non-binary and Two Spirit people. In F2022 the charity published a report titled By Us, For Us, presenting data gathered from surveying 239 street-based Vancouver sex workers. In the report, the charity states that 80% of street-based sex workers are homeless or precariously housed and that they are seven times more likely to face a violent death. WISH aims to be a safe space for street-based sex workers in Vancouver, offering shelter, food, showers, and personal care items.

WISH Drop-in Centre has three main programs: the Drop-in Centre, the WISH shelter, and the Mobile Access Project (MAP).

In F2022, the Drop-In Centre made up 33% of total program spending. The Drop-in Centre is a safe space for sex workers to receive a hot meal, use showers and have access to basic personal care items. The charity reports that on average 330 to 350 people use the Drop-in Centre every night and day. It reports that it serves 9,000 meals every month. The Drop-in Centre is also equipped with a health clinic, which has 20 visits per month.

The WISH shelter received 22% of total funding. The shelter was opened in October 2020. It provides beds for 23 sex working people. As of F2022, crash beds were used more than 1,100 times. WISH reports that since opening, 119 people used the shelter. Out of this, 6 people were placed in longer term housing. The average length of stay was 105 days.

MAP made up 15% of total program spending. The MAP Van drives around Vancouver to provide outreach services to street-based sex workers. It provides beverages and health supplies as well as referring participants to emergency shelters and health care services.  WISH reports that in F2022, around 800 women were seen per month. It helped with 240 overdose preventions and response shifts per month. In F2021, the charity gave out a total of 28,947 in food items and drinks, 58,364 sterile needles, 23,320 condoms and 519 Narcan kits. In that same year it was involved in more than 10,419 interactions with sex workers.

Other programs that WISH funds include the Outdoor Respite area (11%) and the Astoria washroom (9%). The Outdoor Respite area includes a 5-toilet washroom trailer available to all street-based sex workers. In F2022, WISH accepted the contract to run operations at the Astoria washroom. The charity also offers other additional services like Supportive Employment and Transition services, Music Therapy, the Learning Centre and the Indigenous Health and Safety program.

WISH Drop-In Centre is a small charity that had donations of $762k in F2022. The charity received $4.4m in grants from the government which is 80% of total revenues. It received grants from the federal government, the province of British Columbia, and the City of Vancouver.

Administrative costs are 12% of revenues (less investment income) and fundraising costs are 18% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 30%. For every dollar donated, 70 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. 

WISH has $2.1m in reserve funds. These are WISH’s cash and investments. The charity has 39% or around 5 months of annual program costs covered by its current reserves.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to WISH Drop-In Centre for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. 

Updated on June 12, 2023 by Alessandra Castino.