News
Join us for our AGM!
Wednesday, September 11, 6 - 8pm, Haviland Club
Please join PEERS Alliance for our Annual General Meeting! The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is when folks can get updates on the work of PEERS Alliance from April 1 2023 through March 31 2024. There will be audited financial statements presented, and members will elect some new board members.
We are also including notice of bylaw changes that will be passed during the meeting - you can read about those changes here!
Email info@peersalliance.ca with any questions!
We bought a building!
In February of this year, the PEERS Alliance board made the significant decision to move towards the purchase the building we have been renting since 2021. The deal closed in June, and we're thrilled to be able to share this achievement with our community!
Many will remember the "Linking Together" project that spanned 2018-2020, which envisioned a community centre for the 2SLGBTQ+ community in PEI. With the COVID19 pandemic, these dreams seemed much further away. Since PEERS Alliance moved to 250B Queen Street, we have made it our own, installed a full kitchen, and made the most of the program space we have. Other community groups also use our space for meetings, gatherings, and performances (like the PEI Fringe Festival). Downtown Charlottetown is an increasingly expensive place to rent, and as there are no restrictions on commercial leases, we are reassured that PEERS Alliance and PEI's 2SLGBTQ+ community will always have a home here.
This achievement was barely conceivable 30 years ago when AIDS PEI was founded. This purchase ensures that the funds for the downpayment were ethically invested. Choosing instead to put these funds into an investment portfolio would have meant supporting unethical industries such as weapons manufacturing and sales and unethical mining industries worldwide.
We are very lucky that the building continues to house a federal government tenant, which will help pay the mortgage. However, we plan to launch a capital fundraising campaign to help pay off the mortgage! Stay tuned or make a donation.
Updates
Queer Fantasy Ball
Join us for a magical evening at the Queer Fantasy Ball on October 12th, 2024! From 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM at the Beaconsfield Carriage House, we'll be celebrating with dancing, joy, and light refreshments.
This event is open to everyone ages 19+ and is a dry event (no alcohol). Come dressed in your most fabulous fantasy attire—whatever dream you want to bring to life! Costumes are encouraged, but not required.
When: October 12th, 2024 from 7:00 to 9:30 pm
Where: Beaconsfield Carriage House, 2 Kent Street
Register: The event is free, but please register here so we know how many folks to expect!
In partnership with Pride PEI
Programming
Fall Programming is Starting Back Up!
People often ask how they can get involved and contribute to 2SLGBTQ+ programming and community. One of the best things you can do is to show up and participate in our 2SLGBTQ+ programs and events in a way that makes them welcoming, fun, and supportive spaces for everyone. Consider this an invitation to come and help make community happen!
Rainbow Youth Club ages 12 - 18: Starts back up Charlottetown on September 10 & in Summerside on October 1.
Queer Youth Writing Club ages 12 - 18: Starts back up in Charlottetown on September 23.
2SLGBGTQ+ Adult Drop In ages 18+: Starts back up in Charlottetown on September 18 & in Summerside on September 27.
Roots & Shoots for parents + caregivers and youth under 12: Starts back up in Charlottetown on September 25 and in Summerside on September 17.
Buds: Trans Adult Peer Support Program for ages 18+: Starts back up in Charlottetown on September 26.
Stay tuned for our HIV Awareness Campaign launching this October!
The HIV Awareness Campaign is a comprehensive initiative aimed at raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, promoting HIV self-testing, and fostering community support for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The campaign is strategically planned to span from late October to early December 2024, culminating in World AIDS Day on December 1st.
Harm Reduction
Recap: International Overdose Awareness Day
We had the pleasure of hosting two events again this year in honour of International Overdose Awareness Day! Our Summerside event happened under the August sunshine in Memorial Park and consisted of meet and greets, education and training opportunities, memorial opportunities, and more. Our Charlottetown event offered similar things to Summerside but also included an open house of our Grafton Street office space! Office tours occurred for community members to see our FTIR spectrometer in real life. Great conversations were had, honouring those we have lost to overdose, about new drug-checking technology, and how we can support our community. We were blown away by the level of solidarity we witnessed, again this year. Thank you to all of those who attended, signed on our letter campaign, or simply reflected in private. Together we can 💜
Details:
- Attendees: 100 individuals attended at least one of our events
- Trained in Naloxone: 19 NEW individuals trained in Naloxone
- Lots of cupcakes consumed
- Lots of materials were distributed.
- Lots of letters were signed between our online campaign and in-person! Some individuals even took letters to go and mail on their own.
Lower-Barrier Drug Checking Service
PEERS Alliance is working with our partners at the Department of Health to implement a lower-barrier drug checking service using an FTIR Spectrometer!
What does this mean? Individuals who consume substances can connect with our Harm Reduction Staff to submit a small sample of their substance to be analyzed by a trained technician.
FTIR technologies can identify the various components in a sample, including a percent range of active ingredients. Does your cocaine have caffeine? Your heroin have benzodiazepines? Let us tell you!
These drug checking services can identify impurities, unexpected additives, or substitutions, allowing people who use substances to make more informed decisions when it comes to their consumption.
Drug checking services play a pivotal role in harm reduction strategies, fostering open communication between service providers and people who consume substances. By prioritizing safety over judgement, drug checking services aim to minimize the negative consequences associated with drug use, promoting a more informed approach within the broader community. Ultimately, the integration of FTIR spectrometry in drug checking services operated by PEERS serves as a proactive measure to mitigate the potential harms associated with substance use.
Interested in getting a sample tested or for more information? Contact Tessa Rogers at tessa@peersalliance.ca.