DayHomes Society
Welcome to DayHomes Society.
DayHomes Society is a registered non-profit serving the Oceanside community through outreach, food support, service navigation, housing-focused coordination, and community-based programming.
Rooted in dignity, consistency, and lived understanding, DayHomes works alongside individuals experiencing homelessness, poverty, housing instability, food insecurity, and barriers to care. Our work is grounded in relationship, practical support, and the belief that every person deserves safety, respect, and a pathway forward.
Today, DayHomes Society continues to grow as both a frontline service and a community coordination partner. Through weekly outreach, veteran-focused programming, shelter coordination, and active leadership within the Oceanside Homeless Task Force Board and Oceanside Community Action Team, we are helping strengthen local responses and bring needed resources into our region.
Our purpose is simple: show up, build trust, bridge gaps, and leave the community better than we found it.
DayHomes Society is a registered non-profit serving the Oceanside community through outreach, food support, service navigation, housing-focused coordination, and community-based programming.
Rooted in dignity, consistency, and lived understanding, DayHomes works alongside individuals experiencing homelessness, poverty, housing instability, food insecurity, and barriers to care. Our work is grounded in relationship, practical support, and the belief that every person deserves safety, respect, and a pathway forward.
Today, DayHomes Society continues to grow as both a frontline service and a community coordination partner. Through weekly outreach, veteran-focused programming, shelter coordination, and active leadership within the Oceanside Homeless Task Force Board and Oceanside Community Action Team, we are helping strengthen local responses and bring needed resources into our region.
Our purpose is simple: show up, build trust, bridge gaps, and leave the community better than we found it.
Trusted Leadership. Frontline Experience. Community Accountability.
Trusted Leadership. Frontline Experience. Community Accountability.
DayHomes Society is built on lived understanding, frontline experience, and a deep commitment to the Oceanside community. Our work is guided by dignity, consistency, respect, and the belief that meaningful change happens when people are met with compassion and practical support.
Led by Founder Shayla Day, DayHomes brings together years of experience in non-profit service, outreach, community development, emergency response, peer support, and systems navigation. What began as a grassroots effort to meet basic needs has grown into a registered non-profit contributing to frontline outreach, funded programming, shelter coordination, and regional community leadership.
DayHomes continues to strengthen its role in Oceanside through active service, transparent partnerships, and accountable leadership. We are proud to work alongside community members, service providers, local businesses, funders, and regional partners to help bridge gaps and improve support for those facing homelessness, poverty, housing instability, food insecurity, and barriers to care.
DayHomes Society is built on lived understanding, frontline experience, and a deep commitment to the Oceanside community. Our work is guided by dignity, consistency, respect, and the belief that meaningful change happens when people are met with compassion and practical support.
Led by Founder Shayla Day, DayHomes brings together years of experience in non-profit service, outreach, community development, emergency response, peer support, and systems navigation. What began as a grassroots effort to meet basic needs has grown into a registered non-profit contributing to frontline outreach, funded programming, shelter coordination, and regional community leadership.
DayHomes continues to strengthen its role in Oceanside through active service, transparent partnerships, and accountable leadership. We are proud to work alongside community members, service providers, local businesses, funders, and regional partners to help bridge gaps and improve support for those facing homelessness, poverty, housing instability, food insecurity, and barriers to care.
MEET THE BOARD MEMBERS
Shayla Day— Founder / CEOShayla brings more than
fifteen years of experience in the non-profit, social development, outreach, emergency response, and community service sectors. Her work is grounded in lived experience, frontline knowledge, and a commitment to building stronger, more accountable support systems in Oceanside.
Gabrielle Langlois-Morin— Vice President
Gabrielle is a dedicated frontline professional with a strong background in community-based support. Known for her patience, compassion, and steady approach, she brings care, sincerity, and a deep commitment to serving individuals with dignity and respect.
Kelsie Zelizney— Treasurer
Kelsie brings frontline experience across multiple communities and service settings. She is passionate about supporting vulnerable individuals, strengthening local connections, and contributing to meaningful community-based solutions..
Shawn Wood—Secretary
Shawn is the Founder of the Emily Ann Foundation, providing support and resources to terminal cancer patients and their families. He brings strong values, community commitment, and a heart for service to the DayHomes Society board.
The proposed temporary winter shelter is moving through the City of Parksville’s Temporary Use Permit (TUP) process. We will be presenting the proposal to City Council on Tuesday, September 9, at 1PM, and community support is incredibly important as Council considers the next steps.
The proposal is for a small, temporary winter shelter offering up to 10 pre-booked overnight spaces for people experiencing homelessness in Oceanside. The program includes trained staff, clear operating procedures, a Good Neighbour Agreement, strict safety and accountability measures, regular program reviews, and ongoing communication with the surrounding community.
If you support this much-needed temporary winter shelter, please consider writing a short letter to Parksville City Council. It does not need to be lengthy, even one or two sentences written in your own words can make a meaningful difference.
**Send your letter of support to:****[council@parksville.ca](mailto:council@parksville.ca)**
Please include your name, your connection to the Oceanside community, and why you believe a temporary winter shelter is needed.
You can also meet the proposed operator, learn more about the shelter model, ask questions, and review the plans at our upcoming Community Information Session. September 23, Wednesday 5pm-7pm @ Shelly Hall: 186 Shelly Rd, Parksville, BC.
The proposal is for a small, temporary winter shelter offering up to 10 pre-booked overnight spaces for people experiencing homelessness in Oceanside. The program includes trained staff, clear operating procedures, a Good Neighbour Agreement, strict safety and accountability measures, regular program reviews, and ongoing communication with the surrounding community.
If you support this much-needed temporary winter shelter, please consider writing a short letter to Parksville City Council. It does not need to be lengthy, even one or two sentences written in your own words can make a meaningful difference.
**Send your letter of support to:****[council@parksville.ca](mailto:council@parksville.ca)**
Please include your name, your connection to the Oceanside community, and why you believe a temporary winter shelter is needed.
You can also meet the proposed operator, learn more about the shelter model, ask questions, and review the plans at our upcoming Community Information Session. September 23, Wednesday 5pm-7pm @ Shelly Hall: 186 Shelly Rd, Parksville, BC.
Operation Homefront Oceanside
Operation Homefront Oceanside is a 12-month veteran outreach, navigation, and housing stability program delivered by DayHomes Society with funding through United Way British Columbia’s Veterans Homelessness Program.
The program supports local veterans who are experiencing homelessness, at risk of losing their housing, or disconnected from the services and benefits available to them. Our goal is to meet veterans where they are, build trust, and help remove the barriers that can make accessing support difficult.
Our Outreach Team Lead is active in the Oceanside community Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.** Outreach is provided throughout Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Nanoose Bay, Coombs, Errington, French Creek, Bowser, and surrounding communities. Monthly rural outreach and drop-in opportunities will also help ensure veterans outside the main service centres are not overlooked.
Support may include:
* Housing navigation and homelessness prevention* Connection to veterans’ benefits and financial assistance* Healthcare, mental health, and substance-use referrals* Food security and transportation support* Community service navigation and advocacy* Life-skills, wellness, and social connection opportunities
Veterans do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. Whether someone needs immediate assistance, help understanding available benefits, support completing applications, or simply a trusted person to help identify the next step, Operation Homefront Oceanside is here to connect them with the right resources.
Call or text: 778-674-0535Email: oceansidedayhomes@gmail.com
Our Outreach Team Lead is active in the Oceanside community Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.** Outreach is provided throughout Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Nanoose Bay, Coombs, Errington, French Creek, Bowser, and surrounding communities. Monthly rural outreach and drop-in opportunities will also help ensure veterans outside the main service centres are not overlooked.
Support may include:
* Housing navigation and homelessness prevention* Connection to veterans’ benefits and financial assistance* Healthcare, mental health, and substance-use referrals* Food security and transportation support* Community service navigation and advocacy* Life-skills, wellness, and social connection opportunities
Veterans do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. Whether someone needs immediate assistance, help understanding available benefits, support completing applications, or simply a trusted person to help identify the next step, Operation Homefront Oceanside is here to connect them with the right resources.
Call or text: 778-674-0535Email: oceansidedayhomes@gmail.com
OCEANSIDE HOMELESS TASK FORCE
Community Shelter Coordination & Connection
DayHomes Society is committed to strengthening community coordination around shelter, homelessness, and local support systems across Oceanside. Our online whiteboard was created as a shared space for community members, service providers, businesses, and local partners to come together, ask questions, share ideas, explore solutions, and stay informed on conversations that matter.
Whether you are looking to learn more, offer support, take action, or simply stay connected, this collaborative space is open to everyone. It is a place to encourage discussion, improve communication, and help bridge gaps in awareness, access, and coordination across our district.
We believe meaningful change happens when communities work together. By creating a more open and connected space for discussion, we can better support those who are underprivileged, unhoused, or living rough in our region.
Below is the link to join our online whiteboard and be part of the conversation.
Two Years Serving Oceanside!
Thank-you for allowing us the privilege. #grateful
As of March 11, over the past two years, DayHomes Society has continued to grow alongside the community, strengthening relationships, expanding support, and showing up where it matters most.
Community Reach
We are honoured to have supported 118 unique individuals through our weekly Sunday service, creating a consistent, welcoming space for connection, essential supports, and community care.
Leadership & Collaboration
DayHomes is proud to contribute to regional coordination efforts through active leadership roles, including Co-Chair of the Oceanside Community Action Team (OCAT) and Chair of the Oceanside Homeless Task Force Board—working in partnership with dedicated organizations across the region to strengthen local responses to homelessness.
Ongoing Learning & Capacity Building
Our commitment to growth continues through the successful completion of sector-relevant training, including courses from the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, FEMA, and other leading learning platforms focused on housing, emergency response, and community development.
Interested in accessing similar training opportunities? Please find below links to free online learning opportunities. If you have questions, feel free to reach out, we’re always happy to help you get started.
Overview
DayHomes Society is proud to serve the Oceanside community through our weekly Sunday outreach, where we are currently feeding an average of 20 people each week on a budget of zero. This work continues because of local collaboration, community care, and the willingness of businesses and supporters to help bridge critical gaps for individuals facing homelessness, housing instability, poverty, and food insecurity.
Our new monthly menu sponsorship model was created to bring greater consistency, dignity, and reliability to this service. A shared meal does more than fill a stomach, it creates connection, builds trust, and reminds people they are not forgotten. When our community comes together, real impact happens.
We are deeply grateful to the local sponsors helping make this possible and proud to continue building partnerships that strengthen support across Oceanside.
SPONSORSHIP & COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
Coming together, to feed the people.
OUR MONTHLY MENU SPONSORSHIP MODEL INCLUDES:
- Weekly Sunday outreach serving an average of 20 people
- A rotating monthly food sponsorship menu
- Community-based partnerships with local businesses
- Support that helps bridge gaps in food insecurity and hardship
- A consistent, welcoming space for connection and care
Power of Stewardship Qualicum Beach Civic Centre
We were grateful to attend the Power of Stewardship gathering at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, a meaningful morning centered on connection, learning, and community. The event brought people together in recognition of International Mother Language Day, with local speakers and stewardship voices sharing ways we can better care for the places we live, gather, and call home.
Chaplain JeRrold from Manna Homeless Society Speaking at Knox Church
We were also grateful to attend an evening at Knox Church featuring Chaplain Jerrold from Manna Homeless Society speaking on homelessness in Parksville. It was a valuable opportunity to listen, learn, connect with new faces in the community, and continue building ideas around how we move forward together in supporting those most impacted.
Ukraine Gathering at Harvest Church
With complete gratitude, we stood alongside community members at Harvest Church in recognition of four years of resilience, four years of strength, and four years of standing together. It was a meaningful time to honor lives impacted, to recognize and encourage those affected, and to stand in solidarity with Ukraine and with members of our own community who carry this close to heart. In a world that can feel heavy, showing up still matters. Community still matters. Hope still matters.
This past Christmas season in Oceanside was a powerful reminder of what can happen when community shows up, not just in words, but in action.
Over the holidays, individuals, organizations, businesses, and volunteers came together to support our neighbours who needed it most. From OCAT members and peer support workers, to community partners like SOS and Ricky’s All Day Grill, and so many others in between, it was truly a collective effort rooted in compassion, dignity, and care.
What stood out most wasn’t just the meals served or the supplies shared, it was the people. The volunteers who consistently show up. The peer workers walking alongside individuals with lived experience. The partners who step in without hesitation. The quiet helpers behind the scenes making sure things run smoothly. Every contribution mattered, whether big or small.
Christmas in Oceanside reminded us that community isn’t defined by a single organization or service, it's defined by people choosing to care for one another. It’s built through collaboration, mutual respect, and the understanding that no one should be left behind, especially during the holidays.
DayHomes is deeply grateful to everyone who played a role in making this season one of connection and support. Your time, energy, and generosity made a real difference, and we carry that spirit forward into the year ahead.
From all of us at DayHomes, thank you for showing up, for standing together, and for proving once again that Oceanside is strongest when we act as one.
Over the holidays, individuals, organizations, businesses, and volunteers came together to support our neighbours who needed it most. From OCAT members and peer support workers, to community partners like SOS and Ricky’s All Day Grill, and so many others in between, it was truly a collective effort rooted in compassion, dignity, and care.
What stood out most wasn’t just the meals served or the supplies shared, it was the people. The volunteers who consistently show up. The peer workers walking alongside individuals with lived experience. The partners who step in without hesitation. The quiet helpers behind the scenes making sure things run smoothly. Every contribution mattered, whether big or small.
Christmas in Oceanside reminded us that community isn’t defined by a single organization or service, it's defined by people choosing to care for one another. It’s built through collaboration, mutual respect, and the understanding that no one should be left behind, especially during the holidays.
DayHomes is deeply grateful to everyone who played a role in making this season one of connection and support. Your time, energy, and generosity made a real difference, and we carry that spirit forward into the year ahead.
From all of us at DayHomes, thank you for showing up, for standing together, and for proving once again that Oceanside is strongest when we act as one.
Honored by Jane’s Purple Chair Fundraiser
DayHomes Society is deeply honored to have been selected as the beneficiary of Jane’s Purple Chair Fundraiser at Oceanside Stylists & Barber Shoppe, held in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD).
Every August, Jane courageously shares her son’s story by placing her purple chair in the community, sparking conversations about overdose and remembrance. Through this act of love and advocacy, she invites others to contribute and honor the lives lost to substance use. This year, Jane chose to direct the proceeds toward DayHomes Society, supporting our programs that provide food, essentials, and compassionate care to vulnerable individuals and families in Oceanside.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Jane, the Oceanside Stylists team, and every community member who donated. Your generosity strengthens our ability to meet urgent needs while continuing to build connection, stability, and hope.
On August 31st, DayHomes Society was honoured to take part in International Overdose Awareness Day here in Oceanside. We joined community partners and advocates at an event that was both solemn and hopeful, remembering those we’ve lost, supporting those still struggling, and standing together against stigma.
We were deeply moved to share the space with so many committed voices, including MLA Stephanie Higginson, MP Gord Johns, Councillor Sean Wood, Councillor Sylvia Martin, Moms Stop the Harm, and members of the Oceanside Community Action Team (OCAT). Their presence reminded us that overdose is not just a statistic — it’s a community issue that calls for leadership, compassion, and action at every level.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table to connect, gather resources, and share in fellowship. Together, we carry forward the message that support saves lives, hope is possible, and no one walks this journey alone.
We were deeply moved to share the space with so many committed voices, including MLA Stephanie Higginson, MP Gord Johns, Councillor Sean Wood, Councillor Sylvia Martin, Moms Stop the Harm, and members of the Oceanside Community Action Team (OCAT). Their presence reminded us that overdose is not just a statistic — it’s a community issue that calls for leadership, compassion, and action at every level.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table to connect, gather resources, and share in fellowship. Together, we carry forward the message that support saves lives, hope is possible, and no one walks this journey alone.
DayHomes Society is excited to announce that we’ve been awarded one of the OCAT-$1000 Grants! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
At DayHomes Society, we are committed to making the world a better place than we found it. We stand strong in our values and lead by example, always striving for positive change. This grant helps us further our mission, but we know that true transformation comes when we come together as a community.
Though there is much to be done, we are proud to be among those who stand tall on the frontlines, lighting the way through the darkest times. Together, we can create an environment full of opportunity, growth, and change for all.
Thank you Oceanside Community Action Team!
At DayHomes Society, we are committed to making the world a better place than we found it. We stand strong in our values and lead by example, always striving for positive change. This grant helps us further our mission, but we know that true transformation comes when we come together as a community.
Though there is much to be done, we are proud to be among those who stand tall on the frontlines, lighting the way through the darkest times. Together, we can create an environment full of opportunity, growth, and change for all.
Thank you Oceanside Community Action Team!
The City of Parksville is declining our Oceanside district a cold-wet-weather shelter. Find DayHomes alongside other non-profits as we protest every Friday at 1:00pm in front of City Hall (100 Jensen Ave E, Parksville)
Chek news was there, to read the full story clink the link...
https://cheknews.ca/parksville-protesters-ask-city-for-a-winter-shelter-for-the-unhoused-1218780/
Launched December 01st and quicky filling up, DayHomes Society is bringing communities together by bridging the gaps of services for those struggling to make ends meet.
This new program, “Adopt-a-Week”, is an opportunity for Oceanside residents to sponsor one week in the calendar month for $50 and feed 20 people.
The sponsors’ family name, or whichever name is given with the donation, will go next to that week’s meal. “…this week’s meal brought to you by, The Smith’s.”
Update: A tremendous amount of support poured in, with multiple families stepping up to help bridge the service gaps we face here in Oceanside. We want to thank each and every one of you for showing up, getting involved, and taking on responsibilities to keep the connection alive!
DayHomes summer program, “Tourist Food”, was a huge success with many participants from all over the world, that were here visiting our beautiful Oceanside.
DayHomes wants to thank everyone that was involved, and we will see you again next year!
Remember! DayHomes takes food donations year-round, so if you know of food that needs a new home, don’t hesitate to reach out, and well get back to you within 24 hours.
SUMMER UPDATES-2024
We are so proud and thankful for the continuous work we get to do in our community by making connections for our residents to access neighboring resources such as SOS, Maana Van, Island Health, The Ministry, and Risebridge. As well as being the middle ground for those who are looking to help others but don’t quite know the next right step to be of service to those that need it most.
Assisting with applications to Supportive Housing Units, Income Assistance and PWD procedures, transportation to and from important appointments, and much needed Mental Health check-ins that really are echoing the strengthening of the community we are trying to provide.
DayHomes is beyond proud to announce we have served over 1,500 meals since hitting the streets in April! Building and creating multiple pilot programs, one being the very popular “Smoked Meat Day”, where we teamed up with Folk Art Farm, a locally run business and fed over 40 people that day!
Want to get connected?? Got questions, concerns? Ideas? Or just want to chat/debate what/where/how we can better service our community. Then call/text/email DayHomes, we’ll answer, and listen.
DayHomes wants to thank everyone who helped support us in our first fundraiser!!