A new non-profit group will share its plan tomorrow to help the homeless by connecting Olympics visitors with British Columbians who wish to host them in their homes.

Founders of Home for the Games will unveil the details at a press conference to be held Wednesday morning. However, The Tyee, which is a founding media sponsor of the project, knows this much about the basic elements of the program:

a) Locals who wish to host an Olympics visitor in their homes can work through Home for the Games to find a good match.

b) The visitor pays the local a reasonable rate.

c) The proceeds go to charities that help the homeless.

The idea is elegantly simple, and if it succeeds, may offer a model for other cities looking for social benefits from hosting major events.

Home for the Games was conceived by writer Charles Montgomery and his East Vancouver housemates, who intend to host an Olympics visitor in February. Montgomery and others involved with Home for the Games will be on hand at tomorrow’s press conference to explain how the idea came about, who is behind it, which politicians have already endorsed it, and how locals and visitors can benefit from cultural exchange while making positive change.

Also at the press conference, the Home for the Games website will be described and the charities to receive proceeds will be named.

Letting the public know about the project will be key to its success. All news media outlets are invited to attend the press conference, which begins which begins Wednesday at 10 am at an East Vancouver site. Contact [email protected] for a media kit.

The Tyee will be there to learn and report, and will publish a more in-depth article about the project on Thursday morning.