Calgary’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness is making a difference in the lives of a vast array of individuals, from teens to the elderly. While the causes of homelessness vary, the cost is dire.
Richard McKinnon, a 60-year-old former horse groomer, lost his job as well as his home in 2003 to an addiction to gambling. Without enough money for deposits on an apartment, McKinnon found shelter at the Calgary Drop-In Centre. He had not been able to save enough funds for his own place until he became acquainted with the Calgary Urban Project Society.
McKinnon’s road to stability has been paved with obstacles. He continued to gamble, and skipped two rent payments in 2010. He realized the severity of his problem, and participated in a program sponsored by the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission. He kept his apartment.
As of Year Three of the 10-Year Plan, some 2,300 people have received housing that was funded by the Calgary Homeless Foundation. Programs similar to the 10-Year Plan have sprung up in Reed Deer and Edmonton. The provincial government has also launched an initiative that is comparable to it.
One of the goals of the plan is that by the end of January in 2018, the average homeless shelter stay will be down to one week. At present, 62 percent of the people who go to the Calgary Drop-In Centre stay there for three weeks. In 2009, that percentage was 89 percent.
Tim Richter, Calgary Homeless Foundation’s CEO, said that the focus needs to be placed upon people who are chronically homeless, because more than half of any given shelter’s capacity is occupied by people who stay there indefinitely. He noted that if permanent housing can be found for extended-stay shelter residents, the length of stays for other residents could be cut significantly.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Recent Comments