NEW FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN TACKLES HOMELESSNESS IN GUELPH

MONEY RAISED WILL HELP COMPLETE AND MAINTAIN THREE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECTS

Guelph and Wellington County are just $5 million away from being able to cut their population of individuals experiencing homelessness in half.

"We are, in fact, 80 per cent of the way there," Guelph Community Foundation executive director Chris Willard told a crowd gathered in the Shelldale Centre's gymnasium on Thursday morning, May 12.

The crowd, which included municipal government representatives and business and community leaders from various organizations, was there to attend a community discussion on homelessness. The discussion — featuring Onward Willow neighbourhood resident Kim Richer, Skyline Group of Companies co-founder Jason Ashdown and Wyndham House program director Kristen Cairney — was followed by the launch of the $5-million Home for Good fundraising campaign aimed at reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness by 50 per cent and continuing to work toward ending homelessness.

"We know empathetic leadership and generosity in this community runs deep," said Willard. "We can do more than provide temporary solutions to homelessness ... We can end homelessness."

The campaign, which is being co-led by the Guelph Community Foundation (GCF) and the United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin, is initially focused on raising the money required to complete three supportive housing projects in Guelph.

They include Stepping Stone's project to convert the former Parkview motel into Grace Gardens permanent supportive housing;

Bellevue, Wyndham House's youth-centred supportive housing project; and the Kindle Communities project that is planned for the Willow Road neighbourhood on land donated by Skyline.

"Combined, these three projects will house 72 people in our community," said local United Way executive director Glenna Banda.

Most of the $24.3 million needed for the three projects has already been

pledged by various levels of government. Support has also come from other sources, including the land donation from Skyline valued at $1.7million.

"Today, we're asking our community to get us to the finish line," said Willard.

In addition to funding the completion of these projects, Willard said a portion of the money raised through the capital campaign would be set aside to establish a reserve fund for future maintenance and updates. Another share of the money would also go toward establishing a fund that could be used should new housing solutions arise.

"Often, these opportunities come by surprise," said Willard.

The conversation that preceded the campaign launch announcement covered a variety of topics, including myths related to homelessness, stigma surrounding homelessness and causes of homelessness. But much of the discussion came back to the need for a system of supportive housing to help people overcome homelessness.

"People don't realize the amount of work that goes into just trying to get your basic needs met when you're homeless," said Cairney.

"Sometimes the system is overwhelming," said Richer, who told of having experienced homelessness first-hand in the 1990s.

"When you're in survival mode, a lot of those things that you think just come naturally, they don't," said Richer.

Even when a person who was homeless gets shelter, it can feel precarious, she said, noting the value of housing that is "permanent" with supports in place to help people learn skills and get help they need to possibly become more independent.

"I love the idea of permanent supportive housing," Richer said.

"We cannot understate the great importance of these projects," said Willard of the permanent supportive housing developments already now in the works for Guelph.

"We have solutions before us that will bring us even closer to solving homelessness," he said. "Now we are asking the community to open their hearts and wallets to help us get there."

The United Way and the GCF will be meeting with key donors throughout the summer and the fall, and will launch a communitywide appeal in early 2023 to encourage everyone to give to the Home for Good campaign.

To learn more or to donate, visit homeforgoodgw.ca.