OK. The City has concluded that homelessinabbotsford.com were correct, it is pointless to chase the homeless from place to place within the city. They have begun consultations to decide on a location for the homeless to camp. As long as all parties involved remember to THINK, be courteous, and willing to compromise they should be able to work it out. Still, while deciding on a location grants this group a breathing space and some stability in their day-to-day lives, it leaves them camping out. More important a decision on where these people may camp affects only a relative few of Abbotsford’s homeless and does not address many pressing issues nor does it address getting off the streets and into a more structured lifestyle. So, (for those who e-mail and pose these questions) what do I want to do, suggest be done or see done?

I want to open the Locus of Dawn. ??? It will be a 24-hour drop in centre for the homeless, the poor, the lonely and the volunteer. The mission statement of the centre is in its name:

Locus: n.
1: a locality; a place;
2: A center or focus of great activity or intense concentration
3: The set or configuration of all points that satisfy specific conditions

Dawn: n.
1: a first appearance; a beginning;
2: an opening time period;
3: the earliest period;

v.
1: become clear or enter one’s consciousness or emotions;
2: To begin to be perceived or understood;

For some it will be a place for people to come to begin their journey. These journeys could be to goals such as housing, employment or addiction treatment. For some it will be a place for it to enter their minds, and for it to become clear, that they need to make some changes. For the community and others involved, it is a place to begin to perceive and understand all the facets of homelessness, poverty and addiction. It will provide a focus for the great activities needed to begin to help people move from homeless to employment and society. As a separate locality the centre’s concentration will be on its particular mission – the homeless, there will be no other groups (youth, families etc.) to divert it from its single-minded focus and concentration on address the needs of the homeless community. Although those who have a need that the centre can meet as part of its daily services provided to the homeless community would be welcomed as long as it does not detract from the mission to meeting the needs of the homeless. The centre needs to have a varied set (or configuration) of points (services, knowledge, contacts, et al) satisfying specific conditions (for each differing destination).

What do I envision this centre providing? ***

• Coffee; a location for church groups who wish to serve food (lunches or evenings); to ensure that a supper of some sort is available daily; a place to collect and distribute clothing, bedding, etc. a place that interested groups can use to distribute to the homeless and poor
• mail boxes, telephones for phone access, industrial washers and dryers, shower facilities, washrooms, storage lockers, computer access, internet access, email addresses and access
• résumés, cover letters, job hunting help and support, dressing & grooming for job hunting and interviews, liaising with the business community to build bridges and a portfolio of work available, job referrals
• liaison and or out reach point for services available from governments, churches, community services, treatment facilities, recovery houses, addiction counselling
• coordinating point among all the stakeholders, mediation between various stakeholders, recruiting of groups to provide goods, services, food, support and volunteers
• leadership and advocacy on questions, problems, ideas and on issues in conflict.
  • housing issues: desperate need for more longer-term emergency shelter beds; transitional housing; subsidized housing; BC housing issues
  • liveable social assistance levels – $850.00; lobbying local MLAs John van Dongen and Mike de Jong on assistance levels, grants and funding for programs to address the needs to reduce homelessness.
  • working with our local MP Ed Fast to secure federal funding not just on the homeless issues but from funds for issues affecting the homeless such as employment, education, training, wage subsidies
• out reach to those who cannot seek out services, employment, housing, medical treatment, mental health help etc. on their own

***Heed: subject to revision without notice to incorporate any good ideas and suggestions.

This is only a beginning list of services and goals because it is my intention the centre always be a work-in-progress. That it be constantly experimenting, adjusting, adding and (were necessary) dropping offerings, always changing always flexible.

It is ambitious. More so because I see as part of the centre’s gestalt that it will need to show leadership on other pressing needs eg: the need for longer-term ‘emergency’ shelter or for reform of the provincial social ‘assistance’ system. (topics for future writings).

Based upon my own up close and personal experiences it is my considered opinion that a centre of this type is the most effective and efficient way to begin to address the many varies needs of the (extremely varied) homeless community. It will provide a focal point to co-ordinate and facilitate services. In the course of being homeless I have come into contact with many good people. To some of them it would provide an ideal job, their skills, education, experiences and personalities making them suitable to help accomplish the centre’s goals. For others the centre would be an anchor point for them to fan out from in reaching out to those on the streets not yet ready to come to the centre and start their journey off of the streets. Thus, when they are ready, someone is in contact and there to help and guide them in starting their journey, with the centre and its resources there to provide support and other needs. Still others feed and clothe the homeless. The centre would provide co-ordination with these people and groups to ensure that we maximize the benefits to the homeless from the food, bedding and clothing provided. The centre would also be reaching out to others to fill the gaps of the unmet needs.

It may be ambitious but … if we can bring the City council and staff, the Churches, the volunteers, the business community and the citizens of Abbotsford on board and get them involved, we can accomplish this. In addition, with the community solidly involved we can draw in the provincial and federal governments to do their part in addressing these needs.

It may not be easy; it may not be smooth or neat and tidy. It will require and demand vision, hard work, passion and stubbornness – but it can be done.

No, it will be done.

FIAT