Follow Up is so IMPORTANT because …

… it works. I was standing there enjoying the coolness and peace of the early morning contemplating the artist Paul Gaugain’s statement “I shut my eyes in order to see” when the peace of the morning was shattered by the arrival of a long legged, leather clad, Harley riding lady I know. She told me “I loved your letter, BUT … you need to write one about Christina.” With closed eyes I watched the story take shape in my mind’s eye, the words flowing down my arms and onto the page. For she was correct it is a story that contains many lessons that need to be thought about, on many different levels, when looking at the issue of helping the homeless.

The story begins before Abbotsford had a homeless problem that needed to be faced and issues of homelessness addressed – you know, late summer/early fall of last year (2005). It began with the closing of the Fraser Valley Inn. Yes, there were reasons for the City’s actions in closing the Inn, but in pursuing this course of action the City failed to consider the consequences of closing the Inn on the residents. Worse, the city refused to accept responsibility for its actions or to discharge the duty of care it owed to these Abbotsford citizens for the effect its actions would have on their lives. At a point in time where the City was wilfully denying the existence of homeless in abbotsford, its actions were putting several dozen people on the streets of the city – homeless. At least half of the people thrown onto the streets that pitiless day currently remain without home to provide shelter from the weather. Among those displaced person’s was a woman who possessed five decades worth of life experience who, through the thoughtless actions of others, was about to gain the entirely unwanted, unsought experience of living homeless. There was a cute picture of her in a flowered hat and with her dog in a local paper, along with a “lite” story on the closing of the Inn and the fact that many of these people were without shelter as a result of the City’s actions. It did, and still does bother me, that no one seemed to spare a thought to these people’s fate. That none bothered to follow up to see what had happened to these people and to call the City to account for failing to act in an ethical manner.

Christina was thus to find herself on the streets of Abbotsford as the seasons turned to winter and the weather to a threat to life, unable to find the help needed to find a place to shelter – a home. Her home, her shelter against the elements became a tent pitched in a patch of woods or brush somewhere within the City. Some of these “homes” were actual tents donated from good samaritans, some were “tents” constructed from tarps or plastic sheeting. While all these shelters’ where inadequate dwellings for a human being, they permitted survival, keeping Christina alive. Sharp readers are correct; she went through numerous “homes”. Because, even as the City was in “see no homeless, hear not of the homeless, speak of no homeless” denial of reality mode, their enforcement officers where chasing Christina, and other homeless, out of their meagre shelter and placing them at the mercy of weather conditions. I am sure that even Christina lost count of just how many times she was driven into the deluge that fell last winter. It was hearing that once again the City, through its enforcers, was intending to harass Christina and drive her out of what poor shelter she had that led me to start to writing and protesting the senselessness, the pointlessness of this
behaviour.

This idiocy had previously occurred FIVE times to Christina. The compassionate citizens of Abbotsford giveth and the pitiless City taketh – everything: food, her shelter from the cold winter rains, warm, dry clothing and horded personal treasures with all their attached memories of life before she was reduced to depending on callous governments for survival. Caring city citizens donated items to their fellow citizens in dire need and their City, with callous disregard for the consequences to the homeless, turned their generosity into garbage. At the end of their fifth visit they also left the items they ruined littered about the floor of the woods, creating a massive eyesore. I am sure someone who is all knowing, but totally lacking any appreciation or experience with the hurdles faced by the homeless, about these “drug using, trouble causing bums” will essay that all Christina had to do was take her stuff with her. These same experts also appear to think that chasing the homeless from spot to spot around the city, when they have nowhere to in fact go, will accomplish something besides a total waste of the City’s resources. The donations of the generous souls of our city, while making an invaluable contributing to the survival and quality of life of the homeless, can also give rise to the dreaded “Shopping Cart Syndrome”. With no storage the homeless must carry their belongings with them or risk losing them. One can become as loaded as the proverbial pack mule, force to use the clichéd shopping cart to transport your belongings. I will not dwell upon, merely bring to the readers attention, just how lacking in panache hauling a shopping cart is for those of use with refined sensibilities.

It was following one of the destructive visits by city enforcers that Christina and other members of the homeless community sought shelter form the winter weather in an unoccupied building. It was here that tragedy struck. Forced to use open flame sources for warmth and cooking, fire is an ever present danger for the homeless. The building burned and Christina’s constant companion and friend, her small dog Buster, was killed. There is a group of school children who visit the Salvation Army Café, who knew Christina and felt her sadness. These kind souls gave her a little stuffed dog and an invitation to attend their Christmas concert, a concert Christina enjoyed greatly – almost as much as she appreciated the care and thoughtfulness of these young students. The great irony here is that if local or provincial governments were treating animals like Buster the same way they treat the marginalized and homeless they would be arrested and someone found to treat the animals with proper care. Unluckily for the homeless they are human beings and thus subject to what ever cruel treatment government chooses to inflict upon their bodies and spirits.

Abbotsford, like an ostrich, insisted on keeping its head buried so that it could avoid seeing the reality of its homeless citizens. Then CBC news reporter Belle Puri as part of the story about www.homelessinabbotsford.com, perhaps the only website in the entire world designed, built, written and maintained by a homeless person, approached the Mayor with questions about the homeless of the City of Abbotsford and why nothing was being done to address the issues associated with this growing need.

Mayor George Ferguson chose to LOOK, forcing many others to begin to see and think about the questions homelessness raises. The Mayor also chose to call a time-out in chasing the homeless around, and around, and around, and around the city, in order to give at least some thought to what would be an effective course of action. While this pause only spanned a period of six weeks, it did serve to make people aware of the issues and began a dialogue in the community on what needs doing. One can only hope that over time this dialogue will prove to be a case where actions speak louder than words. I feel that trying to put a label of successful or unsuccessful on the experience with “Camp Compassion” would be as pointless as chasing the homeless from spot to spot within the city. The value of the Camp lies in the lessons to be learned, several of value which can be learned from continuing with Christina’s tale.

For it was in that patch of woods that Christina had sought shelter. At the time that the “Camp” was birthed, Christina was among the longest residents of that particular patch of woods. For her, Mayor Ferguson’s time-out was the equivalent of a stay of execution as at that time she was once again being threatened and/or forced to move along. Although no-one would or could say exactly where it was she should move to. At any rate, just before the axe was due to fall the residents received a reprieve. During this period the Salvation Army received funding to experiment with “outreach workers”. When old ways of dealing or NOT-dealing with a problem have no useful outcomes it is time to seek new ideas and be willing to experiment in seeking positive outcomes. Understand that it was not that Christina had not been seeking a place to live, rather that it is much harder than most people appreciate for the homeless to find a place to rent even if they can overcome the barrier of the $325.00 shelter allowance. I also want to take the opportunity to make note of the fact that in an effort to help herself, Christina had taken and completed the Triangle Resources woman’s W.R.I.T.E. program to help her regain independence through employment.

It was a struggle against time for Christina to find a place to live within the six week window of opportunity she had. Her success was due to Z, an outreach worker with whom she formed a bond and whose help in finding a place, access to a phone, making the needed calls, getting to the building to view it and meet with those responsible for the building, getting references together for the rental application and many other small but needed tasks. Without Z Christina would be among those she now hears speaking of the police once again chasing the homeless from spot to spot. Importantly Z’s involvement with Christina was to continue. The ladies of Z’s church would help Christina with moving in a acquiring all the many things (dishes, pots, pans, toiletries, a bed etc) one requires to live inside. Christina had a friend to help her through the difficult transition from the outside to the inside. Believe me, that transition is far tougher than someone who has never had to make it (be extremely grateful for that grace) could understand. All the times you need to say NO in order that you do not slip back into bad habits and back out onto the streets. Having someone or somewhere to turn inn order to get through these weeks (or months) is imperative. Then it was time for Z to help Christina with employment. Christina is currently at “Above the Underground” an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in the retail store sector. Z is there to help her get to work, provide positive feedback and support through the difficult times. Someone who is in for the long haul, who appreciates this process is not fast or easy, but is there to help you overcome the barriers. This need for a long term commitment, to constantly following up, to maintaining contact and support, for flexibility in the support services provided, the need for many varied types of help, the need for a case worker approach and the importance of this constant, continuing follow-up are some of the lessons to be learned. Perhaps one of the most important things to be learned is that we can help the homeless. It may need to be one at a time; it may well require individual programs; it may need to be one-on-one; it may require a large investment of time; we need to be proactive; it will require the support of the community. But we can do it what we need is the Will.

Christina is a work in progress, but them so are we all. With the help and support of people around her Christina is moving forward and getting on with life. Which is a success story by any measuring stick you chose to use.

Water and Shade

You know it has been hot, bleeping hot, when you look up into the sky and are glad to see clouds, beautiful clouds. Last night on the news they were saying we had had 17 days of sunny weather and would get a few more before any clouds would provide any RELIEF. When I got up this morning we had CLOUDS1 and the day was nice and cool, a little respite from the searing sun. I was actually disappointed to see the sun come back out by noon.

I want to remind people that one of the dangers the homeless face is trouble in finding adequate amounts of drinking water. In the heat this can pose a threat to health, even to life. Think about it. When you want water it is as near as a tap. But for the homeless there is no convenient tap and very few places where it is possible to find safe drinking water. If the opportunity should present itself, please be thoughtful and share the gift of water.

The news has also been full of warnings about the fact that with changes to the ozone and atmosphere the sun(light) burns our skin faster and deeper than ever before. They advise staying out of the sun and when you must be in sunlight, using a sun screening product. I was reminded of the potency of the sun these days when cash flow and car insurance timing resulted in my walking everywhere last week – under that blazing, merciless sun. It served as a hot, sweaty reminder of just how exposed to the elements, whether the rain deluge of the past winter or this stretch of hot, burning sunlight; homeless =NO shelter = no place to seek refuge from the scorching rays of the sun = sunburn, perhaps sunstroke. The homeless I know and meet have, over this sunny period, been burned deep tan or lobster red.

Police recidivism, in a return to their police state tactics in their treatment of the homeless, has meant that when the homeless stop somewhere in the shade, to get away from the torrid heat of the sun, they are quickly driven back under the burning rays of our sun. A homeless woman I know and ran into last night was red as a lobster. She was also … shall we say, “extremely displeased” with the fact her sunburn was a result of the police constantly chasing her out of whatever shade she could find and back into the fiery light. To make this waste of time, chasing the homeless around in the unforgiving heat, even more intolerable is the fact that they are sitting on their posteriors in an air-conditioned car supplied by the taxpayers. This senseless pursuit of the homeless is undoubtedly cooler and far easier than getting off their Asses and out of their air-conditioned vehicle in seeking out gang activity or to solve property crimes. Earn the wages by the sweat of their brow? You must be kidding, how much easier to chase the helpless who lack a home in air-conditioned comfort, when the city appears perfectly content to let them wile away their shifts harassing the homeless and driving them back under the incandescent, broiling rays of our sun.

RE: Love Abbotsford

I want to say thanks to the folks from South Abbotsford Church, who on June 10th served up a BBQ of hamburgers and hot dogs for the homeless and hungry. Afterwards they distributed personal care packages full of needed personal grooming items and some goodies. They provided so much food that even voracious appetites, sharpened by hunger, were sated. There was even some leftovers to send away with the hungry families and children in attendance. I extend a special thank you to young Miss Rachel whose star filled card put a smile on my face.

A tip of the hat as well as thanks to the folks who decided that a Sunday pancake breakfast in Jubilee Park was a good time and place for their culinary contribution to Love Abbotsford. Lots of coffee and flapjacks made for a great Sunday brunch.

Hmmm. A question posed to those who successfully organized Love Abbotsford. Could this organization be used to give rise to some form of rotation, the purpose of which would be to provide good hot food to the homeless and hungry, spaced out over the cold wet winter months when a good repast would be so helpful to survival. Something for consideration.

Homeless Press Report

On Thursday June 29th 2006 “A Dialogue on Homelessness and Affordable Housing in the Fraser Valley” was held by the Fraser Valley Regional District in Chilliwaqck. It was a day with presentations from the communities involved, the provincial ministries that are needed as major supporters/partners in taking effective actions and a presentation from Canada Housing and Mortgage as another potential funding partner.

So much ground was covered that in order to get a real handle on, or an appreciation of, all the materials will require a review, once the materials are posted to the FVRD website. This has the bonus of making the material available to the public whose support, ideas and involvement are required in order to maximize the results of any needed actions, since it is clear that only a community response will prove effective. I urge readers to take the time to access the materials once they are posted in order to gain familiarity with at least some of the many facets of the issues.

It was encouraging to see all the mayors of the FVRD in attendance and to witness their engagement with these issues. Not only is their support and help needed if their communities are to take effective actions, but their collective resolve on these issues can provide political leverage in getting provincial and federal responsible action on these issues. At the same time the failure of the local MLAs’ and MPs’ to attend or acknowledge the importance of the Forum was a disturbing disappointment and suggests they are out of touch with regard to this pressing issue. With the notable exception of Harry Lali – MLA Yale-Lillooet.

While his attendance and recognition of these issues was good, it was not what caused me to take the opportunity to shake his hand and applaud his refreshing comment on policies and policy formation in these areas. Mr. Lali opined that perhaps the best approach for the provincial government to take in setting or adjusting policy is not to have the bureaucracy in Victoria draft what they think should be the policies/actions based on their limited, often non-existence understanding of the issues. Rather he suggested the novel approach of consulting not only those who have front line experience but the unthinkable (for politicians and bureaucrats) idea of asking those who have actually experienced the conditions/issues for input, suggestions and ideas. Perhaps his early departure was a result of the need to go into hiding for this heretical suggestion.

The attendance of and presentations from the representatives of the provincial ministries involved in these issues provided not only information, but the opportunity to meet and network with those who we need to work with and receive support from in order to make real, effective progress.

It was positive to see growing awareness of the complexity of the problems; the need for multiple approaches; the wide variety of issues and needs lumped under the one label of homeless; the need for political will to be brought to bear on the issues; that it will take a sustained effort to have any positive effect; the importance of support and follow through with the individuals we are aiding; the need to educate the public and provincial politicians as to the true face of homelessness and the need for affordable housing; that this is a community issue and that only a community wide response will prove effective in addressing these varied needs.
All in all this Forum is the most hopeful development this writer has witnessed since fate decreed that I obtain first hand experience and knowledge on/with the issues and needed actions on Homelessness and Affordable Housing.

It is all in your Perspective.

I was recently reminded that how one feels about or looks at what is happening can very much depend very much on where you are standing. There can easily be two very different ways of seeing the same events, depending on whether one is on the inside or the outside.

I had a discussion with some people involved with the decision making process on actions to take in addressing homelessness. They felt things were moving along nicely, with all necessary speed. Later I had the chance to discuss what was taking place with the homeless. They felt things were moving at a glacial pace on making (non) decisions.

Clearly your view on these matters, whether or not decisions and actions occurred in a timely manner, was dependant on your living arrangements – literally whether you were lining on the outside or the inside of homeless issues. To those living on the outside – on the streets – and waiting on these decisions to obtain access to food, shelter, basic hygienic facilities, counselling and other forms of needed help, timely is pretty much NOW. To those making the decisions and who at the end of the “working day” go home to the comfort of shelter and food, timely does not have a set schedule or the same sense of urgency. When you think about it this difference is not surprising, that those with food and shelter lack the driving motivation for action of those without shelter or food.

Reality is that motivating those responsible for addressing problems to act in a timely manner is often difficult. How then do we provide motivation to those facing the highly complex and perplexing issues of homelessness and poverty? How do you motivate action and overcome the fear of making the tiniest mistake in a situation were even the very best choices are likely to give rise to some negative outcomes?

Creatively! I propose that those faced with making decisions on these issues be given an education immersion course that would enable them to gain first hand experience with the barriers faced by, and the needs of, those living homeless. We send those involved with planning and decision making to live in Compassion Park until some plans, decisions and actions are forthcoming. The City’s recent actions have rendered it unoccupied, clean and available for use. This way those tasked to address these issues gain both education and motivation. I am sure this would provide for planning and action in a much more timely fashion.