WARNING -- Lives in Progress

Photo: Mike Sturk

The other day one of my students was telling me about a notice posted near the Bow River in Calgary (the Drop-In Centre where I work is next to the river). Today, he brought a copy of this notice in for us to see:

WARNING

So long as the CALGARY DROP-IN CENTRE is allowed to harbor drug addicts and chronic criminals it will be EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO TRAVEL THE RIVERSIDE BIKE PATHS between CENTRE STREET and the ZOO.

These are not "homeless" - they get welfare cheques in Saskatoon, Vancouver and (even) Calgary! They are TRANSIENTS BY CHOICE, and PREDATORS BY NATURE.

- a message from a concerned East Villager who knows.

This message is extremely sad to me. For those of you who don't know, Calgary is a BOOMING city. With the increase of wealth, the divide between the wealthy and poor has grown exponentially. Low-income housing is non-existent and rental properties are scarce. The Drop-In Centre is a place of HOPE in the city. I feel very thankful that so many of the clients I work with every day see value in the services it provides. The average client stays at the Drop-In Centre for 6 months. They are thankful for warm meals, hot showers, clean clothes, and a place to sleep for however long they need it.

Contrary to popular belief, those who access the services at the Drop-In are not all drug addicts, criminals, unemployed or predators. Yes, there are some who have made choices that have brought them there. Yes, some have mental illnesses and some are addicted to drugs, alcohol or gambling. But in my experience with the people I work with daily, that is not the "norm," nor is it even the majority.I see people who are an inspiration. They have a desire to LIVE, to survive and overcome the obstacles in their path.

I see people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience and who have a lot to teach me ... they have a lot to teach US! Every life that I have encountered has changed my own.

To the writer of the above poster and to those who share his opinion, I want to invite you to spend a few days at the Drop-In Centre with us, to talk with the people who live here and to experience their stories and to be impacted by their lives. I want you to experience the beauty that I see every day in learning from those around me, especially those who have a different experience than my own.

Katie S. is an instructor in the Career Training Initiative at the Calgary Drop-In.

You can make a difference

It was a busy day at lunch on Friday. We didn't have enough volunteers to serve clients at their tables which meant everyone had to line up to receive their meal and juice. Our preference is to serve people at their table -- it's an opportunity to be of service and, for homeless individuals who are often forced to line-up for almost everthing, it's an opportunity to feel 'normal', to be treated with dignity and to feel like they 'count' as individuals. While clients can't choose what they want for lunch or dinner and it's not necessarily restaurant fare, the food is wholesome and the smile served up with each plate makes a world of difference to the person being served.

Bring your group in to volunteer

Volunteering is a great opportunity for organizations and groups to work together towards making a difference.

Get your team together to volunteer one day a month, (or more!) at the Drop-In. (You can even sponsor a meal with our Buy, Cook, Serve program -- call Larissa at 263-5707 to find out more.) Groups can be as large as 28 or as small as 5. Your group arrives at 11:45 am, (5:45 pm for dinner) dons aprons, gloves and hairnets and get to work behind the counter preparing the plates with food, or on the service side carrying plates to clients. 12:30 to 12:45 lunch is over. You leave with the appreciative applause of the individuals you served ringing in your ears and the knowledge you've made a difference lifting your spirits as you carry on with your day. Helping serve lunch or dinner is a great opportunity to give back to the community. You help us serve our clients with dignity and respect and touch the hearts and minds of everyone at the Drop-In.

For groups coming in for the first time or people who have never visited the Drop-In, we can also arrange a tour. Each tour takes about 45 minutes to an hour and provides an overview of our services and programs, as well as insight into homelessness, its causes, effects and challenges. The feedback after a tour ranges from, "Wow! I didn't realize the Drop-In did so much more than just sleep and feed the homeless." to "I didn't know you had so many employment related programs or that you had such a high level of transitional services to assist people towards getting back on their feet." to "This is amazing. I had no idea."

Serving those who need a helping hand

The United nations describes poverty as "the denial of opportunities and choices most basic to human development -- to lead a long, healthy, creative life and to enjoy a decent standard of living,freedom, dignity, self-esteem, and the respect of others." In a city as rich and vibrant and booming as Calgary, there are those who cannot afford a roof over their heads. There are those who cannot get by without a little help from their friends.

The Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre is part of the social fabric of our city. We provide homeless individuals, the working poor and those living in poverty the necessary supports to be safe, to catch their breath and to regain some stability in their lives. We provide them a supportive environment in which they can figure out 'What next?' And, we provide guidance and tools that help them take the steps they've identified that will make a difference in their lives.

In a perfect world, no one would ever need our services. Everyone would have a place to call home.

In today's reality, we sleep 1100 people a night and serve 3500 meals and snacks a day.

In a perfect world, everyone would have the ability and the skills to live creative productive lives.

In reality, some people need more help than others. Approximately 35% of our clients have an addiction -- sometimes, it's the addiciton that drove them to the street. Sometimes, the addiction was acquired as a means of coping with the numbing stress of being homeless. Approximately 35% of our clients have a mental disorder. They may have tried living on their own, but didn't thrive. Their mental disorder inhibits their ability to live without support of some kind.

With a little help from our friends

Volunteers and donors make a difference every day at the Drop-In. Volunteers and donors extend our services and provide the essential monetary, practical and physical resources we need to help our clients find their hope, their belief in themselves and their way out of homelessness so that they can live, "long, healthy, creative lives". From a toothbrush to the smallest financial contribution -- every little bit counts.

You can make a difference.

Give us a call (263-5707). We appreciate your help.

Creating Community

I have been working at the Calgary Drop In for over two years now. Through this time I have connected with so many folks who come from a varied life journey. Each individual has a story to share and they seek a place to find community and feel safe from the streets.

There are people that work full time, yet do not make enough income to be able to afford their own place to live so they stay at the Drop In. With the rise in rental properties in Calgary, it is difficult for someone to afford the cost of renting and having the luxury of their own space. The minimum wage is just not enough to support someone to live on their own.

The Drop In offers many wonderful workshops to help them learn the skills to work towards independence. Our labour office helps people gain skills in a variety of jobs that require different skills. We also offer programs to help people improve their employable skills so that they can gain better jobs.

There are women and men who are battling addictions, while working on a program to stay sober. They come to the Drop In to access our support services to assist them on their recovery journey. It is often a challenge to stay sober when you do not feel you have enough supports in place to help you. It takes a strong person to walk away, and stand tall to say "enough". "I want more from life". When they choose to come to the Drop In, and reach out for help, they are taking a major step forward in making changes in their lives. There are many wonderful staff members at the Drop In who work with people wanting to make changes, and sometimes this involves "tough love". But for those who are really making the effort to make positive changes, they know that there are others who are part of the Drop In community who will help walk the journey with them and share community resources to help them recover.

There are seniors who stay with us rather than being alone. They find comfort in our seniors program with outings, sharing a game of cards, and being part of a community here. We have a building for our seniors so that those who are able to live on their own can have their own space. There are many wonderful folks living at Bridgeland apartments who gather for potlucks and share in celebrations. There are many seniors who return to the Drop In to volunteer their time in our clothing room, or help in our laundry services.

There are young adults, who have challenges with their families and can't live at home. They come to the Drop In and network with others to learn of educational programs and participate in our life skills workshops. They work in our computer labs to gain computer skills or participate in our Wood Shop to learn woodworking skills to help them find a job.

For every individual that travels through our doors and stays the night, you can bet there is a story with them. It is important to take the time to sit and listen. To give them a voice so that they can feel part of our community and not alone. Everyone needs to feel connected and at the Drop In people can network and find a place in our community.