“We need to be careful about using anecdotal evidence to dismiss the validity of the homeless count,” says Gary St. Amand, CEO of Bissell Centre.
The most recent survey and data analysis estimate that the number of people who are homeless in our city has decreased from 2,307 people in 2014 to 1,752 people currently.
“The homeless count is meant only to be one snapshot of homelessness and while we need to be reflective about its methodology, it is also important that we consider all the evidence before jumping to sweeping conclusions about its accuracy,” explains St. Amand.
For example, Bissell Centre has supported over 1,500 individuals and families since the last homeless count in 2014 through its housing and eviction prevention work. The organization has assisted 545 people to find housing and 1,009 people to avoid imminent evictions.
“Further to that, while we have experienced a rise in the usage of our services since the last homeless count, our data has shown that this was the result of new services that we implemented during that period,” explains St. Amand. “These new services connected us with people who are new to Bissell Centre and they capture the majority of the increased service use throughout our organization.”
Another consideration is the forced relocation of homeless people due to the recent significant development of Edmonton’s downtown core. When coupled with the seasonal increase of people sleeping outdoors in the summer months, a rise in the number of homeless people in various locations around the city, including the river valley, is to be expected.
This raises the question of whether the rise in numbers in certain locations is due to the movement of homeless people rather than a net increase of the homeless population in Edmonton, as some have argued.
“To call into doubt the methodology of the homeless count without a thorough and thoughtful review of the evidence diminishes the good work that is happening by many organizations and individuals in the community,” says St. Amand.
“We need to maintain our focus on housing, because whatever your view of the housing count is, we still have over 1,700 people living on the streets and that should be unacceptable to all of us. We need to continue to work together as a community to bring long-term solutions to this issue,” says St. Amand.
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Join us this holiday season in our quest to eliminate poverty and homelessness in our community.
Here are 7 simple ways you can make a big impact!
1. Provide Life-Changing Gifts
Choose a meaningful gift from our Holiday Gift Guide to benefit people struggling with poverty in our community. Your gift will make a difference in someone’s life.
2. Have Your gifts Wrapped in Support of Bissell Centre
Between November 12th and December 24th, for a minimum donation of $2, get your Christmas gifts wrapped at Southgate Centre.
3. Volunteer with Us–Become a Bissell Elf!
We are looking for hundreds of volunteers to help us with a variety of special events. These “Bissell Elves” will take part sorting donations, wrapping gifts, serving meals, and spreading good cheer alongside enthusiastic Bissell Elf Captains, who will help lead the way.
4. Turn Your Christmas Event into a Fundraiser!
This Christmas season, when you host a staff event or dinner party, you can also give to people in need. Find everything you need to host a Bissell Giving Tree Party!
5. Donate Warm Winter Clothing
Every year, Bissell Centre hands out over 35,000 articles of clothing free of charge to people. During the cold season, items such as winter coats, hats, and boots can be the difference between life and death. Donate your gently used goods to help someone in need.
6. Make a Gift on Giving Tuesday (Nov. 29th)!
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are all about finding the deals. Consider donating the difference you saved to help people living in poverty. Your gift will impact those who rely on Bissell Centre for help. Please donate here today!
7. Share and Advocate!
Spread the word! Advocacy in all its forms helps ensure that vulnerable people get the support they need to move from poverty to prosperity. So tell your family, friends, and colleagues about these easy ways to support Bissell Centre this season!
What started as a casual pastime has now become one of Edmonton’s most anticipated yearly clothing drives. From November 1st until Christmas Day, Jasmine and her husband Ryan will spend their evenings and weekends collecting donations of warm winter clothing for #BundleUpYEG, an annual project that Jasmine initiated in 2013.
“I had just finished one job and I was moving into another, and I had this two-week layover period where I had no work to do,” she explains. “I’m not someone who can just do nothing when I’m bored.”
That’s when inspiration struck. After seeing a news story about the need for winter clothing among Edmonton’s homeless population, Jasmine knew how she wanted to spend her free time. Reaching out to her large following on social media, she asked if anyone had unneeded coats, hats, scarves, mittens, or sweaters, which she offered to pick up and drop off at organizations in the community that help homeless people, like Bissell Centre. Jasmine’s instincts were right. People often want to donate but find it difficult or inconvenient. “Time is the biggest thing,”” she suggests. “The world moves very quickly these days; everyone has something to do and somewhere to be.”
But time is not the only obstacle to donating. As Jasmine explains, “You can get caught up on who to donate to and where to go, and that can be very daunting. We try to remove that step for people.” Making it easier for people to donate has been met with more success than Jasmine anticipated; she says that she has been amazed at the generosity of her community. “I think it’s a huge testament to Edmonton and the people who live here,” she says.
The need in our community for warm clothing over the harsh winter months is as urgent as ever. Approximately 2,300 people living in Edmonton are temporarily or chronically homeless, and for them, winter can be deadly without proper clothing. “People on the streets are susceptible to frostbite, hypothermia, and sickness due to overexposure,” says Nichelle Bryant, In-Kind Coordinator at Bissell Centre. “During the winter, we can easily see upwards of 500 people every day accessing our Drop-in Centre, with a high majority of them needing winter clothing to keep them safe and warm overnight.” For places like Bissell Centre, Jasmine’s #BundleUpYEG initiative can mean the difference between having to turn people away or being able to offer warm clothing all winter long.
To date, #BundleUpYEG has donated roughly 370 bags—over 4,000 individual items—of clothing to homeless shelters and supported organizations in the community. This will be the fourth year that Jasmine and Ryan will organize #BundleUpYEG, this time with the goal of collecting 130 bags of clothing. You can help Jasmine reach her goal by contacting her via email (bundleupyeg@gmail.com), on Twitter (@JasFranklin09), online at bundleupyeg.com, or by dropping your donations off at any of the following locations.
- November 1st–December 2nd: 102.3 Now! Radio: Suite 102, 9894-42 Avenue
- November 1st–mid-December: Blitz Conditioning: 10575 115 Street
- November 25th–December 24th: Kingsway Mall, Giftwrapping Centre: 109 Street & Kingsway
It’s no surprise that being without a home can weigh heavily on the mind and heart. Homelessness implies more than simply lacking physical necessities; it can also have a debilitating effect on mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. People who are homeless deal with circumstances that most of us can hardly imagine, and it’s important to remember that not every side effect of homelessness is directly visible to the eye. Mental illness is experienced by roughly one-third of the homeless community, and is a major barrier to getting off the streets.
Homelessness is stressful.
For those who are homeless, every new day marks the beginning of another struggle to find a place to sleep, enough food to get by on, or shelter from the elements. The pressures that they face to secure their own survival every day are unimaginable for most of us, and can be incredibly stressful. Exposure to substance abuse, crime, and domestic violence is common among the homeless community only add to the stress.
Homelessness is isolating.
Many people become homeless as a result of the loss of a loved one or a relationship breakdown. People without strong support networks can have a difficult time overcoming such traumatic events, which can then lead to a cycle of isolation, and potentially towards homelessness. Since there are few places people who are homeless can go where they are welcome, a third of them spend their entire day alone.
Homelessness is depressing.
Rates of depression and suicide among homeless people are much higher than in the general population. According to the Canadian Population Health Initiative, up to 61% of homeless adults experience suicidal thoughts. Confidence and self-esteem are inevitably diminished by homelessness. The feelings of defeat and worthlessness that so often accompany homelessness can be crippling, and can prevent people from seeking help.
Homelessness hurts, but there are ways to help.
At Bissell Centre, we offer mental health services to people in our community who need it most. Our program provides immediate, short-term support for those with mental health concerns. For longer-term support, we partner with Alberta Health Services to connect participants with qualified psychiatrists, doctors, and other health professionals in our community, bringing them one step closer to getting off the streets.
The journey to health and recovery is not always an easy one, but here at Bissell Centre, we make sure that nobody has to walk it alone.
Learn more about our Mental Health Services.
Roger arrived in Edmonton 17 years ago, when he was 49 years old. A few years before he moved, he was hurt in a firefighting accident and spent a year in a body cast. After that, he couldn’t go back to firefighting, and started working for a soft drink company instead.
He worked there for nine years, while living in Edmonton. When he retired, he found that he could no longer make ends meet and quickly became homeless. That’s when he found out about Bissell Centre, and came for his first visit–about seven years ago.
Our staff could see right away that he had a kind heart, as he opened up about his story over coffee and a snack in our Drop-in Centre. We were pleased when he returned the next day, and overjoyed when he came back multiple times over the next week!
For the next five years, Roger lived on the streets of Edmonton’s inner city. He made a shelter out of a tarp, for himself, down in the river valley. He never carried personal items with him, like photos or mementos, for fear that they would be stolen or damaged. And whenever he could, he’d come visit us at Bissell Centre.
Even though his past has been difficult, the Roger that we’ve come to know and love is a man full of compassion and generosity. A few years ago, he lost his sister, a niece and a granddaughter to an impaired driver. But instead of letting bitterness overcome him, he puts his energy into loving the family he does have–as well as his family here at Bissell Centre.
He even manages to send his two remaining grandchildren some money to put towards their education fund–whatever he makes from odd jobs.
“I made a promise to a friend before she passed away. She asked me to help people if I could. I told her I would and I’ve done it up to this day.”
Not long after he started visiting Bissell Centre regularly, Roger also started volunteering with us. When we asked him if he wanted to help out, he was eager to start giving back. And since he already loved spending time with our community–building trust and friendships with everyone he met–he was the perfect fit.
Two years ago, after five years of trying to find a housing situation that was within his means, Roger found a new home with the ongoing help and support of Bissell Centre’s Housing Services. We’ve been so encouraged by the steady growth we’ve seen in this gem of a man, and are thrilled that at 66, he has a place to call home–both at his apartment and here at Bissell.
When we asked Roger why he’s so passionate about giving back, he said, “I made a promise to a friend before she passed away. She asked me to help people if I could. I told her I would and I’ve done it up to this day.” Getting housed was another part of this commitment–showing by example that it is possible for anyone coming in off the streets to get housed.
Roger has truly become a part of our family here, and we’re as delighted as he is, by the relationships he’s built. “I’m either Dad, Uncle, or Grandpa around here,” he says proudly, describing his role to the other community members at Bissell Centre.
As he continues to volunteer with us, he’s continually a beacon of friendliness, hope and understanding for everyone he comes in contact with, and we’re so grateful for his faithful willingness to help.
Please give to help more people like Roger by donating here: bissellcentre.org/donate
Today marks the Outreach Housing Team’s 1st year anniversary! We were able to launch this housing initiative as a result of the hugely successful Scona Treehouse fundraising event in March, 2015.
The Outreach Housing Team met their initial goal to house 200 people in their first 10 months. Today, the team has housed 247 people! We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments both past and present team members have achieved.
The Outreach Housing Team has helped numerous people find housing this year. Below is just one of their incredible success stories.
When he was not living on the streets, 59 year-old Solomon spent time at Operation Friendship Seniors Society, a non-profit that offers affordable housing options to seniors in the inner city. He also worked odd jobs through Bissell Centre’s Employment Program.
Things were looking up, and Solomon’s years of homelessness looked like they would come to an end, when he moved in with his longtime girlfriend. But, just as Solomon’s circumstances were about to change for the better, his partner passed away unexpectedly, leaving him homeless once again.
Having exhausted most of his options, Solomon was invited to stay in his previous employer’s garage. It was this employer who eventually referred Solomon to Bissell’s Outreach Housing Team. Within eight days, Solomon had successfully accessed this service, applied for housing, was approved, and moved into a small, comfortable one-bedroom suite with a kitchenette. Bissell Centre also provided Solomon with a number of household items to get him started, including: pots, pans, cooking utensils, dishware, and some food.
Solomon’s daughter, who lives out of town, felt powerless to help her father. She was relieved that he finally found a safe, permanent residence. In an email to Bissell Centre’s housing team, she expressed her gratitude: “I don’t know who exactly was helping my dad get a place but I just want to send a huge THANK YOU to all of you for helping homeless people. I live in Toronto and my dad needs to stay there in Edmonton. I was so worried about him and the place sounds great. Thank you very very very very much!”
When Carly and her partner separated earlier this year, she found herself and her two small children in a women’s shelter with nowhere else to go. Being new to Edmonton, Carly did not have the support network of friends and family that many of us take for granted, and she knew she needed help. That’s when she was referred to Bissell Centre, whose daycare program has been a “life saver”. Her son Echo and her daughter Star (aged two and four), use the daycare once a week. “It’s given me the chance to either do chores or shopping or appointments, and, being a single parent, I don’t have any other opportunity to do that,” she says. “When there’s no one else around – I don’t have family and stuff here, so it’s really needed for me.”
“I haven’t been coming here very long, just a few months, but I’ve had help with food, clothes, diapers. It helps me out so much.”
But the daycare has done more than free up her time once a week. Carly has noticed a particular change in her daughter Star since she began bringing her to the daycare centre; most notably, an upswing in confidence. “She’s even made friends and been invited to a birthday party here. And just learning and getting to be social with other kids – it’s very, very helpful. She looks forward to coming here once a week.” The program has even helped prepare Star for kindergarten, which she will be starting in the fall: “This is like her preschool. It’s getting her ready.”
In addition the daycare program, Carly also utilizes other helpful programs at Bissell Centre. Carly sometimes struggles to make rent and other monthly expenses, but she makes ends meet with Bissell’s help. “I haven’t been coming here very long, just a few months, but I’ve had help with food, clothes, diapers. It helps me out so much.” Bissell Centre’s Community Closet, which is stocked with clothing donations from the public, has helped Carly provide clothes to her children. “It’s great,” she says. “There’s lots of stuff here for all ages, adult men and women, boys, girls, kids [but] we definitely need more stuff in there.”
Carly is now preparing to send Star to kindergarten in the fall, confident that she will begin her schooling well-clothed, well-fed, and well-prepared. “[These programs are] so needed,” she adds. “And the kids are benefiting the most. They might not otherwise get a chance to be in an environment like this where they can play and learn and stuff. We really need to gather together and support this place.”
We’re proud to announce that our Outreach Housing Team has met its ambitious goal of housing 200 people–and they did it 3 months ahead of schedule!
In early 2015, students from Strathcona High School raised $190,000 for Bissell Centre as part of their Treehouse Project fundraiser. These funds went towards establishing our Outreach Housing Team (OHT), a new program dedicated to locating, engaging, and housing people who are homeless. Since then, the OHT has successfully housed 200 people, a figure that continues to climb with each passing week.
One of the people helped by our Outreach Housing Team is “Steven,” who up until last year was homeless and sleeping in the River Valley. Steven’s social anxiety stopped him from accessing the help he needed. “At the time I was very bad with communicating with people,” he says. “I didn’t like phone calls.” But Steven knew he needed to make a change, and decided to contact Bissell Centre. He was quickly put in touch with our Outreach Housing Team, who found him a house in August 2015.
Since then, Steven has returned to school and is working on a marketing degree. He has plans to start his own business after graduation. Even though he was at first afraid to ask for help, he encourages anyone who is in the same position to reach out to someone. “You have to do it,” he says. “Life is damn scary. But you have to walk into the dark a bit sometimes to find the light.”
“Life is damn scary. But you have to walk into the dark a bit sometimes to find the light.”
– Steven, Housing Participant
Because there are few strict criteria that a candidate must meet to be eligible to access OHT services, people who do not qualify for similar housing initiatives can almost always get help through OHT. The team’s focus on keeping the paperwork to a minimum has made the housing process simple and streamlined, allowing them to house more people with fewer resources than other housing programs.
“It’s amazing how much you guys help,” says Steven. “Anyone who needs help – phone the Outreach Housing Team. They’re the ones that care, and they’ll do what it takes to get you off the streets. There are organizations who get thirty or forty million dollars in funding a year who don’t do as much.”
We are proud of the work the OHT has done over the past several months. But now, as funds dwindle and resources become scarcer, the support of the community has never been more important. It began with a group of extraordinary high school students and has resulted in 200 people like Steven finding homes and new hope for the future. Our hope is that the OHT will continue to grow and evolve with the help of our caring, dedicated community.
Thank you for your support!
MAKE A DONATION TODAY
We were excited to host our 105th Annual General Meeting on Thursday, July 7th. Thank you to the Board of Governors, supporters, and staff for attending!
This was the first AGM for our new CEO, Gary St. Amand and for our new Board Chair, Ken Ristau. For our long-standing Board Member, Bobbie Wildgoose, this was her last AGM after six years on the Board being instrumental with supporting our vision to eliminate poverty in our community.
Also, this was the last AGM attended by Reverend Lynn Maki, who is with the United Church of Canada, Alberta & Northwest Conference, as she is retiring after her long and dedicated support of Bissell Centre and other organizations.
Highlights of our 2015-16 Annual Report include:
- In October 2015, we opened up Canada’s first housing complex to provide around-the-clock support for people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
- Our Community Bridge prevented 215 evictions from occurring, ending the threat of homelessness for individuals and families in Edmonton.
- 132 adults and children were housed through our Outreach Housing Team, which was launched in July 2015 with the purpose to engage with people who are homeless in our city and find them stable housing.
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT
Thank you to everyone for making 2015-16 a successful year for helping people living in poverty. We look forward to another year with providing the necessary supports and care for people in our community.
Summer is finally here! Bissell Centre’s camps and recreation team have been working hard to plan for the approaching summer months. Spearheading the effort are Alyssa, a fourth year recreation, sport, and tourism major at the University of Alberta, and Zoée, a King’s University graduate who is now pursuing her degree in social work at MacEwan University.
Alyssa and Zoée have been busy preparing for Bissell Centre’s annual summer camps. The camps will take place at Bissell Centre’s lakefront property, Moonlight Bay, which is located an hour west of Edmonton on Wabamun Lake. Beginning on July 4, Moonlight Bay will host a series of summer camps for adults and children of all ages. Camp trips range from one to four days and include an array of fun activities including teepee weaving, popcorn and s’mores by the fire, swimming, and canoeing.
For many participants, the trip will be a brief respite from otherwise persistently stressful life circumstances. Many adults and children participating in the camps come from environments of domestic violence, drug addiction, and poverty. “Everyone needs time away to spend with family and to rejuvenate, relax, and get away from those stresses,” Zoée says. Camps also provide opportunities for individuals to forge friendships, build community, and strengthen social supports.
Both Zoée and Alyssa are adamant that recreation is not a luxury or a privilege: it’s a physical and emotional need. “There needs to be recreation,” says Alyssa. “That shouldn’t be denied to anyone.”
Since 1929, Bissell Centre’s Moonlight Bay facility has been a destination for low-income families to enjoy some respite from the daily life stresses that face them. The program relies on donations and volunteer support to remain in operation. Thank you for helping us give adults and children living in poverty a summer experience they will never forget!
