Thank you for your continued engagement in addressing homelessness within our community. We began sharing these updates last month because at a pivotal point in our journey to understand and discuss potential solutions for homelessness in Red Deer, you raised your hand. This act of involvement is significant, as it reflects the broader desire among many of our fellow citizens to play an active role in supporting those in need of a “hand up, not a handout.”
When the Red Deer Chamber Homelessness Taskforce presented their recommendations last April, we introduced an ambitious plan to establish a Homeless Foundation in Red Deer within a short timeframe. I am pleased to report that we are on track and progressing as planned.
As Socrates wisely stated, “The secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” I am grateful to the Transition Team for their tireless efforts in advancing this initiative, and to our friends, neighbours, colleagues, and community members who have encouraged and propelled us forward as we blaze a new trail supporting individuals experiencing homelessness.
Wishing you and your loved ones all the best this holiday season, and to those you serve, may you continue to find inspiration and hope.
Why a Foundation?
We believe that by uniting business, community, and government leaders, we can create a shared response that will mobilize the resources needed to achieve meaningful outcomes.
Some have questioned why we should not leave the management of homelessness response solely to The City of Red Deer. This is a reasonable question. Our recommendation is not a criticism of The City, but rather a call to action that recognizes The City has numerous other priorities demanding its attention. The time is right for the community to step forward and take a more active role in building solutions. From our conversations with the Calgary Homeless Foundation and Homeward Trust, we’ve learned that an independent, stand-alone foundation, dedicated solely to addressing homelessness, can provide a strategic lens, facilitate collaboration, and act as a champion for homelessness outcomes across all sectors—government, business, and community agencies.
As Tony Robbins wisely states, “If you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” It is time for us to disrupt the status quo, shift our perspectives, and pursue innovative solutions. Red Deer is a community that has always come together to address shared challenges and find solutions where none seemed possible. Our history is one of self-reliance, innovation, generosity, and compassion. We do not look to the government to solve our problems; instead, we view the government as a critical partner in building those solutions.
Introducing…The Homeless Foundation for Red Deer Region
In mid-November, the Homeless Foundation Transition Team submitted their application to Service Alberta for the creation of The Homeless Foundation of Red Deer Region. TODAY we received our registration and are OPEN FOR BUSINESS!
With this important first step complete, and as begin transitioning responsibility from the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce, we invite you to engage with us directly via email at admin@homelessnessreddeer.com.
There will be no slowing down. The foundation will focus on securing Charitable Status with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), recruiting and expanding the board of directors, finalizing key policies to guide the foundation’s operations, appointing an administrative leader to support the organization’s vision, and establishing the day-to-day functions necessary for the foundation’s success.
Our team is excited about the work ahead of us and ready to move the ball forward.
The Transition Team
- Lyn Radford, Chair
- Kathy Lacey, Vice Chair
- Art Anastasi
- Bryan Pobishushchy
- Dr. Michael Mulholand
- Gwen Clarke
- Ian Milne
- Jamil Charania
- Kimberley Worthington
- Mark Jones
- Pat Moore
- Ryan Krutzfeldt
- Scott Robinson
- Talitha Klym
- Darcy Mykytyshyn, Project Advisor
As strong advocates for the idea that “many hands make light work,” we are pleased to congratulate the following individuals who were appointed by City Council to serve on the Housing and Homelessness Integration Committee this past month:
- Donna Derie-Gillespie
- Christal Makokis
- Raye St. Denys
- Brandon Bouchard
- Natasha Stagg
- Charles Turnbull
The Homelessness Taskforce, the Homelessness Transition Team, and now the Homeless Foundation have consistently embraced the belief that Red Deer is best served when there is an “all hands-on deck” approach. By bringing together diverse voices and expertise, we can identify barriers, explore innovative ideas, and advance solutions to homelessness in our community.
The Homeless Foundation is excited to continue building connections across Red Deer, facilitating collaboration among stakeholders, and leading community conversations focused on achieving positive outcomes for those experiencing homelessness.
The 2024 Point in Time Count
We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the significant work completed by The City of Red Deer with the recent release of the Point in Time Count, conducted on October 10, 2024. While the data shared in the report is sobering, it is, in many ways, unsurprising given the ongoing media reports highlighting the economic challenges Canadians are currently facing.
In the days since the report dropped, and as our foundation continues its journey of learning about the complexities of homelessness, some startling information has been shared with us as we engage with organizations across Alberta:
- In some circumstances, close to half of shelter guests are employed.
- In some shelters, the average monthly income of guests ($1,200) would barely cover the cost of rent.
- More and more shelter guests are senior citizens.
- Families camping in tents (excluding those residing in tents near the shelter) do so primarily because there are limited options for families to stay together. If they enter the shelter, they would be required to separate from their children.
What does this mean for our community? While it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions, we recognize as more data is released, we will need to carefully reconsider our approaches. This process may involve recalibrating priorities to ensure we are making the most meaningful impact in supporting those affected by homelessness.