Guelph-Wellington has joined 28 other communities from across Canada as part of the 20,000 Homes Campaign, a nationwide campaign aiming to permanently house 20,000 of Canada’s most vulnerable homeless people by July 2018.
The initiative is being led locally by the Guelph and Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination and the County of Wellington, and supported by a leadership committee made up of decision-makers, community champions, and those with expertise in homelessness.
On any given night in Guelph Wellington, approximately 130 individuals seek out emergency shelter, while many more go undocumented sleeping rough, couch surfing or occupying otherwise unsafe or unfit spaces. A 2015 point-in-time count suggests just under 30% of those individuals are experiencing absolute homelessness, meaning they are living unsheltered or staying in an emergency shelter. Those experiencing absolute homelessness often struggle with deep poverty, trauma, mental illness and addiction, along with complex medical problems.
The Guelph-Wellington 20,000 Homes Campaign will engage volunteers from the community to get to know homeless people by name and address their housing and health care needs through a simple survey. Completed surveys and recorded data will be shared with local staff who will prioritize entry into housing based on urgent need.
To join the campaign, get more information, or volunteer visit www.GW20khomes.ca.
