The Kamloops HAP Requires Complete Support
I am the Coordinator of the Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan, and as such am very biased towards the goals of the plan. I see the HAP as a viable way of addressing the ongoing issues of poverty and affordable housing. The reason I know that it can work is based on the successes similar plans have had in cities like Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. A concerted effort to make a difference in each of these cities has resulted in thousands of people finding permanent housing, some of whom had been living on the streets for years. When a community decides to work together on a common goal anything can happen, this is exactly such a common goal.
I have been very inspired by the public opinions I have heard about the issues of housing and homelessness. It seems like people understand that there are extenuating circumstances that result in homelessness, and that the people we see on the street really are just like you and me. It seems that the recent downturn in the economy has brought the issues of affordable housing closer to everyone’s hearts and homes. Many people are experiencing hidden homelessness themselves and are living with friends and families while experiencing the stress of financial insecurity. In the face of growing financial pressures I have been struck by the general opinion that change is not only possible but absolutely necessary.
There is only one way we can accomplish the necessary change and that is by working together. In order for people to really work together they must trust and respect one another. The basis of this trust is rooted in understanding that we are all human begins with the same fundamental needs regardless of our differences. We must listen to opinions of people we would have ignored in the past, we must consider people we once thought of as opposition as allies. We must view the breadth of issues with an open mind ready for solutions and be ready to say yes to ideas that have never been tried before.
In the coming years of the Homelessness Action Plan there are going to be several calls for assistance from the public. We will require volunteers to spread the messages, we will require donations of all kinds, and we will require the open sharing of information and opinions. Several people, such as members of the Changing the Face of Poverty group and the employees of Kamloops’ Non-Profits, have been giving tirelessly for years, now it is time for the rest of us to step up and help out. Adding our efforts to organizations like the United Way, The Canadian Mental Health Association, the Elizabeth Fry Society and ASK Wellness Centre is one way to help out with the group effort. Another way is to say hello to a person we have seen as different, or to simply share a warm smile to someone who we would have ignored in the past.
Together, we CAN end homelessness. Tangie Genshorek, Homelessness Action Plan Coordinator, 250.571.9665
