To increase awareness of how homelessness affects women in the community, the YWCA of Calgary participated in Homeless Awareness Day on October 10th. The event was sponsored by the Calgary Action Committee on Housing and Homelessness (CACHH) and the Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF), along with support from dozens of non-profit agencies.
The event featured Planting the Seeds of Change – a client-made planter box challenge hosted by The Alex. The planter box challenge began with a initiative from a group of Pathways to Housing clients from The Alex who decided to build special planter boxes that would grow and blossom hope throughout Calgary. Pictured is the YWCA Ophelia House planter box.
Homelessness is a significant issue facing our clients at the YWCA of Calgary. According to the Calgary Homeless Foundation, fleeing family violence is one of the top reasons many women say they became homeless. In 2012 women comprised 25% of the visible homeless population in Calgary.
We spoke to Karen Orser, Manager of Community Housing & Poverty Initiatives for the YWCA of Calgary, about the work the YWCA is doing to help homeless women.
How is the YWCA of Calgary meeting the needs of women experiencing homelessness?
At YWCA Mary Dover House we provide short term supportive housing for up to 100 women and children. In the YWCA Community Housing program we provide permanent housing for 37 women who have long histories of homelessness.
What other support is available at the YWCA of Calgary?
In addition to housing, we meet the needs of women who are homeless through various programs. Our Employment Resource Centre, language instruction programs and counselling programs are all examples of programs we offer that support women in accessing the skills, supports, and resources they need to maintain their housing and lead healthy lives.
How can Calgarians help?
Nine organizations were invited to decorate a planter using their creativity and vision to create a unique piece of art worthy of display throughout the city.Pictured is a planter box painted by Mary Dover House residents.
Calgarians can help by becoming educated about the issues and barriers that our most vulnerable women face, and by getting involved in the solutions.
They can help by starting important conversations and advocating with all levels of government for the kind of initiatives that we know will make a long term impact on people’s lives such as affordable housing, child care, access to training and education, increased social assistance rates and living wages.
They can also help by donating to the YWCA. It is because of the generous support from Calgarians that we are able to continue developing and delivering programming that truly meets the needs of vulnerable women in Calgary.
