Funding Crisis

BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW

A potential crisis is looming in Greater Sudbury that could devastate an entire network of social initiatives and programs for the community?s homeless population.

No fewer than 11 social organizations are preparing for a major funding blow in the next couple of months. This loss of funding could affect numerous outreach programs that have taken years to build.

Some of the agencies involved include the Canadian Red Cross, Sudbury Action Centre, Corner Clinic, Elgin Street Mission, First Steps, John Howard Society, Elizabeth Fry Transition House, Canadian Mental Health Association, N?Swakamok Native Friendship Centre and L?Association des jeunnes de la rue/Foyer Notre Dame House.

Each of these organizations is waiting for word from the federal government about more funding from the National Homelessness Initiative and the Community Placement Target Fund.

These two funding bodies, combined, account for $861,484 in annual funding, which is split up between the 11 organizations designed to help support homelessness initiatives.

Annual funding has been in place for five years, and in that time, local organizations have built an extensive safety network of services. More importantly, the groups have built up trust with Sudbury?s homeless and at-risk population.

In the spring budget, the federal government announced it wouldn?t abandon the two funding programs. But, with only three months left until last year?s funds run out, supporters say they have not received any answers about the government recommitting funding and this leaves them very worried.

?There have been no details announced allowing us to apply for funding,? said Janet Gasparini, the executive director of Sudbury?s Social Planning Council (SPC). Gasparini is also a member of city council.

?There are many supports and services for the homeless or those at risk. The funding runs out on Dec. 31, 2005...We need more funding in place before that happens or my honest fear is we will find dead (homeless) people on the streets this winter.

?Even a momentary stop in the funding will set us back five years. We could be facing a crisis of an unprecedented magnitude in this community.?

The money provided goes directly towards homelessness initiatives, such as outreach workers, who walk the cold streets at night in the dead of winter to locate people who need help, said Gasparini.

When they find people living under bridges or sleeping on sewer grates, these workers help get them to a shelter where a warm bed and hot food and beverages are available.

Many of the programs run shelter programs for the homeless and most of the money goes directly to hiring staff, paying for shelter and buying food, said Gasparini.

One client, who uses the services of L?Association des jeunnes de la rue/Foyer Notre Dame House outreach program, can?t fathom not having programs for the homeless.

?They have compassion without prejudice,? said Denis Pilon. ?They redirect people to the right services to get homeless people off the streets. If they can?t do it (because of funding cuts) then the homeless will be scattered.

?They offer help to every single person on the street and we need them out there.?

The federal government is committed to renewing the funding and ensuring there?s no gap so established programs will continue unimpeded.

?We are absolutely committed to this kind of funding,? said Sylvie Guibert, acting director of program management at the National Secretary of Homelessness, which is part of Human Resources Skills Development Canada. ?We are working on the renewal of the initiative. We did consultations in the winter. The minister has announced he is currently developing the Canadian Housing framework, which will include the component for the homeless in terms of the initiative. We are working hard to ensure there are no gaps in the funding. We want to avoid that at all costs. The help will be there. There?s no time for an official announcement just yet.?

If the funding doesn?t come through, Gasparini foresees a big burden on two key public services in the community.

?If the money doesn?t come through then our health care system and police services will have to become that safety network,? said Gasparini.

?There will be no more outreach workers solving minor problems, and that will create a bigger burden in emergency rooms and the police will have to pick up the homeless people. The costs on these two services will add up fast. These agencies are already under-funded, but still provide a variety of programs, which make up pieces of a support puzzle. Losing any one piece will impact the entire agency.?

Homelessness is a growing problem in Sudbury with no end in sight.

?Thousands of people rely on these organizations and their support and services,? said Annette Reszczynski, senior social planner with SPC. ?For example, in just one month, the Elgin Street Mission sees over 700 people.

?If that service wasn?t there...I couldn?t imagine the consequences. We will see more people and families on the street. It will become even more visible. All other social, health and police programs will be pressured. It?s a good thing we have all these enhanced services, but we need to keep them.?

The face of homelessness has changed in the last five years.

The SPC collected hard statistics about the homeless in Sudbury, covering a period between 2000 to 2003. A total of 608 people were identified as homeless or at risk, with the absolute homeless making up 39 percent.

Of the absolute homeless, 12 percent were children under the age of 12. Between April 2004 and April 2005, 115 homeless families were housed on a temporary basis in motels because no other option was available.

In March 2004, 11,000 people had to go to a food bank to get food they couldn?t afford to buy.

?The homeless population has changed,? said Gasparini. ?There are more families, single mothers and youth. It used to be single men, but not anymore.?

The Samaritan Centre, which doesn?t receive any direct homelessness funding, but does house two of the agencies that could be affected (Elgin Street Mission and FIRSTSTEPS), is also on the bandwagon for the funding to continue. The centre offers not-for-profit space to agencies that deal with homeless people.

?We are hoping funding comes through... or there will be a crisis,? said Pastor Michael Versluis, interim executive director of the Samaritan Centre.

A call for action is being issued by the SPC and the various agencies affected.

The SPC and the United Way are making a presentation to city council tonight. They will be proposing council to help find a way to bridge the funding gap until the government announces more funding.

They are also asking people to contact their local MP and MPP to advocate the funding continues unabated.

?As a society, we have a collective responsibility to take care of people in our community,? said Gasparini. ?These services are essential. The entire community has to recognize just how important these services are.?