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 1, 2018.
The initiative is being led locally by the Guelph and Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination, the County of Wellington and supported by a leadership committee.
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.
The 20,000 Homes Campaign is focused on the ‘most vulnerable,’ referring specifically to homeless individuals, those with complex needs and at risk of death from homelessness and/or those who are chronically or episodically homeless.
The 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. The surveys are completed during a local ‘Registry Week,’ which is expected to occur in Guelph-Wellington in late April.
To join the campaign, get more information or volunteer visit www.GW20khomes.ca
