GuelphToday received the following letter to the editor from the United Way's Glenna Banda regarding the city's homelessness issue.
Dear editor,
The number of recent letters to the editor about homelessness reflects how engaged and committed our community is to this issue. There is a collective concern and passion about what is happening in downtown Guelph and a desire to make things better for everyone impacted. As many of these writers have pointed out, homelessness is a systemic issue that we all have a role in solving.
The good news is that our community has a plan ready to implement that will address homelessness. In fact, thanks to the work of many organizations and individuals, our community can identify by name those who are chronically homeless and know the specific physical and emotional supports that will enable their healing. What we need is a place for these individuals to call home with convenient access to the medical and social supports that will enable their wellness.
The Home for Good Campaign is one of the initiatives that is leading this charge. The campaign has already raised over $1 million in support of building 72 new permanent supportive housing units which will begin opening in early 2023. These units will be safe and welcoming spaces that will give those dealing with chronic homelessness the dignity they deserve, reduce pressure on our emergency shelter system and address many of the concerns raised by other letter writers.
It takes a village to build a village and United Way, The Guelph Community Foundation and other community partners are working together to raise the funds to help change how our community thinks and responds to homelessness. The Home For Good Campaign is just one example of how Guelph & Wellington is coming together to not just talk about challenges but take concrete action on our plan to solve homelessness in our community.
Glenna Banda
Executive Director, United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin
