A large question has framed my experiences as I moved through different stages of my life: how is it that I have managed to find so much success considering my background as a homeless person? Currently, I am a professional case planner and outreach worker with a non-profit service provider. I have assisted in getting hundreds of homeless people into addictions or mental health treatment, and hundreds more into affordable housing arrangements. I have connected with so many clients on such a deep level that many see me as a lifesaver. I have coordinated emergency shelter programs and assisted in developing homeless counts. I have two beautiful children and a happy life in what I consider to be one of the finest cities in the world. I am involved in my community, university-educated, physically active and healthy. To look at my life, most would never suspect that I travelled a much bleaker road at one point. That road begins in 1969, when I was born into a multi-generationally broken Métis family in Ontario.
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The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is the largest national research institute devoted to homelessness in Canada. The COH is the curator of the Homeless Hub.
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About UsCanadian Observatory on Homelessness
The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is the largest national research institute devoted to homelessness in Canada. The COH is the curator of the Homeless Hub.
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- Foreword
- Introduction
- Stories
- 3. Contrast
- 4. All The Way Home
- 5. She must have been crazy
- 6. My Life Story, My Youth
- 7. Maison de Maternity
- 8. Hail Mary Pass
- 9. Into a storage locker
- 10. Officer Down
- 11. Rooming at the Haunted House
- 12. My Journey from Nova Scotia to Ottawa
- 13. Anatomy of Hero
- 14. Battered Schmattered
- 15. My Journey
- 16. Aloha Big Kahuna
- 17. How Being a Veggie Burger with Bacon Saved My Life
- 18. I brave enough to leave
- 19. Hope Eternal
- Policy
- 20. A Pragmatic, Humanistic and Effective Approach to Additions: The Importance of Harm Reduction
- 21. A Comprehensive, Community Process on Ending Homelessness: The System of Care Approach
- 22. What Comes Next? Supporting Individuals After Institutional Discharge
- 23. Healing the Pain and Hurt: Dealing with the Trauma of Homelessness
- 24. Ending Homelessness: Building not only homes but relationships of respect
- Conclusion
- Introduction
- Homelessness is Only One Piece of My Puzzle: Implications for Policy and Practice
- Stories
- 4. All The Way Home