- by Michelle Solaro

None of us are home, until all of us are home.- Project Home

Homelessness, precarious housing and rough sleeping are topics we hear so much about. The causes are complex, the solutions are contentious. So where do we, as a community and as individuals, start or continue to show some of our most resilient and vulnerable neighbours we care about them?

As we near Safe ‘N Sound’s annual pledge-based charity walk, Coldest Night of the Year, a reminder of what we all can do, can be helpful in moving us from being witnesses to active agents of change.

First, we can try harder to SEE the person sleeping in the doorway. They are not invisible. Talk to them, like you would to any other neighbour. There are at least 208 homeless people in Grey County and 146 of them are considered chronically homeless, meaning they have been homeless for more then 6 months. There are countless more facing rough sleeping and precarious housing. This number has grown exponentially in recent years.

Secondly, you can help in a variety of ways. Here are a few ideas:

1. Donate, walk or volunteer with Coldest Night of the Year, being held in Owen Sound, Saugeen Shores and Kincardine on February 25, 2023. Sign up at: www.cnoy.org

1. Do you have snowmobile and/or ski suits that you aren’t using? Consider donating it to Safe ‘N Sound. For a person sleeping outdoors in winter, this could make all the difference.
2. Support local agencies trying to address the needs of those who are struggling: Safe ‘N Sound, United Way and Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce to name a few. Did you know that Safe 'N Sound's county funding for our evenings and weekend programming ends at the end of March? Corporate and individual giving is what keeps programs running.
3. Consider ongoing support. The need is not a once a year issue and often outweighs the funding. Community support is integral to continued service.
4. Subscribe to our Facebook page where our immediate “asks” for support are posted. Coat Drives, hygiene supplies, calls for volunteers. All of these can be found throughout the year on our social media.
5. Petition all levels of government to act quickly and work with agencies and those with lived experience to find solutions for this growing problem.

Our Streets are not meant to be a home.