Sep 7, 2018When the Streets are Safer than Affordable HousingYou may be surprised to learn that I have heard this been said many times. Today, it was said by Sarah – a young person in our art...
Nov 27, 2017A Homeless Vet’s Journey: Week 1For the audio introduction to A Homeless Vet’s Journey click play below: Kurk had served several tours of duty in the armed forces,...
Nov 2, 2017Searching for Affordable HousingYou would think that in a city like Ottawa, when a vulnerable citizen faces a crisis and loses their housing, there would be a system in...
Feb 11, 2016Celiac on the StreetsSome people have a policy to only give food to panhandlers. Some even get offended if the panhandler rejects the offer of food. For these...
Apr 24, 2015“What Am I Supposed To Do?”Last week, I was doing outreach downtown when I came across Ben. Ben is one of the “oldtimers” – one of several men who have been on the...
Dec 15, 2014Shane’s Story, Episode 5: My Own PlaceShane’s Story is a eight episode blog post where Shane tells her story in her own words. Each week in December, on Mondays and Thursdays...
Jan 9, 2014New Perspective on HomeI attend St. Albans Anglican Church in downtown Ottawa. We are lucky to have space in the midst of both the Market, nearby Centretown,...
Dec 18, 2013“Tessa’s Home” Episode 7: A Real Home for ChristmasTessa’s Home is an 8 part series running until December 27th. To listen to the audio backgrounder from family radio CHRI, click below....
Nov 18, 2013Everything I Have“It happened again. I have to leave,” she told me in a panic. Laura had called me several times that week. She was always in a panic...
Oct 14, 2013When Can I Take This Off?I was talking with someone recently who had obtained housing. They have been on the street since their early teens—both sleeping on the...
Aug 26, 2013Stories from the Street: Size Doesn’t MatterThis episode of ‘Stories from the Street’ is a little different, because it is not a verbatim story told by a street-friend. Instead,...
Sep 19, 2011Street Outreach: An Encounter!The Street Outreach team met Bess and Ken near Confederation Park near the first of September. They came up to us asking for sleeping...
Oct 29, 2010Gary – a story about Resiliency (and more)Gary came down the stairs at the drop in, saw me and said, “I haven’t got your money yet. I know it’s been three years. I’m working on...
Sep 3, 2010LIfe on the Streets 3: PanhandlingWe see people panhandling for loose change all the time in our cities. It’s commonplace. We have come to adopt certain attitudes...
Aug 21, 2010Life on the Streets I: WalkingI arrived back in Ottawa late last night and drove through the downtown area on the way home. I saw a man walking with a garbage bag over...
Aug 21, 2010Life on the Streets I – WalkI arrived back in Ottawa late last night and drove through the downtown area on the way home. I saw a man walking with a garbage bag over...
Jul 23, 2010Getting a Place of Your OwnHarry has been desperately searching for shelter since he was released from jail three months ago. He has been squeaky clean – no drugs...