Men’s Homelessness Committee continues work on long-term solution as community survey launched

Orangeville Council’s Men’s Homelessness Committee is looking at funding resources and fundraising ideas to support the concept of a permanent men’s shelter in the community. The committee will assess the long-term need in the community and how it can be addressed with a sustainable operation.

The Orangeville committee and the Research Shop at the Community Engaged Scholarship Institute at the University of Guelph are gathering feedback to capture community perspectives and understandings, identify service strengths and opportunities for growth, and help inform local strategies for men’s homelessness. The survey launched September 17 and is available until October 1 at https://uoguelph.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bfiBveyepekeO7Y.

In the spring of 2021, Orangeville Council approved a recommendation to create a Men’s Homelessness Committee to address the need. Committee members were appointed from the public, along with Mayor Sandy Brown and Councillors Debbie Sherwood and Joe Andrews. The committee has met four times this summer and will continue to meet on a bi-weekly basis for the balance of 2021. The meetings have included several speakers who have experience working with homeless men or who have family members who are homeless. “The meetings have been eye-opening and inspiring for our committee,” said Mayor Brown. 

The recent announcement by Choices Youth Shelter that they were opening a separate emergency shelter to house displaced men has been embraced by the Men’s Homelessness Committee. Through the leadership of Choices Youth Shelter Chair Randy Narine, Orangeville now has a facility to address the needs of displaced men. The Orangeville Men’s Homelessness Committee will work collaboratively with Choices to secure the necessary sustainable and secure funding to provide a permanent facility –  to provide supportive care and resources to help these men resolve issues and find permanent accommodation. “Many thanks to Randy Narine and the Board of Choices Youth Shelter for their bold initiative,” said Mayor Brown.

Orangeville’s committee will collaborate with Choices Shelter in reviewing options to identify and secure sustainable secured funding, identifying fundraising opportunities, identify operational needs and program resources, and consider long-term location options. Funding sources may include private donations, government funding, and community fundraising to support a permanent operation of a men’s shelter, with additional beds if necessary.

A final report on the needs assessment study on the homeless problem in Dufferin County, currently being undertaken by the “Research Shop” at the University of Guelph, is expected by the end of November.

“This information will be helpful as the committee applies for sustainable funding and the committee works with Choices Shelter to arrive at the best solution for this important community resource,” Mayor Brown said.