[homeles_ot-l] Today - press conference on the federal homelessness funding

[Lynne Browne]

Good morning everyone,

 

At 10 this morning we are holding a press conference on the federal
homelessness funding. Some of you may have heard Perry Rowe on CBC this
morning.

 

Lynne

 


September 15, 2008    MEDIA RELEASE




Election Plea for Drivers Help

196 days until federal help for homeless people ends

On Tuesday, September 16th, at 10:00 a.m., a plea for help from the drivers
going by The Shepherds of Good Hope, located at the corner of King Edward
Avenue and Murray Street, will be officially unveiled. 

Perry Rowe, Chair of the Alliance to End Homelessness will join Paul Soucie,
Executive Director at the Shepherds of Good Hope, to unveil the sign and
they are counting on the public’s help. 

“We’ve always had a great response to our signs so we’re unveiling this one
to ask people driving by this busy corner to take a moment to email the
Prime Minister at HYPERLINK "mailto:pm at pm.gc.ca"pm at pm.gc.ca. We want people
to email him and ask for a commitment now to renew the federal homelessness
programs,” said Mr. Soucie. “We’ll keep tracking the days until Mr. Harper
makes an announcement. In fact, our city needs to hear a commitment from all
the national leaders on renewing federal homelessness funding right after
the election.”

“The community is already at risk because it still takes 4 to 6 months
federal funding into our community once it is committed,” said Mr. Rowe.
“There are many agencies in Ottawa helping homeless families and individuals
and 24 of them are receiving some help from the current federal money. If
the money is not renewed this fall, those 24 agencies will have to start to
reduce their services and to give staff layoff notices by Christmas. It’s a
loss the whole community will feel.”

The Alliance to End Homelessness is worried because Ottawa is just holding
constant on the number of homeless people; without this federal renewal the
community will see an increase in homelessness. 

In order to move from managing homelessness to ending it, Ottawa needs more
funding that is sustained over the long term. In 2007, 8,915 individuals
stayed in an emergency shelter and an additional 9,567 households received
help to stay housed –- despite the combination of federal, city and
provincial funds that currently assist homeless people.

“The sign being unveiled Tuesday is part of the 2nd Wave of our Email
Countdown Campaign found at HYPERLINK
"http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/"www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca,” said
Mr. Rowe. “We are asking ordinary people to email Stephen Harper, Stéphane
Dion, Jack Layton, Gilles Duceppe, and Elizabeth May to request that they
commit to renewing homelessness funding during the election campaign as part
of a new National Housing Strategy.” 

-30-

To arrange to speak with Perry Rowe or Paul Soucie or to find out more on
the affected Ottawa agencies, please contact:


Lynne Browne, Coordinator


Alliance to End Homelessness


Cell (613) 513-6647


Office (613) 241-7913 x 205

 

 

 

Lynne Browne

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH)
147 Besserer Street, Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7 
HYPERLINK "mailto:lbrowne at ysb.on.ca"lbrowne at ysb.on.ca,  613-241-7913 ext 205


www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca  

 

 


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