Inspiring Stories from our Community Housing Clients 

By Michelle Brown, Community Housing Program Director

 

At Alpha House, we are reminded daily of the transformative value of having a home. 

For so many of our clients who have experienced homelessness, our community housing program enables them to live independently with dignity – to feel supported and cared for by their community and to work to build a healthier future for themselves.

Home for our clients is much more than shelter – it provides hope with a new perspective for them to realize their own dreams and create a better future. 

We recently sat down with three of our community housing clients – Stephen, Darcy, and Lesley, who shared their unique perspectives on how having a home has changed their lives.

 

Home is a Haven Where Stephen’s Dreams are Rekindled

For Stephen, stable housing has enabled him to rediscover his passions, manage his mental health and feel safe and secure. 

“It’s been a tremendous privilege, with regards to where they placed me, with regards to the financial end of it. I still have some pocket money left over after paying rent, and I can keep my affairs in order, like paying bills and actually adulting,” he says.  

After spending years in shelters, Stephen was referred to Alpha House during the pandemic – where he met a counselor who helped him navigate his schizophrenia diagnosis. \

“He was like a big brother, held my hand through some of the worst moments and paranoias of my schizophrenia when it was first diagnosed,” Stephen shares.

Stephen also has renewed dreams of attending a Comic Con convention, and is working to save to attend one in Calgary in the future. 

“Since getting housed, it’s been a huge turnaround. I finally have space for my comics, novels, and costumes — my own slice of identity,” he says. 

Calgary Flames Fan Darcy Loves the Independence of Having His Own Home

Darcy shares that, “Alpha House is to me, in my mind, it is the best thing going.” After experiencing homelessness, he feels comfort and pride in having a space to call his own. 

“It feels nice to actually have a place where I can walk into it and say, this is my place. I pay my bills ahead of time and everything else,” he adds. 

As a lifelong Calgary Flames fan, Darcy has decorated his home with Flames memorabilia on his walls.  

“I have on my wall about eight pictures of Flames players. My friend did a photocopy of Miikka Kiprusoff when he retired and I have it. Kipper was my all time favorite. Like, he was a phenomenal goalie.”

 

A Peaceful Place to Call Home for Lesley

Lesley spent over 10 years living on Calgary’s streets and says Alpha House has given  him a sense of safety and stability. He loves the peace and quiet of living alone. 

“Nobody bothers me. It’s just dandy,” he shares. 

Having a space of his own has allowed Lesley to enjoy simple pleasures, like watching Murdoch Mysteries or playing rhythm and bass guitar. After nearly ten years in Alpha House’s community housing program, Lesley is truly grateful for the stability and security it has provided him. 

For every individual client, the meaning and comfort of home mean different things and we are grateful to Stephen, Darcy and Lesley for sharing their stories with us. 

 

Every one of our clients has a unique story, and at Alpha House we work to enhance our clients’ quality of life by providing them with the support they need to live with dignity, hope and stability in secure housing. 

Alpha House relies on community support to continue helping clients like Stephen, Darcy and Lesley move into stable housing and achieve their goals. Donations go towards rent subsidies, deposits, groceries, and other essentials.

To learn more about the program or to donate, visit Give Hope Through Housing.

 

All Hands on Deck – Let’s Make Housing for All a Reality

National Housing Day is a day for raising awareness, advocating for impactful housing solutions, and taking actionable steps toward a future where every individual has access to safe and stable housing. National Housing Day was declared a ‘national day’ in the year 2000 after homelessness was recognized as a national disaster two years prior. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, CMHC, says “an all hands-on deck approach isn’t just an option— it’s essential for tackling the housing and homelessness crisis”. This sentiment rings true for all non-profits and affordable housing providers particularly in recent years; the government, financial organizations, developers, and communities all need to buy in and work together if we’re going to be serious about providing housing for all.

A secondary, but incredibly important, part of National Housing Day is recognizing the thousands of individuals who have been successfully housed in supportive housing programs across the city, province, and country – not just with Alpha House’s programs but with dozens of other homeless-serving agencies. It’s a tough transition to go from homelessness to housing when you may have been chronically homeless for the past 5 or 10 years. It demands a lot of work and often requires tough changes in approaches to everyday life, so it matters to us to celebrate the individuals who have pushed through so much hardship to be where they are today.

So, let’s talk housing, Calgary. In today’s blog post, we are going to be taking a look at key issues impacting the housing crisis in Calgary.

 

City of Calgary – Housing Needs Assessment 2023
https://www.calgary.ca/communities/housing-in-calgary/housing-needs-assessment.html

The Housing Needs Assessment is a Research Report, published by the City of Calgary, with a goal of giving us a better understanding of the need for affordable housing in Calgary. A household is classified as “in need of affordable housing” when it earns less than 65% of Calgary’s median and spends at least 30% of their income on housing costs. The key findings from this report highlight a number of alarming statistics:

• The annual income required to adequately afford market rent in 2023 is $84,000, a significant increase from the $67,000 figure for 2022
• The median cost of buying a detached home has increased by 37% over the last 3 years (2020-2023)
• The average rent between 2020 and 2023 has increased by around 40%
• 1 in 5 households cannot afford their housing

These are obviously concerning stats so… why is it so bad?

There are many issues and compounding factors that play into the housing crisis in Calgary. Becoming educated on some of the issues and challenges with today’s housing market is among the first steps to understanding what we need to be fighting for— we can’t fight for affordable housing for all if we don’t know what’s preventing this future utopia. Some key pieces of information to start:

• Rent Caps: In Alberta, the average rent between 2020 and 2023 has increased by around 40%. In contrast, New Brunswick very recently passed a rent cap bill, effective Feb 2025, which limits rent increases to 3% per year. If this same bill or a similar rent cap bill had been in place in Alberta during that same time period, our 40% figure would be 9%, leaving Albertans with much more flexibility in their finances and with a much smaller percentage of income directed towards housing costs.
  • https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/rent-cap-legislation-1.7388255
• Financialized Landlords (i.e. corporate entities that manage rental properties primarily for profit): There are currently no barriers to corporate entities owning rental properties for-profit including properties earmarked for ‘affordable housing’ indexation Conversely, non-profit, co-op, land trust organizations, and tenants who purchase and own at-risk buildings when they come on the market would provide more protections to ensure affordable housing is true in practice not just in name. The negative impact of financialized landlords can be seen in Martine August’s research, which shows these groups purchased 90% of all rental stock that came up for sale in the Toronto Market in 2020.
  • https://www.cbc.ca/news/financialized-landlord-higher-rents-canada-1.7307015
• Fixed-Term Leases: Fixed term leases allow financialized landlords to raise the rent at their discretion (with no rent caps in place) at the end of each term. Month-to-month or shorter-term leases give renters the power to choose where they want to stay, and are able to leave more quickly if their circumstances change abruptly or if they aren’t satisfied with their living arrangements. When you give renters the power to dictate the parameters of their living situations, this encourages landlords to be more engaged with the state of their properties
• Calgary’s Living Wage is Nearly $10 More Than Minimum Wage: A recent report on the cost of living in Calgary has calculated that a living wage in the city is $24.45 an hour, with the minimum wage remaining unchanged at $15 an hour. A common misconception is that only youth living with their parents are making this wage but, in actuality, about 57.2% of minimum wage workers in Alberta last year were 25 years old or older. This disparity along with the rising costs of basic needs make attaining stable housing incredibly difficult or, in some cases, flat out impossible for many Calgarians.
  • https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/living-wage-minimum-wage-inflation-costs-1.7386920#:~:text=Calgary-,Calgary’s%20living%20wage%20calculated%20at%20nearly%20%2410%2Fh%20more%20than,more%20than%20the%20minimum%20wage.
• People Turn to the Homeless-Serving Sector When Other Systems Fail: Other systems are in place to assist individuals in difficult situations but, when those fall through, and individuals lose stable housing, the homeless-serving sector is the place they can turn to. Examples of system failures can include difficult transitions from child welfare, inadequate discharge planning from hospitals, corrections, and mental health and addictions facilities, a lack of support for new immigrants and refugees, and individuals fleeing domestic violence where a homeless shelter becomes the only option. The homeless-serving sector is not equipped to continue to see significant increases in number of clients leading to worse outcomes for everyone.
  • https://www.mtroyal.ca/nonprofit/InstituteforCommunityProsperity/Happenings/Unpacking-the-affordable-housing-crisis-ICP.htm

 

And what the heck can we do about it?

• Advocate: Write your local representatives, attend city council meetings, and keep an eye out for campaigns you can be a part of that push for more affordable housing
• Spread Awareness: Educate yourself on the challenges and issues in the housing sector, and share your knowledge with others
• Donate: Donate to agencies that provide affordable housing. Monetary donations and in-kind donations of furniture, appliances, etc. that people can make use of when entering a new home are very helpful for individuals transitioning from homelessness to stable housing
• Attend Events: Participate in local events, workshops, rallies, or discussions that are centered around housing policy
• Volunteer: Volunteer with local affordable housing providers; keep an eye out for volunteer positions on their board of directors or fundraisers supporting this cause
• Become a Landlord Partner with Alpha House: Learn more about our landlord partnership program for individuals exiting homelessness below

 

Alpha House & Landlord Partnerships 

Alpha House’s Community Housing Program works closely with landlords to provide housing for individuals exiting homelessness circumstances. Units are in market rentals around the city and clients are supported by our caseworkers to improve housing stability and communication between tenant and landlord. We are currently looking for landlords to partner with to provide housing for more vulnerable Calgarians.

If you are a landlord or know of a landlord who might be interested, download our Landlord Partnership Package for more information. Inside there are testimonials from current landlord partners, benefits of partnering with Alpha House (e.g. guaranteed consistent rent payments, home maintenance commitment, etc.), and the social benefit of working with our Community Housing Program.

 

Home for the Holidays

One of Alpha House’s biggest strengths is the powerful and moving stories we hear every day from our clients. Each and every client’s life journey is unique, and we believe it’s important to share their stories to not only raise awareness, but to develop the awareness that we cannot truly know someone’s life story or the circumstances that led to the homelessness they now experience.

Keep an ear open for our Home for the Holidays radio campaign to hear both staff and clients of Alpha House share their experiences with homelessness and the impact that stable housing has had on their lives.

The radio campaign will run from December 9^th to December 22^nd, and be featured on WILD 95.3 and 101.5 Today Radio.

Alpha House has been delivering a version of the Engaging Vulnerable Persons workshop to Calgary communities for nearly a decade. The training has gone through many iterations over the years, adapting to the landscape of homelessness and addiction in the city to provide the most relevant information surrounding the challenges that can come from interacting with people on the street who may be under the influence, struggling with poor mental health, sleep deprived, or some combination of the above.

The EVP is broken into three sections.

• The landscape, myths, and key concepts surrounding homelessness and addiction
• Biases and Perceptions
• Improving interactions

This workshop is designed for any individual or group who is interested in understanding more about navigating public substance use, homelessness, and street-involved interactions. Learn all you need to know about this workshop with the below FAQ:

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a cost?

Alpha House is committed to providing this workshop to as many people as possible to increase understanding and compassion, equip people with tools to create safety for all, and bring community together to tackle these large social issues. If you do not have any funds to support this training, we will do our best to work with you. For businesses and corporate groups, the cost is $250.00, for other non-profit organizations and community groups the cost is $100. For individuals, we do have a webinar version available for $10 on demand. Details here: https://alphahousecalgary.com/engaging-vulnerable-persons/

 

Can I book one for my specific group?

Yes! We offer bookings for specific groups whether you’re a local business, corporate office, community group or non-profit agency, church, community association, or categorized some other way. Please email us at [email protected] to request a workshop.

 

How long is the workshop?

The full workshop is roughly 90 minutes, but we also offer condensed versions in 60-minute, 45-minute, and 30-minute options. Please note: we of course recommend the full version as it contains all the topics we believe are most relevant for effective understanding and implementation of the information. However, we can accommodate requests for compressed options as needed.

 

Is it possible to customize the presentation for my group?

Absolutely! Alpha House offers customizations (within reason) by request. We are happy to utilize specific scenarios or situations based on experiences your staff or group has encountered in the past. Equally, we can adjust the workshop to include more, or less, specific information about the topics covered.

 

Is the EVP in-person or virtual?

You decide! We are happy to provide the workshop in-person at your group’s location or virtually. We can also provide a hybrid option if you have staff/interested participants who are not able to make it in-person. Lastly, webinar options are available if you are interested in ongoing training for new hires, new volunteers, or something similar. Reach out to us to discuss.

 

Is there a webinar version for the general public?

You bet there is! More details here: https://alphahousecalgary.com/engaging-vulnerable-persons/

 

How do I book a workshop?

Email us at [email protected] !

 

Are there additional resources available?

We’re so glad you asked! There ARE additional resources available. Check out our YouTube channel for our Engaging Vulnerable Persons Video Series, which breaks down different interactions and best practices for engaging: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIrMdCzSNpxv0Wp-4Dk8dvg

 

If you have a question that has not been answered here, please feel free to email us for more information: [email protected]

 

The information presented in the Engaging Vulnerable Persons Training is information directly pulled from Alpha House’s 40+ years of experience working with vulnerable populations in Calgary, Alberta. We do not make any guarantees about the practices described in this training, however, and Alpha House shall not be responsible for any decisions made based on this information

Talking about the Continuum of Homelessness

Today, October 10^th, marks World Homelessness Day. Along side many other agencies in the Calgary community, Alpha House works with individuals who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. At Alpha House, we hear many misconceptions from community members about homelessness – that all experiences of homelessness are alike or that people become homeless because of bad financial decisions or personal choices. It is easy to make assumptions about people experiencing homelessness but the reality of people’s experiences is often far more complex. We talk about homelessness as a spectrum of situations that people can move through because it helps contextualize the vast array of experiences people have with being unhoused.

We’ll talk about: Unsheltered, Emergency Sheltered, Provisionally Accommodated, and At Imminent Risk of Homelessness

Unsheltered refers to the individuals who are sleeping in places not meant for human habitation; often referred to as “rough sleepers” or “campers”. Rough sleepers often won’t access shelter resources and services regardless of external factors. This means even in inclement weather scenarios (where it’s minus 30 or plus 30) individuals will remain outside. There are any number of reasons why someone chooses not to access a Shelter. Sometimes past traumas can make it difficult for someone to stay in an enclosed space with other people. People with pets will often stay outside because Shelters can’t accommodate animals, and couples will sometimes stay outside rather than accessing shelter services and risk being separated. Something we tend to take for granted is personal and private spaces. Shelters were created as a temporary response to crisis situations; they were not built for comfort or privacy. Being in a shared environment, sleeping next to a hundred other individuals often isn’t the most comfortable situation. While encampments may be a more comfortable option for people, they often signify a difficult compromise that ultimately points to a lack of adequate housing more so than it points to issues with shelters.

 

Emergency Sheltered is a category that includes Emergency Shelters such as Alpha House, The Drop-In Centre, and The Mustard Seed, accessed by individuals experiencing homelessness who are seeking services. This can include meals, donated clothing, showers and basic hygiene supplies, or medical assessments and treatment. Alpha House’s Shelter hovers around 90% capacity year-round, usually reaching capacity during extreme weather conditions such as heat waves or cold snaps. In 2022, according to The Calgary Homeless Foundation, 40% of Calgary’s homeless population were located in emergency shelters. [1]

 

Provisionally Accommodated This would include hospitals, correctional facilities and transitional housing. These individuals technically have accommodations but, at some point, they will either be discharged or their terms will end leading them to the streets. Programs that include temporary accommodations are not at fault for not housing people anymore than Shelters; none of the measures in place to help people who are experiencing homelessness are long-term replacements for the need for adequate housing.

Individuals categorized as at Imminent Risk of Homelessness are those currently housed but at high risk of losing their housing. Individuals could be in this category for a variety of reasons: spending majority of their income on rent due to increasing housing costs, sudden unemployment, rising cost of living, family violence, etc.

 

 

 

Alpha House aims to reduce barriers by providing services along a continuum of care, facilitating the transition to stable housing for individuals at different stages of homelessness. For those who are unsheltered, Alpha House’s Encampment Team exists to actively support ‘rough sleepers’ with connections to appropriate shelter services and housing options where possible, while providing basic needs supplies and other referrals. For those accessing Emergency Shelter, Alpha House’s Shelter serves individuals in crisis needing a safe place to sleep and provides access to showers, medical assistance, and warm meals. Alpha House’s Shelter is specifically for individuals under the influence of substances.

Our housing programs encompass two key streams: Permanent-Supportive Housing, which offers 24/7 wrap around supports for those needing daily assistance, and Community Housing, where individuals live independently but have bi-weekly support through their caseworkers to increase capacity with everyday skills.

Alpha House’s Diversion program proactively assists individuals at imminent risk of homelessness, helping them maintain their housing and avoid crises. Research indicates that once someone experiences homelessness, the barriers to regaining stable housing significantly increase. The Diversion program aims to provide the financial and logistical support necessary for those who can live independently but require an initial boost to get back on their feet.

As we observe World Homelessness Day, it’s crucial to remember that homelessness is not a one-size-fits-all issue. The diverse experiences of those affected highlight the importance of understanding and compassion in our approach to this complex social challenge. Each individual’s story is unique, shaped by a variety of circumstances often outside of that person’s control. By recognizing the Continuum of Homelessness and the various challenges people face, we can foster greater empathy and awareness within our communities and ultimately build better solutions.

View our World Homeless Day video on our YouTube Channel here

 

 

[1] https://www.calgaryhomeless.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CHF-PiT-Count-Report2022.pdf

Landlords Share Their Perspective on Working with Alpha House in the Community Housing Program

By Paul Tokode

 The Community Housing program at Alpha House supports clients to live in their own homes in various communities in Calgary and sign their own leases. Alpha House will subsidize client rents and deposits when needed – ensuring consistent, timely rental payments to their landlord. Alpha House also commits to conducting maintenance to ensure the property’s condition remains as it was upon move-in, provides ongoing communication to resolve any issues quickly and thoroughly, as well administer supportive services including intensive case management to ensure long-term, successful tenancies. The Community Housing program is a long-standing program to help our clients live independently. Landlords are also supported by a transition team who are available to help with any concerns, liaising between landlords to keep them informed on case managers who work with clients to manage any issues that may arise.

 In support of our ‘Give Hope Through Housing Campaign’, we recently sat down with several  of our current landlords participating in our Community Housing program to hear their thoughts and experiences.

 

How would you describe your experience?

Landlord of 5 years: We had an excellent experience with Alpha House. Their teams are very passionate, goal driven and dedicated to their assigned tasks. They are very reliable and easy to communicate with.”

Moazzam, Landlord of 4 years: “Working with Alpha House and their team has absolutely been wonderful. Their team members are professional and diligent.” – Moazzam, Landlord of four years

 Laurence, Landlord of 7 years: “My experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The staff is dedicated and passionate, ensuring both tenants and landlords have a positive experience. They set a high standard for supportive housing organizations through prompt communication and proactive problem-solving.”

 

How has Alpha House supported you as a landlord throughout a tenant’s residency?

 Zandalee, Landlord of 1 year: “Alpha House has been supportive of us as landlords by helping communicate to the tenants for any necessary communications such as repairs or building maintenance. It is also amazing as a landlord to know that Alpha House is responsible for finding a well-suited tenant for the unit, building and landlords, so this takes some of the weight off of landlords, especially since they continue to pay rent in between tenants.”

 Moazzam, Landlord of 4 years: “Alpha House has provided outstanding support and commitment. Their commitment to paying on time, maintaining cleanliness in the rental spaces, and ensuring the well-being of all clients whole caring for other tenants exemplifies professionalism and dedication.”

Laurence, Landlord of 7 years: “Alpha House has been incredibly supportive throughout my tenants’ residencies. They have provided ongoing communication, regular check-ins, and assistance with any issues that may arise.”

 

What do you find the most rewarding about working with Alpha House and its clients as a landlord?

Wesam, Landlord of 12 years: “The most rewarding thing about working with Alpha House is the good communication & the quick response of the team in solving the problems which may happen.”

Zandalee, Landlord of 1 year: “It really has been a unique experience knowing you are playing a small part in helping better someone’s life.For us in particular, we saw the joy it can bring to someone who has faced racial prejudice from other landlords by simply saying yes and providing a warm space for them to live. We’ve received more gratitude than we deserve simply for participating in the program.”

Landlord of 5 years: “I love to see that a person’s life can start to change through offering them a place they can call their home. Giving them a second chance to start a new life and help them dream dreams again.”

 

What would you say to other landlords who may consider renting to Alpha House clients?

Moazzam, Landlord of 4 years: “Alpha House is an organization that provides safe and caring environments for individuals. As landlords providing such environments not only benefits tenants but also contributes to a positive community atmosphere.”

Landlord of 5 years: “In this chaotic world we are living in right now, let us be kind to those who need our hand to start a new life. We shouldn’t be judgemental, instead we should be willing to offer ourselves to help ease up another person’s burden. Let’s spread love.”

Laurence, Landlord of 7 years: “To other landlords considering renting to Alpha House clients, I would say don’t hesitate. Working with Alpha House not only provides an opportunity to contribute to the community but also offers a reliable support system and resources to ensure a positive renting experience.”

 

The affordable housing crisis in Calgary impacts everyone, including our clients. With inventory so low and the cost of living on the rise, we need to come together as a community to find solutions so that everyone has a home. We are very grateful for our landlord partnerships that enable us to help our clients find housing where they can feel safe, supported and welcomed in their community.

We are currently looking for 30 suites to help us reach our goal of housing 150 clients this year. We welcome all landlords to learn more about Alpha House’s landlord partnership program please visit Alpha House’s Give Hope Through Housing Campaign and download the landlord partnership package: Landlord-Partnerships.pdf (alphahousecalgary.com). You can also email [email protected] to get started.

Alpha House Launches ‘Give Hope Through Housing’ Campaign to Call on Calgary Landlords to Support Through Housing Shortage

By Michelle Brown

As Director of Alpha House’s Community Housing program, I have seen firsthand the dramatic impact of finding a home on our clients. There is hope, peace, and relief not only for our clients, but also for their families and loved ones who worry about them.

Every day, we see in the news headlines how the affordable housing crisis impacts Calgarians from all walks of life. Our clients need the community’s help more than ever, which is why we are asking the Calgary community to support our most vulnerable citizens through our ‘Give Hope Through Housing Campaign’. The campaign will raise awareness about the opportunities for landlords and property managers to partner with Alpha House and invites the Calgary community to make financial donations to help ensure we can subsidize client rent and basic needs once they are in housing.

For many years, landlords have been key stakeholders in ensuring our Community Housing program continues to grow and support our clients and I would encourage anyone who is a landlord to consider partnering with us.

A current landlord we have partnered with for five years shared recently, “We had an excellent experience with Alpha House. Their teams are very passionate, goal driven and dedicated to their assigned tasks. They are very reliable and easy to communicate with.”

Thanks to our current landlords who are committed to providing secure housing to those in need, Alpha House has been able to help our clients make healthier choices and find new hope for their future.

Our clients in the Community Housing program live in their own homes in communities throughout Calgary and sign their own leases. We are looking for a full range of suites, from one-bedroom apartments and legal basement suites to rowhouses and townhouses, for our clients in all areas of the city.

Our team works to help clients sustain their housing with case workers visiting them routinely – providing our clients with the support and life skills they need to be good neighbours and community members.

Our goal with the ‘Give Hope Through Housing’ campaign is to secure 20 – 30 additional units in Calgary to help us achieve our goal of housing 150 clients this year and raise $100,000 to support client rent subsidies and their basic needs. We believe in and hope the Calgary community will join us in helping our community’s most vulnerable people.

A landlord we have partnered with for five years shared with our team recently, “I love to see that a person’s life can start to change through offering them a place they can call their home. Giving them a second chance to start a new life and help them dream dreams again.”

In addition to knowing you are making a real difference in someone’s life, there are also practical benefits to partnering with Alpha House. Our clients sign their own leases in the Community Housing program and we subsidize lease payments to ensure consistent rent, as well as provide a home maintenance commitment to maintain the property’s condition.

Moazzam has been a landlord partner of Alpha House over the past four years and shared with us, “Alpha House has provided outstanding support and commitment. Their commitment to paying on time, maintaining cleanliness in the rental spaces, and ensuring the well-being of all clients while caring for other tenants exemplifies professionalism and dedication.”

It is a profound experience to be a part of changing someone’s life and I would encourage any landlord who is in a position to do so – to reach out here to learn more about our programs.

Chris is a long-term client of Alpha House and shared with us, “Being homeless is a very difficult way to live – to be able to get back into housing is very tough but when it happens, it gives you hope and joy and a future.”

We are asking all Calgarians to be a part of our campaign – whether you are a landlord, property manager, or a Calgarian able to donate, we hope you will join us as we work together to ensure everyone has a place to call home in our city.

 

Alpha House has had Indigenous Peer Support Workers (IPSW) on staff for many years and we finally had a chance to sit down with one such worker, Augustine Hunter (or Auggie) to learn more about what her day looks like and the unique cultural activities she’s able to support in our Detox Program. Settled in our Wellness room, a culturally safe space for ceremony and gatherings, blessed by Elder Alvin Manitopyes in late 2022, Auggie, just back from a walk with clients, speaks enthusiastically about every aspect of the program.

 

Why are Indigenous Cultural Supports so important to you and the clients in the program?

“Usually, people want to learn the Indigenous route because it’s peaceful. Indigenous culture isn’t religious, but spiritual instead. When you’re working with a population facing addiction and homelessness, many of them feel disconnected from Mother Earth and The Creator as a result of their time on the streets. The role of an IPSW is to have those supports here for clients looking to detox; they need support and something to look forward to when they’re first coming into the program.”

We ask about the different activities she supports. The answer is a huge variety. Sharing circles to express feelings and experiences in a safe, non-judgmental space – both traditional sharing circles and shorter gathering circles—  Wellbriety, a AA program with an Indigenous focus, sweat lodge ceremonies – a central part of reconnection with land and body for many – medicine walks, arts and crafts, and one-on-one peer connection.

 

Sharing Circles

Throughout the day, clients participate in traditional sharing circles, and shorter sharing circles, like thought/quote of the day. Shorter sharing circles, like thought of the day, offer a low stakes opportunity for clients to open up in a supportive group environment; this is especially helpful for easing clients who have a lot of walls up into sharing with a group, and could result in other breakthroughs down the line.

“Often they’ve [clients] gone through something traumatic and sharing circles allow them to read quotes from celebrities or writers or doctors – these are quotes that may apply to their life and we talk about those – it can be very helpful for clients”

 

Wellbriety

Wellbriety has been a big part of our cultural programming at Alpha House for many years, and is something we facilitate in-house. The Wellbriety Movement is a 12-Step AA/NA program that has been merged with the teachings of the Medicine wheel. This movement helps individuals heal from substance use, and also addresses and looks to heal the systemic intergenerational trauma that Indigenous peoples have faced historically. That’s not to say that Wellbriety is only for indigenous clients— individuals from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds are welcome and can benefit from the spiritual teachings rooted in indigenous culture. The start of each cycle is marked by welcoming returning clients, and is ended by recognizing participants who have completed the Wellbriety program.

“Me and my partner got our certifications to facilitate Wellbriety recently. I feel like we were meant to do this and I’m excited to share the spiritual side of the AA book. The foundations that Wellbriety is built on have been around almost 200 years– I’m excited to show them [clients] about the key routes to why we have pain – it isn’t just bout being angry or hurt – it’s more than that.”

 

Sweat Lodge Ceremony

Every week, our clients have the opportunity to attend a sweat lodge ceremony. Participants are driven out onto the land where they will enter a lodge made of wood and tarps/blankets to begin the ceremony. During the ceremony, the entrance to the lodge is closed and steam is created by pouring water onto heated rocks; this is to encourage the sweating out of negative energies in the body. There are brief reprieves where the entrance is open to let some steam out and to allow cold air to enter to prevent any health hazards. Sweat lodge ceremonies are intimate communal ceremonies that come with many benefits for clients including pain relief, relaxation and stress relief, and fostering a strong sense of community with the other participants.

“The connection between the individual to Mother Earth is central to Indigenous teachings Mother Earth gives us food, medicine, and our strength; even (and especially) during ceremony, she is present— the rocks (grandfathers), the water, and the branches that we use for ceremony all come from Mother Earth.”

 

Medicine Walks

One of the more frequent, and favourite, activities of the clients, are the medicine walks, where clients are taken out into nature to hear stories and learn about land-based medicine teachings. This can look like taking a group walk along the elbow river, or taking a group trip to Nose Hill Park, which gives clients the opportunity to hear different stories and learn about other medicines.

“The clients really love this – they always give thanks that they’re able to learn this stuff – always say they’re really happy to learn things they feel disconnected from.”

And it’s true that there are lots of interesting stories and facts to take in about all these long-standing locations in our city— the name of the elbow rives originating from the bend of an elbow, or how certain trees were used as camouflage by wolves while they hunted their prey, or how tree bark and buds from particular trees (like cottonwood or willows) can be used as a sort of alternative to Aspirin, due to the salicin found inside the bark/buds working to relieve similar symptoms like headaches, muscle soreness, and inflammation. These teachings alongside the physical exercise during the walks cumulate into a therapeutic experience for everyone involved.

While on the topic of medicine walks, Auggie recalled one of her favourite moments working at Alpha House:

During a medicine walk, I noticed that one client was struggling to make it up a hill. I approached him to see how he’s doing, and while looking up at the hot sun, he told me that he doesn’t think he can finish the medicine walk.

I chatted with him for a while as everyone took a rest, and reassured him that he could do the walk, but if he really wanted to turn back, then we could. He was still feeling a little unsure, so I offered up some advice: “…you’re looking to the distance, seeing how long the journey is, but you need to focus on the present moment and take it step by step. We will take breaks to sit down, learn, and engage with the teachings and stories of the knowledge keeper so, don’t worry, we’re not doing the whole walk in one go.”

By the end of the walk, he was at the front of the group, engaged in the stories and teaching of the knowledge keeper. I was so happy to see that he was able to finish the walk and asked him what had changed from the start of the medicine walk, where he could barely make it up a hill, to the end, where he was at the front of the group. He said that he took my advice and tried to pay attention to the stories and teachings as they walked and, before he knew it, he was engrossed in what the knowledge keeper was saying and forgot about his discomfort.

 

Arts and Crafts

Auggie shares that arts and crafts are one of her favourite activities to do with the clients, which she also believes to be an important step in recovery. Arts and crafts act as an opportunity for clients to engage with something they can succeed at, and that sense of pride and accomplishment they feel when finishing a craft can be an important part of improving their self-image.

“When you’re coming into recovery, you need to keep yourself busy. You get to talk and share stories and you can keep them [clients] engaged.”

Auggie tries to make the arts and crafts portion of the day a peaceful moment; she’ll sometimes lightly play some Indigenous music in the background while clients share stories, and work on their crafts.

Alpha House is always looking for more arts and crafts donations because it’s such a popular activity in our Detox program.

 

One-on-One Peer Connection

In between all the group activities, Auggie makes time to have one-on-one sessions with the clients to debrief what’s on their mind that day, traumatic experiences, and everything in between.

“Let them vent and sit with them, listen and then suddenly you’ll see an emotional person come out when you give them that room to feel. A lot of people are angry or disrespectful at first but that’s their way of defending themselves, once you peel back the layers, they’re kind humans.”

 

Projects

Alongside the regularly scheduled programming, staff are able to provide opportunities for Detox clients to get involved in fun projects that come up throughout the year. Recently, we had the pleasure of bringing in Trevor Prairie Chicken and Naomi Eyahpaise from Kiit Fine Arts to work with our clients to paint the tipi we’ve been using for our sweat lodge ceremonies. Other such opportunities include creative projects like painting community garden boxes, cultural reconnection camps, and even Superbowl parties and attending Calgary Flames home games.

 

What does Auggie like most about working at Alpha House? We wondered too:

“Helping the clients is my favourite part of doing this work. Even before Alpha House, I was doing outreach and helping people with addiction in the community. I felt like that was my purpose that the Creator gave me a couple of years ago, and I went with it…”

 

What does she see clients struggle with once they’ve finished the detox program?

“A lot of clients are scared to leave detox once they’re sober and finished the program. It’s hard to discover what sober fun is, especially when you don’t know any sober people. They [clients] need to stay connected to the community, we can’t do it alone.

We see some people that have slipped up and need to come back to detox, but we don’t judge that. It’s important to remember that recovery might not happen on the first, second, or even the twentieth try, but we keep trying for when that day does come around.

We can plant the seeds, but we need to keep watering them in order for them to grow.”

 

Her favourite part about the clients themselves?

“When they win, you win. That sits with me. I try to be what I didn’t have when I was on the street— someone to sit with and listen when they’re hurting. I needed help and I didn’t know how to ask for it, so now I try to be who I needed and that’s gotten me far in building relationships with the clients.

Some of the clients that we help here have reunited with their kids, some go back to work or school, and others are still in recovery. It makes us all happy to see them doing well out there.”

 

Let’s talk about camping! May long weekend is here, and we’ve got some thoughts to share as everyone gets ready to enjoy a weekend of family, fun, camping, BBQs, or other traditional long weekend activities.

Encampments and the challenges they pose for communities, the public, law enforcement, and governments has been an ongoing topic of discussion in Alberta these past many months and Alpha House is jumping into the conversation once again to talk PERSPECTIVE.

“Camping” is often thought of as a fun, mostly short-term activity that couples, families, and individuals partake in when they want a break from work or responsibilities and desire a reconnection with nature, fresh air, or simplicity (or maybe just an open area where their kids can run wild). But there is a lot of food for thought in the way we talk gleefully about an upcoming camping trip—about the pleasures it will bring—while simultaneously speaking ill of those for whom rough sleeping is a constant (often necessary) reality.

The pleasures and joys of camping—solitude, an inexpensive getaway, open country and fresh air, living by the land—are stated easily in casual conversation and accepted unquestioningly by most. Yet, the most frequently asked question when we talk about people who rough sleep or camp continuously rather than access shelters, is why on earth would someone choose to sleep outside?

The conversation is often – ‘there must be something wrong with shelters if someone is choosing to sleep outside instead.’ Speaking as an agency who meets people where they’re at without judgement, we know things are more complex than that. Shelters are an emergency response to (ideally) short-term crisis. They were neither created for nor expected to be for long-term comfort. Some people choose to stay outdoors because they feel more comfortable doing so because of trauma, anxiety, mental health, or simply personal preference in a choice that’s the lesser of two undesirable options.

Choosing to sleep outside, at least, if nothing else may be, is a relatable aspect of those who are about to head off to a campsite this summer and those individuals or couples who just setup a tarp and tent in the field near your house.

Camping can provide freedom and solitude and, when you have access to the tools and supplies you need, be relatively relaxing. Except, of course, when it feels like the only option on a seemingly endless road of being homeless; when staying warm with a fire is risky, when you haven’t showered in a few days, when you haven’t eaten anything hot in a week, when you’ve outstayed your welcome in the area and you have to pack up all your belongings and lug them off to find yet another temporary spot.

The reality is that what is challenging about camping – the preparation, the packing, the setup, the maintenance, the waste, the lack of access to things easily accessed in a home – is made more so by the circumstances of a person’s homelessness.

And what is rewarding about camping – the fresh air, the peace, the getaway, the freedom, is often made irrelevant by the circumstances of a person’s homelessness.

Encampments are not a solution to homelessness; they are a reality for those for whom going to a shelter is a challenging or upsetting prospect. We wish to see anyone who rough sleeps supported into housing that suits their needs and we wish to see camping become nothing but the hobby it’s about to be this summer for so many of you.

As we enjoy this May long weekend, our wish is for people to remember that rarely is anything as straightforward as it may seem. There is always room for perspective.

Happy Earth Day! First started in 1970, April 22 marks the 54^th annual earth day! In today’s short blog post, we wanted to talk about the challenges of being environmentally conscious while being unhoused, and to share a bit about how Alpha House works to reduce our environmental footprint.

In the conversation about encampments, we hear a lot from some community members about how unhoused encampments leave behind debris. The most common refrain we hear is that they create a lot of waste and, not only is this an ‘eyesore,’ ‘gross,’ and ‘a major problem,’ it is also an environmental issue. We aren’t here to make excuses for litter or inappropriate waste but we do want to shed some light on a hypocrisy that exists when we talk about waste left behind from people experiencing homelessness. We make garbage and waste too; theirs is just more visible than ours – and the reason it’s more visible isn’t their fault at all.

Each individual household is responsible for a significant amount of waste; the difference for households, however, is that most households in North America have access to convenient ways to dispose of their waste that typically require minimal effort on the part of the individual. Unhoused individuals main way of disposing of waste is public garbage bins – not always conveniently located, not a solution to human waste, and not easily utilized without also having ongoing access to garbage bags. It might sound fairly inconsequential at first, but imagine if EVERY TIME you needed to dispose of a single piece of garbage— instead of disposing of it in a garbage bag in a bin in the next room, you had to walk an unknown distance to the nearest garbage bin. Or, imagine that EACH TIME the garbage bag in your kitchen was full, you didn’t just have to take it out back to a black or green bin that you never thought about again because Residential waste services picked it up every 1-2 weeks, you had to hump it to that far away garbage bin. Imagine if instead of purchasing a 100 pack of garbage bags at the store to last you a few weeks/months, you had to keep reusing the same soiled bag over and over.

The reality of homelessness is often far more complex than we like to think about. A common response to talking about these complications is for people to offer solutions: “It’s really easy to do ‘X’ and then the problem wouldn’t happen,” “If they just did ‘Y’ then they wouldn’t have to think about that issue,” or “It’s not hard to insert something that may not be hard but is not something top of mind when you’re homeless.”

With the frequency in which every one of us disposes of waste on a daily basis, we can see the barrier that exists for unhoused individuals to responsibly dispose of their waste regularly, and how it can quickly become unmanageable when compounded with other challenges like addictions, tri-morbidities, and/or mental health. The reality is that ecological responsibility is not a burden that can always be shared equally. It doesn’t mean we excuse poor environmental actions, it means we do the best we can until we have the means to do better, and then we do better.

How is Alpha House working on reducing our impact on the environment?

• Planning a community cleanup? Our Needle Response Team would love to be a part of it! Reach out to [email protected] for more information
• Speaking of community cleanups, we’ve hosted a number of community cleanups over the past couple of years to reduce waste in the communities that we serve and have several more on the docket this spring/summer
• We partner with SkipTheDepot to dispose of all of our bottle recycling
• We partner with SkipTheDepot to help us recycle textiles that we can’t use, like damaged clothing we can’t distribute to our clients
• We partner with the City of Calgary as a designated drop-off location for reusable shopping bags, which we distribute to clients to help them carry their belongings

Visit the official page for Earth Day 2024 to learn more about the environmental crisis our planet is facing and to find Earth Day focused events near you.

The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy: ‘Home is Here’ outlines 98 action items to ensure Calgarians have an affordable place to call home. One of the main tactics for addressing both the shortage of houses available to those who need them and the need for different types of housing options in the city is to increase the supply of housing.

Scarcity of housing means a lack of housing affordability – pushing groups with more income to capture the part of the market previously accessed by lower income groups, whose options are further reduced to co-habitation with friends and family or living in spaces that are unsafe or unhealthy. Scarcity of housing, for the same reasons, forces individuals into units that don’t adequately meet their mental, physical, or psychological needs. For many, including Alpha House’s clients, this doesn’t just mean being housed in a smaller unit (1-bedroom vs 2-bedroom for example), it could mean:

• an inability to be housed in a certain community where they have connections
• an inability to be housed with caseworker supports due to a lack of supportive housing options
• an inability to be housed where mobility challenges are supported
• an inability to be housed in a neighbourhood with a familiar culture

…and many other needs that may not be met due to a lack of diversity and choice around our housing options.

Therefore, on top of the affordability barrier, a second challenge that currently impacts Calgarians is an inadequate spectrum of housing options. Different types of housing options could include single-detached, rowhouse, townhouse, apartment, and semi-detached. Historic data shows single-detached housing as making up 58.3% of housing type in the city, which generally favours certain socio-economic groups. To increase the number of 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom apartments available for clients in our Community Housing program, for example, would mean supporting an increase in developments like rowhouses, townhouses, and apartments complexes. An increase in the availability of these units will lower the prices of these same units due to an increase in supply; the idea being that these price decreases will make renting/owning a rowhouse, for example, more accessible for someone who is living in smaller or shared accommodations and wants to move into a bigger space. As these individuals move into bigger spaces, the availability of 1-bedroom apartments increases thereby making them more affordable for those with lower incomes.

One of the main reasons for the constrained supply of housing and housing diversity is that the current land use districts (zones) in approximately 60% of Calgary’s residential areas do not allow for a choice of housing beyond single-detached or semi-detached homes. Allowing for diversity in housing structures within each community better suits the wide array of individual and family needs within the city, and a mixture of rental and ownership properties at market and non-market (subsidized) rates offers people at all income levels access to safe and stable housing options.

Alpha House sees firsthand the need for diversity in types of housing to meet the unique needs of the clients we serve and, as a result, we whole-heartedly support the City of Calgary proposal to “rezone all residential parcels that currently only allow for 1 or 2 units, it will be easier for property owners to add additional housing varieties across the city, without having to go through the additional steps of a Land Use change Amendment application.” This application process can take upwards of 6-months to process, maybe longer if there are other issues to be resolved with.

Rezoning will not solve all our housing-related problems, but it is a significant step forward in supporting affordability for Calgarians through increased housing supply and increased diversity in housing supply.

The City of Calgary Council’s recently passed strategy has five main points:

• Increase the supply of housing
• Support affordable housing providers
• Enable the City’s housing subsidiaries to improve service delivery
• Ensure diverse housing choice
• Address the affordable housing needs of Indigenous people.

This strategy was adopted on September 16, 2023 with implementation plans stretched out over 2024-2030. The current public hearing about the specific rezoning amendment is April 22, 2024. If you are someone who has asked themselves how you can support reducing homelessness in the City of Calgary, we urge you to write to your councillor and tell them you support re-zoning efforts.

The City of Calgary has an excellent frequently asked questions page for those concerned about what re-zoning could look like in their neighbourhood. https://www.calgary.ca/planning/projects/rezoning-for-housing/faq.html