As we prepare to help the homeless through another bitter winter, I was encouraged to see that some of those who served and protected our nation were getting a little extra attention to help keep them off the streets.
On Monday, Bay of Quinte MP Chris Malette was on hand to announce 2.2 million dollars in funding for Hastings County for programs to help reduce homelessness for local Veterans.
Hastings County is acting as the oversight agency, while the amazing people at the Military Family Resource Centre (or MFRC for short) will be actually delivering the programs.
They have experience in this year, helping about two dozen local Veterans in the past year alone. Most of those were provided with assistance like rent support and other supplements to avoid becoming homeless, with three or four actually going from homeless to housed.
It is heartbreaking to see the number of people still being impacted in our community by what we call “housing insecurity”, but whatever name it carries, it doesn’t discriminate. People of all ages and backgrounds are shivering in the streets, even those who once put their lives on the line for our nation.
So as I was hearing details about this very welcome fund which the MFRC will put to excellent use providing support and saving the lives and homes of Veterans, I was reminded that the face of homelessness is often what you least expect.
Most people hear about the “unhoused” and immediately think about mental health and drug addiction, and assume it can never happen to them.
In reality, a person struggling with homelessness can be anyone, even someone who once put themselves at risk to protect our homes and families.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
