It's Toque Tuesday in Vancouver: Buy a Toque Today
Yes it is Toque Tuesday in Metro Vancouver and volunteers are out around Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby and New Westminster selling toques and baseball hats to raise money to support Raise the Roof and their efforts to eliminate youth homelessness. You can also buy your Raise the Roof toque online.
Here are 10 facts about the hidden homeless straight from the Raise the Roof site, as well as 10 things you can do to help:
10 facts about the Hidden Homeless
Every community in Canada has homeless people, even if you don't see them on the street.
Most homeless people don't live on the street. More than 80% of Canada's homeless are improperly housed or on the verge of eviction. Many are sleeping in temporary beds - with friends or relatives, in church basements, in welfare motels, in abandoned buildings and vehicles, and in other sites away from the public eye.
About one-in-seven users of shelters across Canada is a child. Compared to children with permanent homes, homeless children suffer more from lack of educational opportunities, infection, obesity, anemia, injuries, burns, developmental delays and incomplete immunization; youth suffer more injuries, sexually transmitted diseases, mental health problems, and pregnancies.
As women generally earn less than men, women are more vulnerable to becoming homeless.
Newcomers to the rental housing market, especially young people, immigrants and refugees, are often required to rent housing that they cannot afford. They are often one paycheck away from eviction.
Many seniors face eviction due to fixed incomes and increased rents and taxes. Ensuring seniors stay adequately and appropriately housed prevents them from being part of the hidden homeless and ending up visibly homeless or in hospitals.
Our young people also make up the hidden homeless. Many homeless youth are living in shelters or bunking with friends - many are fleeing abusive situations.
The working poor, often single parents with young children, end up living in crowded housing as they are unable to afford a decent place to live while feeding and clothing their children.
The hidden homeless are at risk of long-term physical and emotional harm. The longer anyone remains homeless, the greater the social and economic costs.
As a society we all pay for the tragedy of homelessness.
10 things you can do to help
Volunteer and contribute to the work of a local charity or community group in your town or city working to assist the homeless and create housing.
Start an innovative project like a local rent or utility bank to assist low-income families and individuals.
Ask your municipality to allow homeowners to create apartments or second suites their homes. These can be the least expensive form of rental accommodation and can help families become homeowners.
Organize a Raising the Roof Toque Campaign in your community.
Support the work of Raising the Roof, Canada's national homelessness charity, by making a donation.
Invite speakers on homelessness and housing to meetings of your local school council, religious group, labour union or business council. Start or join an organization that is working on long-term solutions to homelessness.
Advocate for more affordable housing in your community and across the nation.
Secure support services to help people maintain their housing.
Get community support for affordable housing initiatives in your area. Get the manual, "Yes in My Back Yard" from the Community Choice Coalition.
Volunteer with an organization that addresses homelessness in your community.
hat tip to miss604 for the heads-up on this one.
Matthew Collinge: 604homes.com - Royal LePage Westside
