Khaleel Seivwright -- Scarborough carpenter
Later this morning we're supposed to get a dose of sloppy weather with a mixture of rain and snow, a combination which is really miserable. Of course we'll be warm and dry, but some won't. Homelessness is not seasonal, and while communities attempt to provide shelter, this year there is the added challenge of a virus which can be deadly when people are in close proximity to one another.Many who are homeless won't go into shelters because of fear of violence from other residents, mental health issues, and real concerns about contagious illnesses such as COVID. In addition, a city such as Toronto claims to have a certain number of beds for homeless people but those who work as advocates for the homeless claim that they are regularly told that there are none available.
Toronto Tiny Shelter
Enter Khaleel Seivwright, 28, a carpenter who has been building stand-alone, insulated, movable shelters under the title of Toronto Tiny Shelters. So far he's constructed ten of them and placed them in various city-owned locations. The city doesn't like this and told him to stop, and there are obvious reasons why problems could arise with having these tiny homes in public places such as parks. The real solution to un-housed populations is to house them but most municipalities don't do a good job of this. Cathy Crowe, a Toronto street nurse, has been opposed to this sort of impermanent initiative but she has changed her outlook and considers Seivwright a hero. She says that there are approximately a thousand homeless people in Toronto at the moment, with Winter looming, and not nearly enough spaces in city shelters and hotel rooms to house them. .Apparently there are private property owners, including churches, who are considering being hosts to the tiny shelters. Who knows where this will go, but to date Toronto Tiny Shelters has received about $130,000 in donations, which would be enough for 130 shelters, 130 people who would be protected from the elements.
God bless Khaleel Seivwright for his practical compassion and generosity.
Cathy Crowe -- Toronto street nurse
4 comments:
It's heartbreaking to see people lying on sidewalks or huddled in a corner. We've all seen it way too often, especially in cities like Toronto. Every one of those people have a mom, dad or sibling who cares deeply about them and worries about their safety. Many of them had careers and normal lives before mental health issues took their toll. I feel lucky that, so far, I have not suffered from similar illnesses.
The carpenter is doing something that makes him feel like he is helping those less fortunate, and he's definitely doing that. But the bigger picture is an overhaul of the mental health system and more support systems in place for those who are vulnerable.
Agreed Roger. These tiny shelters are a heart-felt response but they won't be a long-term solution. You're also right about the background of many of those who end up on the streets. We've sat with folk at meal ministries through the years and listened to their stories of regular lives derailed by illness or injury, mental illness or addiction. A compassionate society can do better in supporting them.
I have often commented on my facebook page that the empty school properties in our city should be converted to shelters for the homeless... all it needs is the will to care about everyone in our communities.
Spoken like a former teacher Judy. It so makes sense, given how much unused real estate school boards own. Could it be that there really isn't the will on the part of governments to address the needs of people who are often voiceless in the system, and inclined not to vote?
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