Lack Of Understanding

We are writing this letter to address some of the issues which have been discussed in the media in the past year regarding the Kelowna Drop – In and Information Centre and the homeless population we serve. In particular, the article in the November 16 (2004) Daily Courier entitled “Petition urges action for troubled neighborhood” whereby some of our (business) neighbors have asked City Hall to either “relocate or better manage” our Centre. We would like to take this moment to address our neighbors and their very legitimate concerns.

We have stated on numerous occasions that we empathize with the frustration and fear(s) our neighbors have expressed. We have tried to assist them on a variety of levels and while we don’t envy anyone having to work day after day with the tasks of cleaning up urine and or feces, being asked for money and cigarettes, picking up used condoms, needles, carts and so forth, we do this daily. We have, on numerous occasions, cleaned up messes on our neighbors’ property out of respect for them and their clients. It should be clearly stated that we do not allow people who access our services to congregate in the front of our building and anyone who is found to be on our neighbors property is asked to leave and not return to it.

Many ask “Why do you take on this daunting task?” It is not out of fear of not being liked, or fear of being asked to relocate. Quite simply, we do it out of respect for our neighbors. Now I would like to ask the neighbors and the rest of Kelowna, the officials, police and citizens alike, “why is it up to the staff and volunteers of the Centre to monitor and police a situation that is not only a city wide problem but is Canada wide?” In a time where resources are limited, funding cuts are evident, the majority of service providers, the RCMP included, are hardly able to find ways to rectify a growing epidemic.

There is not one single level of Government that is able to address and remedy the problems that we face daily at the Centre and so I ask “How do they expect that we can ‘manage’ it when we do not have the facilities and staff to handle the volume of homeless/relative homeless that access our services daily?” Of course, we could be more selective in whom we provide services to we could stipulate criterion that an individual must meet before services are available to them so that those considered “undeserving” could not access our Centre. Perhaps provide services by appointment only? Maybe move to the Industrial area in North Kelowna. The only resolution that these measures would resolve is the relocation of the Centre, ideally to a more structured, healthier environment to do the job we were hired to do which is caring for the vulnerable and marginalized population of Kelowna. But in the real world, the homeless/relative homeless, deserving and undeserving (however you choose to measure this), dealers, addicts, mental health clients, those that society has shunned or chosen to ignore, will only keep growing and most will still remain in the downtown core.

The problem is not the location of the facilities that assist these people. The issue is a lack of understanding on the severity of the problem. The problem became glaringly apparent with cut backs to social assistance, mental health facilities and their resulting closures, the lack of affordable housing, the lack of a continuum of care in service provision that does not fall on only one small organizations shoulders, the lack of solution geared results rather than committees and City Officials who foresee “enforcement and imprisonment” or “a kick in the butt” as a solution…..is anyone seeing the clear picture yet?

What some people don’t or won’t understand is that if the Centre closed, the problems would still exist. You would then have 200 to 300 people per day looking elsewhere to have their needs met and how they would do that is a very frightening proposition to all concerned. What we are suggesting, in all sincerity and with much hope, is that all three levels of government work with the Drop–In Centre, and any other related agencies, to find suitable accommodations for these people, to assist us in acquiring a suitable space and enough staff to enable us to do what we were hired to do which is to provide social services, not to police the entire 400 block of Leon Avenue for those that City officials and yes, even the RCMP (and they are often our only safety) can not control.

Regards,
Candice Sutherland,BSW

Executive Director
Kelowna Drop - In & Info. Ctr.
(250) 763-3311 (250) 763-1262 fax