Call For National Disaster Relief for Homelessness/TDRC FWD
Tom Boland (wgcp@earthlink.net)
Mon, 12 Oct 1998 00:29:15 -0400
FWD [DETAILS follow short form letter.]
**CALL FOR NATIONAL DISASTER RELIEF FOR HOMELESSNESS**
(please print) I (name) ___________________________, on behalf of
(organization if applicable)________________________________endorse
the call made by the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee to have all
levels of government declare homelessness a national disaster and to
respond with immediate short and long term humanitarian relief.
Signed by ______________________________
Address ______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
Phone ______________________________
Fax ______________________________
Email ______________________________
SEND TO: Toronto Disaster Relief Committee c/o Cathy Crowe,
Fax: 416-703-6190 or crowe@web.net or
mail to 168 Bathurst St. Toronto, ON, M5V 2R4
Committee contacts:
Cathy Crowe, 416-703-8482 (117)
Beric German, 416-964-2459
FWD # 2
Forwarded message.........
From: Cathy Crowe <crowe@netserver.web.net>
STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION
HOMELESSNESS: A NATIONAL DISASTER
We call on all levels of government to declare homelessness a national
disaster requiring emergency humanitarian relief. We urge that they
immediately develop and implement a National Homelessness Relief and
Prevention Strategy using disaster relief funds both to provide the
homeless with immediate health protection and housing and to prevent
further homelessness.
Canada has signed the International Covenant of Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights guaranteeing everyone's right to "an adequate standard
of living, including adequate food, clothing and housing." Homeless
people have no decent standard of living; our governments are violating
this agreement by neglecting them.
Despite Canada's reputation for providing relief to people made
temporarily homeless by natural disasters, our governments are
unwilling to help the scores of thousands of people in Canada condemned
to homelessness. Morally, economically, socially, and legally, we cannot
allow homelessness to become "normal" in Canadian life. Inaction betrays
many thousands of us to a miserable existence and harms our society for
years to come.
WHY DECLARE DISASTER EMERGENCY NOW...........?
- Crisis facilities are already overcrowded. People are ending up in
the streets, parks, and alleyways
- Youth and families with children are the fastest growing population
in shelters
_ Major cities search far beyond their boundaries for temporary housing
for homeless families
- Homeless people face poverty, hunger, malnutrition, and increased
risk of violence, communicable diseases and compulsive drug use
- Homelessness causes psychological and emotional pain that can
exacerbate or precipitate agonizing deterioration of mental health
- Prolonged homelessness permanently harms people; ultimately, it can
kill them by exposure, illness, violence or suicide
- Homelessness prevents people from maintaining their health, finding
and keeping work, attending school and exercising their rights as
citizens
- Conservative estimates concur that about 200,000 Canadians are
homeless
Worse To Come.........
- Shelters and other temporary measures provide at best a stopgap.
Crowding, insecurity and the risk of disease or violence means
prolonged stays harm people
- Homelessness is contributing to a developing toxic brew of disease
including HIV/AIDs, tuberculosis, hepatitis, sexually transmitted
diseases, and other communicable infections
- Prolonged homelessness for children harms them for life
- Twenty years of research has shown a continual rise in homelessness,
linked to unemployment, reductions to social assistance, cuts to
public housing and inadequate tenant protection
- Repeated government task forces, other studies, inquests and
recommendations have produced little action, though documenting that
the situation worsens yearly
Declaring an Emergency..........
We urge all levels of government to declare homelessness a national
disaster now, as a first step in implementing a National Homelessness
Relief and Prevention Strategy, both short- and long-term.
Immediate Short Term Measures.......
- Governments should reopen and maintain services for the homeless
- All governments should immediately reinstate or establish adequate
social assistance benefits
- All governments should make suitable public buildings available as
emergency shelters or hostels.
- Even parks can serve as temporary refuges with mobile homes, tents,
bath houses and toilets
- Governments should concertedly provide emergency medical relief,
including clinics, outreach, infirmaries, screening and immunization,
and public nutrition and hygiene programs
- Health strategies should especially treat the relationship between
homelessness and severe infectious or communicable diseases such as
HIV/AIDs, tuberculosis, and hepatitis
- Governments should grant immediate emergency funding to
non-governmental organizations (churches, charities, non-profit
groups, etc.)
Long-term Measures to be Implemented Now.........
- Governments should implement a "1 per cent solution": All levels of
government now spend an average 1 per cent of their total budgets on
housing. Adding another 1 per cent, and henceforth devoting the total
2% to long-term housing, would take the single largest step towards
eliminating homelessness.
- Governments should maintain and fund social benefits and services on
a stable, long-term basis
- Crisis shelters and aid agencies should receive stable, long-term
funding until the homeless are housed
Clearly, the homeless situation is worsening daily at an alarming rate,
as the factors creating it remain unchecked. Any delay in firmly and
massively responding will only contribute to compounding the present
crisis of suffering and death which is already an epidemic which no
civilized society can tolerate.
This call for Disaster Relief is made by the Toronto Disaster Relief
Committee. Membership includes:
- David Hulchanski-Professor of Housing U of T
- Trevor Gray AIDS ACTION NOW
- Brent Patterson-AIDS activist
- Beric German-Street Health AIDS outreach
- Maurice Adongo & Paula Dolezal-Street Health mental health outreach
- Peter Rosenthal-lawyer for TCAH (Toronto Coalition Against
Homelessness) in 1996 freezing deaths inquest
- John Andras-co-founder Project Warmth-Vice-President Research Capital
Corp
- Cathy Crowe, RN-Queen West CHC street outreach nurse
- Rev. Don (Dan) Heap (Anglican)-former MP Trinity Spadina
- Jeannie Loughrey-Anglican priest Diocese of Toronto
- Frank Showler-Member of Board of St. Claire's Inter-faith Housing
- David Walsh-President Realco Property Ltd, Sherrie Golden-OCAP
- Sue Osborne-Housing Support Worker Cornerstone Women's Residence
Cathy Crowe, RN
416-703-8482 (117)
fax: 416-703-6190
crowe@web.net
END FORWARD
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