This is from a letter written to Fred Johns the editor of www.somethingcool.ca

Eviction. That is why street hope is totally closing down its location. Apparently the manager of the building got surrounding business people to call in and complain to the police about what was going on. That way there was reason for eviction. Now, this is only second hand but it makes sense and I trust the source such that I would pass it on to you as fact.

Dave had been planning to change his focus more to getting out into the streets and into the faces and lives of those who need help. Build a relationship, help them deal with the system and when they were ready get them into treatment. Actually he still is planning to do this as not having a building will not affect his plans. He is starting his course for volunteers (10 weeks) next week. But it affects other groups who were using the Street Hope location to help feed the hungry and those who were to take over for the group behind street hope on Thursday and Friday. As more local church groups had become aware of the need for evening food (especially during the winter cold and wet) some had started using street hope to serve food – and for some to share the word. There now is no location to use in the evenings. No place to get in out of the weather, dry out and warm up, get some food, touch base with others, get news on where any special
breakfasts or such were to be served.

I am not totally sure what the effect total effect will be on me. I do know that I am going to have some hunger as a result. I had started training for a job weeks ago, but the cash flow always lags, at work there is no way to make the Sally Ann or other places for food so I was very dependent on Street Hope for food four days a week. I could manage to purchase something the other three but there was no way to afford to feed myself seven days a week. So I expect the closing of street hope to lead to a lot of empty bellies and hungry people. I also expect it to cause a lot of cold dirty people as street hope passed out bedding, sleeping bags, clean socks, footwear, clothes and outerwear. You know, the kind of things that help keep people who live homeless alive at this time of year.

Those types of services are gone. No longer available. Hopefully, before the
end of February and eviction day something will be worked out. As I said
more local church groups have become aware of the need for some kind of food
in the evenings. There is one that uses the church bus to bring hot soup and sandwiches to the homeless or the hungry poor as well. They also have some
clothes and bedding. But the nice thing about street hope was you could get in out of the weather, warm up and enjoy your food a little more.

The answer to the question as to effect or making up services is “I have no
idea”. In the short term I expect things not to go well, but with more local
church groups involved and starting to co-ordinate (at least about street hope through dave) and them being considering this action not very
Christian the long term outcomes could be beneficial. But when you are homeless “short term pain for long term gain” is a nice concept – but with your pain levels already overflowing your really do not need any more. Part of the situation is that currently there is a major push on by the city (on behalf of the downtown merchants association) to drive the homeless out of downtown. As I have written (oops, may have held that one unposted for an emergency – IV antibiotics, lack of lucid argument). Anyway I consider it pointless. But it has driven some people out of this area. You could see the effects at street hope in few people in the evening – travelling very far in the night and weather is not done by the homeless. So some homeless had already started to have problems getting to these charity services. Instead of being constructive (co-ordinate the churches efforts and that of others, a few programs aimed at getting them into rehab, or coordinating programs and resources available to help people like me, looking for work in making local connections or numerous other little actions) abbotsford has chosen to be destructive in following a ‘persecution’ course of action. As I advocate I believe that being constructive would actually accomplish a few things, and if the city can afford to waste all those dollars on its current
course accomplishing nothing but dispersing the homeless to new neighbourhoods I think there is funds available (or funds to be save and used) for
actually getting something out of the money spent,

I need to end and rest. Hoping the above is semi lucid and rational (reality seems much more real today)

I enjoyed the letter of Rodney Gibson and the points he raised. He very concisely expressed many of the points I find so frustrating about this City’s administration and politicians. “There is no reason why issues time and time again get put on the back burner to be dealt with in the future.” Since July of 2005 the city’s refrain has been that social problems would be addressed when the Social Planner reported on what needed to be done. And what did the citizens get? Not action or ideas, just more stalling via more study and committees. With pressing major social issues those responsible ducked their responsibilities.

I would like to add that I think a Major need in this City is for some Leadership. Currently the city just drifts along rudderless, scrambling to avoid addressing pressing issues. “It’s a city.” “The future is now here in Abbotsford.” When I speak of Leadership I am not speaking about an office or position (which should be obvious with regards to this administration and politicians) but about the capacity and ability to lead. Leadership is about providing direction, about ideas and vision, about providing inspiration to the city in tackling its problems, about having a clue and a willingness to seek out solutions to problems one is facing. It is not about denial, denial, denial – which is what we currently get.

Leadership is about taking ownership of ones responsibilities. Leadership is about taking control of the problems, issues and challenges facing Abbotsford and solving them, not leaving them to fester and grow. One only needs to look at how the current administration and politicians have procrastinated on what Mr. Gibson calls “the issues that really are hurting Abbotsford – addiction and homelessness” to see the total lack of thinking, ideas and leadership. While I agree, “You need big thinkers in a big city” I would like to add a rider to Mr. Gibson’s statement. To make the changes and implement the big thoughts and ideas that this City so badly needs, we need to get something that a big city also needs badly – Leadership.

James W Breckenridge
Abbotsford