Agate Housing and Services

We're proud to be Agate!

April is Fair Housing Month! The Fair Housing Act was signed into law in 1968 to prevent discrimination in any housing-related activities like renting, purchasing and mortgaging a home. Everyone deserves a safe place to live!

At A Walk in the Life participants walked learning stations throughout the Food Centre to learn more about what it's like to be homeless. Learning station #6 - "Make a button!" let our walkers make a button of their own design or color in one of ours with things like the Walk logo, "Housing is a Human Right" and "Ask Me What Causes Homelessness".

At A Walk in the Life participants walked learning stations throughout the Food Centre to learn more about what it's like to be homeless. Learning station #5 - "Vote on what you think causes homelessness" asked our walkers to choose from a list of five different common causes of homelessness. They dropped colored beads in to the cups they thought was the leading cause of homelessness. Options were criminal background, earning a low wage, mental health challenges, chemical dependency and major health crisis.

At A Walk in the Life participants walked learning stations throughout the Food Centre to learn more about what it's like to be homeless. Learning station #4 - "Stories of Lived Experience of Homelessness" gave our walkers a chance to talk to our A Day in the Life Educators Patrick and Shannon. They shared their stories and answered questions.

At A Walk in the Life participants walked learning stations throughout the Food Centre to learn more about what it's like to be homeless. Learning station #3 - "Why is home important to you?" helped our walkers slow down and truly consider what mattered most to them about their home. The stop volunteers helped people consider how those things wouldn't be possible for someone who is unhoused.

At A Walk in the Life participants walked learning stations throughout the Food Centre to learn more about what it's like to be homeless. Learning station #2 - "Budgeting with low wages" taught walkers how to make tough decisions when money is tight. For many under-resourced people, that means choosing between food and daycare or a doctor's visit. At this stop, people had a limited amount of money and they had to make decisions on how to spend it.

Participants at A Walk in the Life participated in learning stations throughout the Food Centre to learn more about what it's like to be homeless. Learning station #1 - "Busting myths about homelessness" taught our walkers about the stigma people who are homeless face. Stigma results in abuse, isolation and criminalization when the reality is that everyone one of us is a single missed paycheck or medical emergency away from jeopardizing our housing.

Jennifer and her service dog Elvis hit a rough patch after a serious back injury left her homeless and living in her car for several years. After meeting with an Agate intake coordinator, she moved into a safe and stable apartment. She has regained her independence and a safe home for her and Elvis! If you'd like to help more people like Jennifer, please consider making a donation! https://lnkd.in/gv9vH35b

We are excited for A Walk in the Life. A big thank you to our sponsors for their support of this event! See you tomorrow!