By Ana Higuera
(Ana is a volunteer journalist with the FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE)

On today’s episode, reporter Ana Maria Higuera brings together community voices who are rallying to respond to the needs of at risk people who are experiencing homelessness during coronavirus pandemic.

This is one of the issues outlined in the Downtown East Advocacy Letter, a document drafted and signed mid-February 2021 by multiple organizations in the Downtown East who work with, advocate and care for street homeless folks. The letter was a compelling call for the city to mobilize its resources to reopen indoor public spaces, create more spaces and get people off the streets and safe from winter, COVID19 and ultimately homelessness, pointing out that closures “disproportionately affect(s) racialized people, especially Black and Indigenous people”.

Signatory agencies and organizations include The Sherbourne Health Centre, Seeds of Hope, Street Haven, Fred Victor, Yonge Street Mission, the 519, Dixon Hall, Building Roots and the All Saints Church-Community Centre among many others. With the dire pandemic circumstances, they have seen a significant rise in street homelessness as well as frostbite cases this winter, and as Priest Director Alison Falby from the All Saint Church-Community Centre told Regent Park TV, their hands are tied when it comes to supporting the increased number of folks in need. The City’s closures of public indoor spaces and programs, has put a serious strain on these agencies while their capacity to help has significantly decreased due to COVID19 restrictions. Some, if not all of these agencies have been tirelessly working and adapting since the start of the pandemic.

The signatories feel that our City can do better to take care of its most vulnerable residents, it is time to stop regulating homelessness and work to eradicate it once and for all.