Work well underway, says Greater Moncton Homelessness Steering Committee

The Greater Moncton Homelessness Steering Committee is defending the tremendous efforts of frontline workers.

Community Coordinator Andrea Anne says at a recent City Council meeting, comments were made when speaking to the joint action report on homelessness and downtown security, that ‘Nothing has been done’.

“That comment hurt my heart for the frontline workers in the organizations that are doing this work,” Anne added.

She says there has been much coordination and a tremendous amount of work.

“Frontline workers of the organizations and departments that sit around the table at the Greater Moncton Homeless Steering Committee carry extraordinary burdens. They respond to overdoses. They sit with individuals in mental health crises. They navigate addiction treatment wait lists. They help people secure identification and income supports. They search for housing in a market with almost no vacancy or very little deeply affordable housing. They mediate landlord conflicts. They attend critical incidents. They often go home carrying the emotional weight of what they have witnessed,” Anne stressed.

She also stated that stories can be shared of the individuals who have been living outdoors for more than five years.

“That it took outreach, trust building and coordination between community organizations to support those individuals to finally move into stable housing. And it didn’t happen by accident. It didn’t happen because nothing was done. It happened because multiple organizations worked together with persistence and compassion,” Anne stated.

She told council members that the GMHSC is not where they need to be yet, and that the pressures are increasing, but saying nothing has been done fails to acknowledge the progress and the work being done every day.

“Progress in this sector is often measured in stabilization. One person housed, one crisis de-escalated, one eviction prevented, one individual diverted from incarceration into supports, and these outcomes matter. Frontline workers and organizations deserve recognition because if we diminish their work, even unintentionally, we risk undermining morale in a sector that is truly already stretched thin.”

Anne also stressed that the work is not finished, but it’s very much underway, and it is measurable.