It’s an out-of-sight, out-of-mind perception that, while understandable, is by no means excusable.
At least not for those on the front lines of aiding the community’s most vulnerable.
“Milton has a hidden homelessness problem. It’s not as in your face as in the big cities, but we know there are encampments within the town, we know there are a number of people couch surfing,” said Donna Danielli, who’s served as executive director for Milton Transitional Housing for the past 11 years. “We tend to think of Milton as an affluent community, but there are a lot of pockets of homelessness and food insecurity, and it’s getting worse.”
Now gearing up for its biggest annual fundraiser – Coldest Night of the Year (Feb. 22) – MTH is currently providing 10 area families with temporary housing through its two-year program.
And as Danielli knows only too well, that’s but a small fraction of the overall number in need – as the latest findings show more than 700 Halton residents are facing some degree of homelessness.
“My phone rings off the hook every day from people inside and outside of Milton because there just isn’t affordable housing. I’m constantly on the hunt for vacancies, and if I had more I could fill them overnight,” she said. “Once you slide into homelessness, there’s no viable way out for you.”
MTH strives to shatter that bleak reality.
With referrals from Halton Region – which Danielli says does a great job prioritizing needs through its Assisted Housing initiative – the organization sets up two-year shelter accommodations for its many clients.
Along with subsidizing 70 per cent of the rent, MTH addresses the issues of what caused the homelessness – and offers individualized support.
“I always say that our case management support is our secret sauce,” said Danielli, noting that 100 per cent of MTH’s program graduates – roughly three dozen since its 2014 operations launch – have found long-term, stable housing. “Everything I do helps keep the doors open; everything the case management worker does makes the magic happen.”
Noting that clients come with a “complex set of vulnerabilities," Danielli points to an Afghan veteran with PTSD, a man struggling with Agoraphobia and a woman fleeing domestic abuse as some of the many people who’ve found a lifeline through MTH.
“Then there were the college graduates who nearly broke my heart because they were living in their car because of their tuition debt,” said the executive director, whose organization works with numerous support groups throughout town and is the bridge to providing food and job training – among other things. “People become homeless for a variety of reasons. We tend to think it’s about drugs or alcohol or mental health, but it’s so much more than that.”
While the skyrocketing cost of living is a primary factor to homelessness, Danielli said the problem is more complex than that, and must be addressed – and tackled – from all sides.
“The plan must address the housing shortage, the cost of housing and the lack of income. You can’t just take one leg of that stool, you’ve got to look at them all and have a plan for all of them.”
Calling on Miltonians to participate in or support the Feb. 22 Coldest Night of the Year, organizers hope to exceed last year’s $73,000 tally – with $10,307 raised so far towards the goal of $80,000.
“There’s so many ways to be involved,” said Danielli. “Imagine if you didn’t have that warm place, or warm meal, what that experience would be like for you. And that experience is more prevalent than people realize.”
Click here to sign up for CNOY, or to support a walker or become a sponsor, and visit mthmilton.ca for more on the organization and its services.