The Spirit of Giving

Homeless Connect is an event that brings together essential resources and supports under one roof for those at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Edmonton. It’s a huge effort by hundreds of volunteers and service providers from various sectors who put aside the time to help those experiencing homelessness and poverty in our city.

Why do you do it? We asked Dr. Ben Eastwood the lead of the dental care section in connect. “It’s nothing more than simply giving”. Ben  started his journey with Connect alongside Homeward Trust and Shaw Conference Center from day one. While traveling in Africa with Kindness in Action, he was became particularly aware of the high level of need – not only abroad but also in his hometown of Edmonton. Upon Ben’s return from his trip, Cliff Higuchi the former general manager of Shaw Conference asked him if he knew of any dentists interested in volunteering at Homeless Connect.  He’s been a stalwart at Connect ever since.

“It’s the Edmonton thing to do. We are always searching for ways to give back to the community that has given us so much. This is how we care for one another” says Imran Gill of the Shaw Conference Center.  Since co-founding Homeless Connect in 2009, The Shaw Conference Center has been thrilled to see our city come together to provide much needed services to those that are in need. In partnership with Edmonton Economic Development, the Shaw Conference Centre is able leverage their space and event expertise to host this important community initiative twice a year – and many of their staff jump at the chance to volunteer as well and to serve food prepared by their chefs each year.

While many organizations struggle in having enough volunteers for such a large event; we run awaiting list for Connect. It is an incredible  popular event among volunteers – with many returning year after year.  The experience is often powerful, humbling, and deeply meaningful for our 300 plus volunteers as well. Jenn Dermott, the Chair of Homeless Connect Steering Committee, said: “You can assume a lot of things, but often your assumptions are wrong, so this gives myself and a lot of other volunteers the opportunity to check our assumptions at the door and get a chance to get to know another human.”

Twice a year we offer our services to an average of 1700 guests at Homeless Connect. If you have a service that our guests can benefit from, join us in our effort to help build pathways out of homelessness and poverty. Why? Because it is Edmonton’s spirit of giving. If have any questions about how to get involved, please connect with Deborah Harmacy here at Homeward Trust.

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LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We recognize we are gathered, in collaboration and with joint purpose, on Treaty 6 territory. This territory is the home and gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples. The Cree, Blackfoot, Métis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Inuit, and many others. We know the importance of the Treaty and our responsibility to these communities and that only in partnership can we create the social change necessary to end homelessness. It is vital that we meaningfully engage and partner with Indigenous people and communities in this work. It is important to recognize and address the conditions brought forth by colonialism. Displacement from traditional homelands, systemic racism, residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the ongoing overrepresentation of Indigenous people in child welfare, correctional systems, and homelessness are responsibilities we all share.