Neighbourhood Welcomed at Morning Fire
Supportive Housing is a cornerstone of Edmonton’s Updated Plan to End Homelessness. Currently, the plan calls for the construction of more than 900 units to help alleviate the high number of homelessness the city sees every day.
The location of Supportive Housing sites is based on proximity to public transit, amenities, and community support based on public consultation and information sharing. The city has several Supportive Housing sites scattered throughout the Edmonton region. Morning Fire Protector is in the historic Beverly Community.
The building officially opened its doors in 2015 and is a 14-unit program for Indigenous singles, families, and couples. It received its name during a night lodge ceremony. Program staff on-site support residents in accessing cultural resources and ceremonies and facilitate engagement with elders.
Why the Indigenous focus? In 2015, 54% of Housing Support clients were Indigenous. In the past few years, sharing circles, smudges, and traditional feasts have all been held at the residence. Tenants at MFP both engage in and appreciate a program based on culture.
Some of the tenants have told staff they have been able to transform their lives for the better with the stable housing, supports, and indigenous outreach offered by MFP. One Edmonton Police Service officer has made it a special priority to drop in and check on the facility as part of his rounds, and it has now become a favourite of the children who live there!
On October 18th, the building’s residents and staff held a small community BBQ to bring the community together and perhaps dispel some myths about PSH and the people who inhabit it. Days prior, Staff went door to door and invited people and businesses from the community to the BBQ.
Over the span of two hours, around 40 people from the building and community stopped by to grab a plate of food. Some stayed, some got a plate and went back to their suite. Many laughs were shared, and new connections were made. Young babies, their mothers, brothers, mothers, dads, friends and workers all came together on a beautiful fall day to break bread and have a few hours away from their daily routines.
Through events like this, we see it truly takes a community to come together to make inroads to end homelessness and help our most vulnerable neighbours. Thank you to Beverly’s residents and businesses for helping Morning Fire Protector’s tenants and staff become a part of the community.
