Frost Laurie

Review of The Salvation Army Halton Ligh...

So after 50 years living a pretty good life. Then ...

So after 50 years living a pretty good life. Then everything changed. I found myself homeless. I called the only shelter in halton and for over a week I was told they were full. Finally my brother intervened calling them from Vancouver. I called the next day and miraculously they had room. When I arrived and spoke to the other women staying there I learned that there were at least 4 empty rooms or more. Empty rooms the whole time I slept in the park. When I arrived I was so grateful for the shelter and for the food. Then came the interactions with the staff. Sour, unencouraging, unhelpful. They spent time eating in their glass enclosure and if you needed anything you were told to wait. Wait while they finished eating at the front desk, wait until they felt like helping you. I trusted them to help me connect with the right social services. What I discovered when I finally found help through the hospital2homes program is that they had not filed any applications on my behalf. Not with housing first, not with summit, not even with ODSP. None of the paperwork was submitted. I suffer from concurrent disorders. Alcohol and mental health. I found no help there. No one who really took my issues seriously. The laziness and surliness of the staff did nothing but make me feel downtrodden and hopeless. Are the workers qualified. I have no idea. I only know that now I have help, real help. I was kicked out of the shelter because I consumed alcohol off property. I never returned drunk, I did not cause a disturbance. I had recently sustained an injury breaking 4 ribs as a result of a bicycle accident. I was asked to leave. I did not understand. Some of the young men arrived back to the shelter clearly drunk and often belligerent, breaking patio furniture or getting into fights. They were allowed to sleep it off. I got kicked out because they found an empty wine bottle. Not because of my behaviour. I left for two weeks as required. I returned because I had no where to go. Within 4 days I was so disgusted that I left the shelter choosing to live in the park for two weeks because it was safer and less judgemental. The ineptitude off the staff and the lack of real cercern was palpable. Tanoullah, Amanda and the women whom walks around singing hymns, avril, could not once offer a smile or a word of encouragement. They are all in the wrong profession. The "acting" director never spoke to any of the residents. I guess paperwork was more important than the real reason he had a job...the people whom found themselves at the shelter. The people whom sought shelter and support. To the Salvation Army organization I implore you to rethink your shelter strategy. We are not less than, we are not lacking intelligence, we are human beings in need of compassion and true support. We are not a reason for you to get money from the government to the tune of 2 to 3 thousand per intake. We are people seeking help. We have no where else to turn. Please, please help us.