Save the Hostel!

What happened? On March 22, Durham Region News reported that the YWCA of Oshawa had announced the impending closure of its Adelaide House – an emergency hostel that “works with and for homeless women and their children.” That is how Eva Martin Blythe, Executive Director of the YWCA, phrased it in correspondence with Christa. The hostel serves upwards of 65 women and children at any given time and is an essential social service operating in the downtown core of Oshawa. There was not enough money to continue operating the Adelaide House.

Why is this happening? Well, as Eva explained to Angela on the phone, funding has failed to increase as the costs of operating such a facility and program have continued to rise. This discrepancy means two things: there is not enough money to pay proper, competitive voluntary sector salaries, which results in the few employees that are on staff to be overworked and genuinely burnt out.

What are the foreseeable consequences? As the news article outlines, residents are afraid of what may lie ahead for those women and girls who have counted on the emergency hostel as a secure and safe place to stay in the past. It should be noted that every effort has been made to find new places for the residents to go when it closes. Eva also mentioned to Angela that the YWCA Durham is seeking other sources of funding, the details of which may not yet be disclosed to the public.

What can we do? This question was put directly to Eva just a few days after the news had broken and her answer was direct and helpful.

1. First, she suggested that we contact those people that have the influence to make a change. Government leaders, news agencies, and regional councilors all have a role to play in advocating for homelessness and allocating it as a priority, both in Oshawa and across Canada.

2. Secondly, any small fundraiser - “even $50,” Eva said - could make a difference in the bigger picture. There is no contribution that is too small, and anything we can give would be gratefully received.

3. Lastly, she suggested sincerely that “… if you pray - pray.” We can certainly do that – and more! Eva told Christa, "We are very grateful to know that so many people in the community value our work... Thank you again for your offer of support."

Writing Letters (and E-mails)

Who do we write to? When talking with Eva, she recommended that we write letters to the following MPPs to voice our concerns:

• Jerry Ouelette, Oshawa MPP -- his e-mail address is: jerry_ouelletteco@ontla.ola.org
• Christine Elliott, Whitby-Ajax MPP -- her e-mail address is: christine.elliottco@pc.ola.org
• John Gray, mayor of Oshawa -- his e-mail address is: jgray@oshawa.ca

Eva also suggested that we write to the editors of our local papers, to raise public awareness. Looking for a good place to start? Try the Oshawa This Week: newsroom@durhamregion.com . The addresses of other papers are located in the sidebar.

What do we say? Sometimes the thought of writing letters to members of parliament or to a local newspaper can seem a bit daunting. Let us encourage you: your words don't have to be eloquent. What matters is that your voice is heard. These letters (or e-mails) don't need to be long. Just state that:

• You are disappointed that the YWCA has had to close this hostel due to financial issues
• You believe that this is a vital service to homeless women and their children in our city
• You would like to see a solution to this issue, and you hope that (insert name of person you are writing to) will do something about it.

** If you live in the area, be sure to point that out in the e-mail as well, so they are aware that this matters to their constituents.