Stories of Hope
Annie's Story
Annie (name changed at request of client) came to Canada from Africa over 20 years ago under government sponsorship to escape civil war. She did well here; made Canada her home, raised her family, and used her sewing talents to run her own business.
Last year, after being invited to move in with a family member, things shifted unexpectedly and Annie suddenly found herself without a place to stay. She was familiar with The Salvation Army from her childhood in Africa and so when she heard that we had some shelter options she reached out. Thankfully, we were able to offer her a bed. Annie stayed in our Transitional Housing program for four months saving money to move into a home of her own.
Annie shares about how overwhelming it was to find herself in this situation after a lifetime of rising above such threats and also about the stigma of being homeless and how she has felt the need to keep her situation from her family out of fear and shame. So, when they offered her the gift of sending her home to Africa for a visit that she had been waiting over 20 years for, Annie simply said yes even though it meant giving up her space in our Transitional Housing program.
Annie was blessed by her time away and how her African family so generously cared for and provided for her; rebuilding these connections filled her with joy and hope. Returning home to Canada though, she once again had to manage not having a place to go, so she reached out to us again for some temporary shelter. Annie shares how God led her to the safety of The Salvation Army, gave her the gift of her visit back in Africa, and has now provided a place of her own to move into shortly. Together we praise God that we were able to help Annie when she was scared and overwhelmed and that our Shelter Diversion program, generously funded by the Calgary Homeless Foundation, was available to help her move forward into independent living.
Henry Joseph's Story
Henry Joseph (name changed to protect identity) arrived in Canada just 2 months ago, leaving behind his wife and 3 children as he fled dangerous ethnic discrimination in Rwanda. He has declared refugee status and is praying that Canada will allow him to stay. While he waits for government processing, he is working hard to build a new life and to put in place solutions that will hopefully someday allow him to bring his family to Canada too.
Although he misses his family, Henry Joseph is excited to be here. He arrived with very limited resources though and so has been staying in our Men’s Shelter while he diligently looks for work. His education is in IT and he has many years experience teaching computers, but he has not found work in this field. He has secured another part-time job though and is proud to have passed a mathematics and English exam that may soon allow him to participate in a trades training program for newcomers.
Recently our staff connected Henry Joseph with some Ugandan refugees who moved out together from our shelter several months ago but were looking for an additional roommate. Henry Joseph did his degree in Uganda and so this is a great fit for him; an affordable space of his own but also with cultural connection with others on a similar journey.
Thanks to support from our Shelter Diversion Program, Henry Joseph moves out this week. In partnership with the Alberta Government and the Calgary Homeless Foundation, our Shelter Diversion Program provides resources to help our shelter residents find suitable and affordable housing solutions and also offers some financial support to help with the various costs of moving out into a home of their own, so that when appropriate housing is found they can take the next step.
Henry Joseph puts his trust in God’s grace and we are happy that God has brought him to us to help him on this part of his journey.
Austin's Story
Austin is half Ojibway and half Cree, and officially part of the Longlac First Nation in Ontario, but he grew up here in Alberta in the High Prairie area. At 35, Austin has already lived through a lifetime of struggles.
Although he was fortunate to know both his birth parents and to have spent most of his life with one brother, Austin was first placed in foster care (with his brother) at the age of 3. After years of being in and out of the system and dealing with a variety of trauma and abuse, Austin found himself in some real trouble just shy of his 18th birthday and ended up serving a 6 year prison sentence.
While inside, Austin decided to do something better with his life so after his release he got married and had 2 kids – the joys of his life! – and worked hard to build that better life. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite go as planned and after his marriage failed, Austin’s life became pretty messy which eventually meant living on the street with substance use issues. On top of this, he was hit by a vehicle that has left him with physical challenges and he was recently diagnosed with, and is being treater for, congestive heart failure.
Austin’s life has lots of brokenness, but he hates that sometimes that seems to be all people see. There are things he regrets, but he also remembers that he was a hard worker – gas jockey, restaurants, logging, and more; that he was (and is still trying to be!) a good dad; that he had at one time built himself a good life.
Staying in our Men’s Emergency Shelter, Austin is working on recovery and healing, and on staying busy even though he has to be cautious with physical activity. He has written a book and is doing some programming work. Austin looks forward to finding some stability in his life and being more involved with his kids.
Jeremiah's Story
Sometimes it takes courage to step into homelessness! At 35, Jeremiah was renting a room and partying with roommates when he realized the environment was no longer safe and he needed to make some changes. On Christmas Eve he decided he had to leave.
He found shelter at the Calgary Drop-In Centre and also began connecting with our staff and others at our Mobile Warming Station. With this network of support and his own hard work, Jeremiah found housing and is now looking for work.
Jeremiah is proud that he has been sober for over two months. He knew he needed to make this change because it was taking a toll on his health, was limiting his experiences, and was affecting his relationships in a negative way.
And Jeremiah is a people person! He enjoys walking along the river and he loves meeting new people and hearing their stories. He has recently been doing some writing too and entered The Salvation Army Community Services (Calgary) Poetry Contest.
We are excited for Jeremiah and the changes he his making in his life and happy to be supporting him with connection and encouragement as works towards his goals.
Rahwa's Story
Calgary has been Rahwa’s home for twenty years. After arriving with her family from Eritrea when she was a teenager, she grew up here, worked as a medical assistant, married her husband Mussie, and is now raising her own family. Although Mussie has a good and stable job, he and Rahwa have struggled to make ends meet as their family has grown. With five boys ranging in age from 18 months to 10 years, the growing cost of everything can be a burden.
A couple of years ago, Rahwa discovered The Salvation Army at a Community Fair at her son’s school. We helped with things like diapers from our Infant Essentials program and Christmas toys. Most recently though, Rahwa has been able to shop at our Hope Market. She works hard to manage the monthly food budget, but being able to supplement with a variety of fresh foods and staples helps ensure she can provide healthy meals for her family that they will enjoy.
More than these supports though, what Rahwa loves about our Community Resource Centre is that all of her boys are eager to come and participate in a variety of programs. Whether they are doing skateboarding or art class, the boys engage and have fun, and Rahwa is happy for activities that get them out of the house and off of their screens.
Rahwa now talks about our staff like they are family and she helps others that have more recently arrived here in Calgary, connecting to our programming. We are blessed to be able to walk alongside Rahwa as she works hard to be a good mom and care for her family.
Non-Discrimination Policy
The Salvation Army helps more than 2.1 million vulnerable and marginalized people each year in 400 communities across Canada. With over 130 years of service in the country, The Salvation Army provides practical assistance for children and families, shelter for people experiencing homelessness and rehabilitation for those who have lost control of their lives due to an addiction.
The Salvation Army does not discriminate in the delivery of our community and social services. Anyone who comes to The Salvation Army will receive assistance based solely on their need and our capacity to help, regardless of race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or religion. We uphold the dignity of all people, believe that all are equal in the eyes of God, and firmly oppose the mistreatment of any person.
The Salvation Army does not discriminate in our hiring process. Our hiring policy respects the non-discrimination principles of the Human Rights Codes across Canada. In addition, we adhere to all relevant employment laws, providing domestic partner benefits accordingly. Through Pathway of Hope intensive individualized supports are given for participants to achieve short and long-term goals. The approach has been designed for The Salvation Army and is suitable for use in several different service contexts. It is rooted in an integrated mission using partnership and intentional care to build and transform a community. Through dedication and focus Pathway of Hope allows The Salvation Army to increase our impact with existing resources.
We take allegations of discrimination very seriously. If you are aware of a specific situation where a person has been the target of discrimination, please let us know because this is contrary to our mission to “share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world.”