Speaking at our meeting January 28th, John Clarke gave a presentation about the United Way's newest initiative focused on supporting and eliminating 'Chronic Homelessness' in our local community. A few facts he highlighted: 1) in 2018, there were 100 identified individuals in Huron County that were experiencing homelessness, 2) affected individuals are not just those we see wandering the streets with shopping bags full of all their possessions; in fact this represents a small percentage of those affected. Rather an estimated 80% of homelessness is hidden and not easily visible particularly with youth, 3) people who are homeless often also experience additional vulnerabilities such as physical disability, chronic health issues, mental health challenges, and solving the former can often dramatically improve the later issues.
We were invited to support the Coldest Day of the Year event in Goderich on February 22nd.