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Sep 23, 2010
Live and Silent Auction – the details
Generally speaking the needs on the street are increasing and for many charities across Canada, there are dwindling resources as people...
Sep 16, 2010
Years of Building
It sometimes takes years to build enough trust for some of our street friends to talk to us about their lives. Red is thirty-six and we...
Sep 2, 2010
LIfe on the Streets 3: Panhandling
We see people panhandling for loose change all the time in our cities. It’s commonplace. We have come to adopt certain attitudes...
Aug 21, 2010
Life on the Streets I: Walking
I arrived back in Ottawa late last night and drove through the downtown area on the way home. I saw a man walking with a garbage bag over...
Aug 21, 2010
Life on the Streets I – Walk
I arrived back in Ottawa late last night and drove through the downtown area on the way home. I saw a man walking with a garbage bag over...
Aug 5, 2010
Bedbugs or Brutality?
I walked past Jim sleeping outside the convenience store on my way to the bank. He was OK, probably tired from a late night. The...
Jul 22, 2010
Getting a Place of Your Own
Harry has been desperately searching for shelter since he was released from jail three months ago. He has been squeaky clean – no drugs...
Jul 8, 2010
100% Success Rate at OIM!!
‘So what kind of success rate do you have with people?’ I looked at this person while a whirlwind of thoughts raced around in my head,...
Jun 24, 2010
One of our Kids – at the art show
The first time I met Kaylin she was on street outreach two years ago. I noticed her sitting on the sidewalk on Bank Street with a torn up...
Jun 17, 2010
Youth Art Show
It was an amazing evening! Thirteen street-engaged youth presented their art work at Dominion Chalmers United Church, and over 110 guests...
May 27, 2010
Hanging by a Thread
Working with people who are poor or homeless can be a challenge: there is great satisfaction and fulfillment, but it can be hard when we...
May 20, 2010
Downtown Ottawa
“Urban Intervention Training” is the name of our volunteer training program which we host three times a year. It’s a full Saturday,...
May 6, 2010
Tom is back!
Tom is back, and is doing well. He came to see me last Friday and has been ‘in and out’ of the office all week. He has hit the ground...
Apr 29, 2010
Tom Called
Tom Called (see previous blogs re. Injustice) While I was away in Vancouver I received the following email from our front line...
Apr 15, 2010
Injustice IV – Stonewalled
A heavy heart is mine as I write what will probably be the last blog about Tom until he is released. There are several reasons for this,...
Apr 9, 2010
Injustice upon injustice III
I am sorry to report that Tom is still in detention – the ‘proper’ name for jail, although there is nothing ‘proper’ about it at all. ...
Mar 25, 2010
Injustice upon injustice – it’s called Life on the Streets
Some things set me right over the edge, mostly it’s a different story with a similar theme: injustice (see Justice III, Feb 26/10). Here...
Mar 18, 2010
Violation of Sacred Trust
“Of all people, you should know better.” His words pierced my soul. These words and this day will be burned in my mind forever. Seven...
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