Dear Friend,

Imagine living with a physical disability and having to sleep on a couch, or in a car, or at a local shelter. In a city as dynamic and prosperous as Calgary, it’s hard to imagine such crises, but for many potential clients of Accessible Housing Society, it’s their only choice.

At this moment, there are 86 clients on our wait list for some combination of accessible and affordable housing. From that total, 36 per cent or 31 clients are experiencing issues of homelessness. This includes clients who are using shelters, couch surfing, staying with relatives or friends, and those in hospitals with no where to go after they are discharged.

Take Sharon, for example, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2004. For Sharon, the news of her diagnosis couldn’t have come at a worse time in her life. Her father had recently passed away and her apartment building was being converted into condominiums, which meant she would have to move. A lack of energy due to her illness made it too difficult to search for a place of her own, so she was forced to start living with others as a roommate.

With the loss of her home and a significant part of her support system gone, she ended up on welfare and struggling with her illness. Sharon also speaks of how at one point she had even slept in her car. She eventually worked up the energy to apply for Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), and was successful. She says, “I applied and was finally able to make ends meet.” While ill and low on income, Sharon lost many of the things that were of value to her. She even had personal items stolen like her wedding rings, which she recalls wishing she had pawned off when she had no food, even though she was saving them for her daughter.

While living in someone else’s house as a roommate, Sharon remembers thinking that in order for her to regain her health that she would need to first regain a measure of independence. For her that also included the rights that all people want and deserve, like the right to cook, to rest, and to enjoy activities like listening to music and having the option to entertain friends. She started looking for housing, but with limited energy due to her condition, she was unable to view many places, and they never seemed to be the right fit. These efforts left her feeling exhausted and discouraged.

According to Sharon it was when her AISH worker gave her the number for Accessible Housing Society (AHS) that her life turned around. A Housing Resource Coordinator from AHS helped her to research what was available, with consideration for both her affordability and accessibility needs. The staff made sure Sharon had the freedom to select an appropriate accommodation and then provided the support (actually pushing her in a wheelchair) to view the property. Staff also helped her with housing applications.

At last Sharon was able to find a home, but the work was not yet done. The Housing Resource Coordinator continued to support Sharon with things like arranging her damage deposit, and setting up movers to bring her things out of storage and into her new home. Sharon now has an apartment that includes storage and a wheel in shower, and she says the rent is less than she paid her past roommates. Sharon also says that her hygiene has improved, along with her finances, her diet, her social life, her environment and overall quality of life. She says, “In my experience, before AHS, I often felt dehumanized by the experience. With AHS I felt the hope for a better life, and now I believe that things will get better – thank you to everyone who assisted me, seen and unseen.”

I hope this story has inspired you. With your donation we can continue to respond to more people like Sharon and reduce our wait list. We need your help to eliminate these kinds of housing situations. To make a difference for someone today click on our Donate Now button provided by CanadaHelps or visit the Donate page on our website, which lists a variety of donation options to fit your preferences.

Thank you in advance for your compassion and generosity. For more information about Accessible Housing Society, please visit www.ahscalgary.ca or call 403-735-2426. Together, we can make sure that every Calgarian has a place to call home.

Sincerely,

Soraya Saliba
Executive Director
Accessible Housing Society

*Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $10.00 or more. Thank you*

P.S. You can also join our direct mail out. If you would like to receive this annual request, call 403-735-2426 or email development@ahscalgary.ca. Thank you.