News & Stories

From Shelter to Home: Why we embraced a housing-focused approach to support our community.

October 31, 2024

Several years ago, our current President and CEO, Sandra Clarkson, attended a talk by Iain De Jong of OrgCode Consulting, where he spoke passionately about how shelters could be a driving force in ending homelessness. His message was clear: by adopting a housing-focused approach, shelters can transform into a process rather than just a destination. This ignited a spark in Sandra, leading to a new, bold vision for the Calgary Drop-In Centre (the DI) to transition to a housing-focused shelter.

Once the idea took root, it became official in late 2017. This new approach would integrate the principles of housing-first, trauma-informed care, and person-centred services, with a commitment to ending homelessness, one person at a time. From that point on, the DI embarked on a journey that would prove to be challenging, yet deeply rewarding.

Our dedication remained steadfast, even in the face of a global pandemic, a toxic drug supply crisis, rising cost of living, and a worsening housing market. Through it all, we continued to prioritize the housing needs of our guests, working tirelessly to help them exit homelessness and achieve stability as quickly as possible.

We’ve seen long-term shelter guests finally move into homes of their own, and witnessed individuals experience the joy of a successful housing placement. Some have faced setbacks, needing more than one attempt to achieve stable housing, but we remain here for them, ready to support their next step forward. And we’ve expanded our service offerings – such as adding a recovery-oriented system of care to our health programs. Many other supports have come and gone since 2017, all with a view to better serve our community.

Has our hard work paid off?

The answer is a resounding YES. Since the beginning of our transformation in 2017, we have helped 2,291 unique individuals find housing, with a total of 2,862 housing outcomes, including re-housing efforts for those who returned to the shelter. We are proud to report a low rate of return to the DI, indicating that many individuals are finding lasting stability in community.

In addition to housing placements, we’ve broadened our understanding of what it means to exit homelessness. People exit the shelter in diverse ways—through relocation, connecting with natural supports, entering residential treatment, or even resolving their situations on their own. Beyond housing exits, we have supported 897 additional exits from the DI, resulting in a total of 3,759 instances where someone’s time at the shelter has come to an end.

Overall, 3,002 unique people have successfully exited homelessness since 2017.

This progress is a testament to the dedication of the DI’s staff, who continue to show compassion and empathy for every individual they support. There are tough days when some guests aren’t ready to move forward, but we meet people where they’re at and we keep trying. Any one conversation could be the intervention that sparks a change.

Our success would not be possible without the commitment of our many community partners. This is by no means a complete list, but we would like to acknowledge the landlords, the Calgary Homeless Foundation, the City of Calgary, and all the other shelters in the city and our partner the Government of Alberta. Your belief in this ambitious idea has strengthened our collective efforts to end homelessness.

And most importantly, we acknowledge the bravery of our guests. Every individual who has taken the plunge with us on this housing-focused journey deserves recognition. Their feedback continuously guides us in improving our services to better meet the needs of everyone seeking a home.

As we continue this journey, we remain dedicated to supporting each person’s unique path to housing.  Thank you for your commitment to this work, and for believing in the power of a housing-focused shelter to change lives. Together, we are not just providing a temporary refuge—we are ending homelessness, one person at a time.

Kevin Webb, Director, Emergency Shelter and Housing