Red Deer agencies unite at Westerner Park homelessness event
Three Central Alberta organizations co-hosted a leadership luncheon featuring a keynote from a man known as the 'Skid Row CEO,' who walked across Canada to raise awareness about homelessness.
Why it matters
The event highlights how Red Deer's social agencies are coordinating to address homelessness and childhood trauma, issues affecting vulnerable residents across the city.
The Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC), the Red Deer Homeless Foundation, and Dress for Success Central Alberta held a joint leadership luncheon at Westerner Park on Friday, aiming to show a unified, coordinated approach among local agencies tackling homelessness.
Keynote speaker Joe Roberts, known as the 'Skid Row CEO,' shared his own experience with homelessness in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and his 2016/17 walk across Canada, which he called 'The Push for Change.' Roberts told the packed room that homelessness and substance use often stem from early childhood trauma and mental health issues, urging people to view the issue through a health-care lens rather than a moral one. He said framing homelessness as a political or moral failing, rather than a medical issue, will prevent long-term systemic change.
Roberts emphasized that supporting young people before they become homeless, through mental health and substance use support, offers the best chance of reducing long-term adult homelessness. Mark Jones, CEO of the Child Advocacy Centre, said his organization estimates 85 per cent of people experiencing homelessness also experienced childhood trauma.
Jones said solving homelessness will require sustained, coordinated effort among agencies rather than a quick fix, expressing hope that Red Deer can build a culture where organizations work together for its most vulnerable residents.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.