GuelphToday received the following Letter to the Editor from reader Rosanne Morris,
Our bedroom window opens to the laneway that separates our home from the former Norfolk Manor, now a transitional housing residence for guests who live there. I use the word guests because that is the term used by the Stepping Stones staff when they speak about the clients they serve. When a note arrived in our mailbox three weeks ago stating that three days later unhoused people would be moving in next door, my husband and I were grateful that the former residence for seniors would be used so wisely, leased for 18 months by the county, and administered by a non profit organization with a positive reputation.
It surprises me that so many people respond with fear about safety and security when they speak to us about people without a home. My own brother, and my husband’s brother too, endured tormented lonely lives living with chronic mental health issues. Despite the love and support of family members both men ended their own lives, one by active suicide and the other chose a slower route: death by alcohol. Had these men had the support of services and community housing like our neighbours at Stepping Stone, perhaps their lives might have unfolded with a sense of hope.
How startling it was when I was outside in our pollinator garden the other evening when a Stepping Stone neighbour asked me how their presence was affecting us. The fear and alarm on the faces of some in the community concerned about those with mental illness and addiction issues is evident and visceral for some. So many in the community have asked us how the presence of these people is affecting us. To hear concern and compassion coming from a homeless person asking about our well being surprised me and warmed my heart.
I want to thank the members of the staff next door for their commitment to the guests offering hope and the opportunity to imagine a better future.
We need more supportive housing in our community, certainly not less. And let me be clear: Yes, In My Backyard
Rosanne Morris,
Guelph
