There is no single story of homelessness - people become homeless for many different reasons. Some become homeless because of traumatic events, such as home fire, reno-victions or job loss. Personal crises, like a family beak-up or domestic violence, can also push people to homelessness. This is particularly true for women who struggle in poverty or suffer from domestic abuse and who are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness. Struggles with mental health, physical health problems, disabilities, poverty and addictions challenges can be both a cause and consequence of homelessness.
Young people who feel they are not ‘accepted’ by society or their families can become victims of sexual or other types of abuse and often end up couch surfing. Elderly citizens who live alone, have no financial stability and have limited social supports are at greater risk of becoming homeless. This trend is particularly worrisome for Delta which has a large seniors population which is rapidly growing.
The Roots of Homelessness in Delta project is a myth-busting public awareness campaign developed by the City of Delta in collaboration with community partners, including Delta Police Department, Homelessness Services Association, Tsawwassen First Nation, AZURE Place, Fraser Health, Options, Phoenix, Lookout Society, and Deltassist. The goal is to open a conversation in Delta about the roots of homelessness and invite residents and community partners to learn more about real stories of people who became homeless. These posters are based on real stories of Delta’s unhoused individuals collected by Options Community Services in 2022. Coming soon.