Chaz Smith has endured physical and verbal abuse, as well as countless hours in frigid temperatures helping the homeless, but it’s a recent blow dealt by the City of Calgary that he’s having a hard time shaking off.
Smith, who was homeless as a teen, is the founder of BeTheChangeYYC street outreach group, which has provided food, water, blankets, hygiene supplies, tents and tarps three nights a week in the city’s downtown for the past decade.
That work is about to face a serious challenge, after the group was informed it needs to vacate its headquarters on Dec. 31.
“The City of Calgary is closing our building, which they have allowed us to operate in over the past five years. This means that we have been actively searching for many months for a new HQ,” Smith said in a recent interview.
“We currently occupy about 2,500 square feet and being able to afford something like that in the private market is not going to happen. We’re going to really have to talk about the scale and our ability to operate in the way that we traditionally have.”
The news affects other grassroots outreach organizations serving people experiencing homelessness in Calgary.
The site was also home to the Safe Communities Opportunity and Resource, as well as the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary. Neither organization responded to a request for interviews.
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BeTheChange, located along the city’s light-rail transit line, is accessible, said Smith. On any given night, minutes after emerging from the building, its volunteers attract a crowd of the unhoused.
“We do move in the back alleys and the streets, and we’re looking for folks across the downtown core as much as we can,” he said, adding a new location will likely not be accessible on the rail line.
“All of us are going to be scattered and it is not going to be a central location.”
Over the past year, BeTheChange has helped more than 19,000 people, treated hundreds of frostbite cases and reversed 32 overdoses, Smith said.
“I fear if our program cannot sustain a level of operations that we are currently at, the public is going to see an increase in overdoses.
“It’s going to impact public safety drastically. If these services, like food, water, clothing, winter jackets, winter gear are not provided to vulnerable people, they will resort to stealing those items.”
Coun. Myke Atkinson, who was elected in October, said he’s trying to help.
“I know how BeTheChangeYYC does essential work, providing on the ground support to those who need it in our community. I want to ensure that they are able to continue doing this work with as little disruption as possible,” Atkinson said in a statement.
“My office is working with city administration and BeTheChange to find a viable solution, so that they can continue to deliver these services where folks need them most.”
Smith said his organization was the only outreach team that went out during the COVID-19 pandemic, held vaccination clinics and has been part of the extreme weather team.
He expected more from the city, he said.
“We are really hoping that the City of Calgary will support us in some way with access to a city-owned facility or building that is empty because,” Smith said.
“It’s a bit of a disappointment. Without a new space immediately, the ability to meet the growing demand of unhoused people is in peril.”
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