Faith leaders want more for homeless
Over 100 representatives from churches sign letter urging mayor for support
More than 100 faith leaders from across Toronto are calling on the city do more to support people experiencing homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic.
A letter addressed to Toronto Mayor John Tory was released on Wednesday during a virtual press conference at the Church of the Holy Trinity, just prior to the City of Toronto’s daily COVID-19 briefing.
Representatives from 10 faith communities from Toronto’s Downtown East side including All Saints Church — Community Centre, Metropolitan United Church, Toronto Urban Native Ministry, Church of the Redeemer, the Church of the Holy Trinity, Sanctuary Ministries of Toronto, Saint Luke’s United Church, St. James Cathedral, St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church and First Evangelical Lutheran Church authored the note, which outlines six specific demands they feel will save lives and minimize the deadly impacts of COVID-19 on Toronto’s homeless. They include: Immediate fast-track of people into safe housing options outside of the overflowing and unsafe shelter system;
An ongoing and explicit moratorium on evictions for those without alternative options available to them for the duration of the pandemic;
Dignified and accessible health, hygiene and safety provisions for the most vulnerable. This includes the provision of adequate hygiene facilities, including washrooms, handwashing stations, showers and laundry, at various locations throughout the downtown core;
Low-barrier and mobile COVID-19 screening across downtown areas;
Accessible, steady and adequate supply of PPE for vulnerable populations, as well as volunteers and staff at both city-funded and non-city-funded organizations;
Support for shuttered organizations to re-engage service delivery of harm reduction, crisis counselling, primary case management, and health and wellbeing services in safe and effective ways.
“This is the untold story of the city’s failed response to the homeless during COVID-19.
“It’s about the immense suffering of those in need of shelter, food, washrooms and other services and a handful of churches that have been overwhelmed as they assist these individuals,” wrote anti-poverty advocate Rafi Aaron in an email to toronto.com.
Aaron, the spokesperson for the Interfaith Coalition to Fight Homelessness, said a handful of faith groups from Toronto’s downtown east area are unfairly “bearing the brunt” of the city’s inadequate response to the ever-growing need for accessible basic health and safe housing accommodations for Toronto’s poorest people during COVID-19.
His sentiments were echoed in the letter, which toronto.com obtained before it was officially released.
“Our volunteers and staff are overwhelmed. We cannot indefinitely shoulder the burden of the city’s slow and seemingly reluctant pace.
“The virus demands constant vigilance and adequate public health measures,” the letter read.
“Our resources are not infinite, and our people are beginning to weary. There are significant risks inherent in continuing to operate at such high volumes with our volunteers, staff and laity.”
Further, the note calls on Toronto to not “take for granted the goodwill of Toronto’s Downtown East churches and their volunteers,” instead its authors want the city to “mobilize significant resources to improve the living conditions of homeless people in order to end this pandemic.”
Those who wrote the letter charge the city’s promises to provide services, supports and safe housing options to curb the impacts of this pandemic on Toronto’s homeless have gone unfulfilled.