Homeless Women With FASD Given Housing Help

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 15:27

 

 

Federal dollars will help homeless women with Fetal Alchol Spectrum Disorder in Saskatoon get off the street and into shelter.

 

Today, the federal government announced $434,000 under the Homeless Partnering Strategy for three projects in Saskatoon.

 

Shirley Isbister calls today’s announcement momentous.

 

She is vice-president of the Western Region Metis Women’s Assocation, one of the recipients.

 

Isbister’s organization will receive $400,000 of that money in order to create five transitional housing units for homeless women with FASD.

 

Isbister says only recently have people begun to realize what an impact FASD can have on people’s ability to keep a home, appointments, and manage a budget.

 

Terrence Ahenakew works at the Central Urban Metis Federation wellness centre and works with many FASD clients.

 

Ahenakew says the new duplexes “will act as a flashlight to help guide our clients through the dark caverns of daily problems and everyday stressors”.

 

Quint Development Corporation also received money to create an eviction prevention model for low income renters, as did the the Rainbow Community Centre to build a wheelchair ramp.