WWW.AGRM.ORG 13 MAY/JUNE 2017 Citizens in Toronto demonstrate care for their homeless neighbors. In a random sampling of 1,086 Toronto voters, a Forum Research Poll found: • Two-thirds describe Toronto’s homelessness problem as severe (67 percent) and one-quarter describe it as “very severe.” • Three in 10 have “some” or “a lot” of homeless people in their neighborhood. • When asked the best solution to the city’s homelessness problem, 26 per- cent suggest job training, 21 percent say more low-income housing, and 19 percent think guaranteed basic income is needed. • More than half approved of the city building 15 new shelters, and about 60 percent say they should be built “wherever they are needed,” with just one-tenth wanting them limited to non-residential areas only. • When asked why they would support a homeless shelter in their neighborhood, 50 percent said, “everyone deserves a roof over their head,” and 35 percent say it’s just “the right thing to do.” Open Arms in Toronto Residents approve of city doing what it takes to help Trade Show San Francisco offers homeless people a fair for finding services Trying to figure out the tangle of agencies, programs, and procedures available to help homeless people can easily overwhelm someone looking for assistance. A system that’s difficult to navigate even for the general population could be impossible for people with mental disabilities or chemical addictions. Starting in 2004, a group of homeless advocates in San Francisco tried something new. They rented a local convention hall, invited every social service provider in their city to set up a table, and opened for what was basically a trade fair for homeless people. Along with information about every short-term and long- term housing program in the city, Project Homeless Connect provides clothing, shoes, free phone calls, counseling, medical treatment, dental care, eye exams and glasses, benefits information, government ID cards, and more. The fair includes live music, free food, and secure “valet parking” for shopping carts so clients aren’t afraid of having their few possessions stolen. Project Homeless Connect was able to enroll so many new clients into existing social service programs that San Francisco now holds the event six times each year. Homeless participants say they feel respected and safe at the event. Along with providing help for those needing it, the fairs also benefit those who come to offer services. Social workers, activists, and bureaucrats build relationships with each other, which then makes it easier for them to help their clients navigate the system of providers. Volunteers flock to help; local high schools and colleges allow students to volunteer in place of classwork, and a few companies allow their employees to take paid days off work to help with the event.