135 People Seek Help From Georgian Triangle Housing Resource Centre
In February 2010 - Up From 55 One Year Earlier

Collingwood's Georgian Triangle Housing Resource Centre is dealing with an increase in people seeking accommodation. Centre Executive Director Gail Michelanko said that in February 2010, 135 people contacted the centre looking for housing. This was an increase of 80 people looking for housing from February 2009 when 55 people contacted the centre for help.

Michelanko feels the number of people contacting the centre is increasing because they are still struggling to recover from the recession and whatever savings or income they had to rely on has now been spent.

The Georgian Triangle Housing Resource Centre is a registered charity. Each year the Centre must raise 25% of the operating budget through fundraising and charitable donations in order to continue to provide the same level of service to residents of the Georgian Triangle. Gail reminds us that the centre had to close its doors at one point in 1996 because of a loss of funding. The centre re-opened in 2000 thanks in large part to the results of the Vision 2020 Study. In 2001, the centre was incorporated as non-profit charity. "We see between 1,200 and 1,400 yearly homeless or risk of homelessness clients" Gail said. These disturbing numbers are real and often come as quite a shock to the general population that is not aware that this situation exists right here in Collingwood and surrounding area. "We have a volunteer board of directors representing each area that we serve" Gail said in pointing out that the centre serves the entire Georgian Triangle region.

The centre's primary focus is to assist individuals looking for permanent housing. The centre also provides practical housing support to those facing other housing challenges. In addition, the centre interviews home seekers to match individuals with the most suitable housing for their specific needs, counsels home seekers and establishes rental budets to ensure they are able to afford what they are looking for, and provides mediation services between tenants and landlords who are experiencing problems.

For more information on The Georgian Triangle Housing Resource Centre, visit the web site at www.housinginfo.ca.