Despite warm winter, Edmonton's inner city shelters busier than ever

On Sunday, forthe sixteenthtime, the Inner City Agencies Foundation (ICAF) served food to around 800 of Edmonton'shomeless and most needy to kick off Inner City Awareness Week.

The lineup outside the Boyle Street Plazawas long and winding, but for those waiting it was worth it.

At the end of that line -a piping hot roast beef dinner with all the fixings. For those waiting it symbolized a break fromhardship.

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James House was homeless a year ago.

In the interim, the 31-year-old has worked with the city's social services and has managed to get off the streets.

For those like him,this type of eventmeansmuch more than just a hot meal.

"If you're homeless, and some kind of event comes up like this it feels like a break, you get to relax and eat," he said

"It's more than just a meal. Everyone is here together. A place like this with all the music and food. It makes you feel like you're not alone."

Usage up but donations down

House isn't alone with needing help from organizationslike theICAF.

Julian Daly, the Executive Director of Boyle Street Community Services, says there isalmost always a direct correlation between occupancy at city sheltersand the temperature outside.

However, that wasn't the case this year. Despite the warm winter, the Boyle Street Community Serviceshas been busier than ever.

"When it's really cold obviously people want to be inside. But (this year) our buildings been packed and it's plus three, plus four, plus five," said Daly.

Daly said the services Boyle Street offers to homeless people have increased dramatically. In the last nine months, they have gone from managing mail for 1,300to about 2,100people. They've also seena similar increase in their important document managing services.

Shelterstaff has also seen a 42 per cent increase in the number of people sleeping outdoors.

"We've seen a significant increase in the number of people using our services in the last nine months," said Daly. "I think the economic downturn is really biting us."

"The fact that we often see the first affected, as well as the people that do lose their jobs and have no savings, nothing, they can become homeless really quickly."

We've seen a significant increase in the number of people using our services in the last nine months.- Julian Daly

David Nedohin, the chair of the Inner City Agency Foundation, said that even though the seven agencies the foundation supports are busier than ever their funding is lacking too.

In particular he said, corporate funding is down. He tied both the increase in usage and the decrease in funding to Alberta's current economic woes.

"I think that is compacted by the fact that the agencies run a lot by donations and revenue that can generate from events that are supported by those who have the whereabouts to do that," Nedohin said.

"Obviously, when there is not as much money in those organizations the funding tends to disappear. So when it's most in need, it's often not there."

Edmonton is attempting to end homelessnessin Edmonton by 2019.

Dalysaid that it makes economic sense to end poverty as it is cheaper to house someone than have them out on the street. But he adds,without significant changes in how the city handles poverty and homelessness he can't see thegoal beingreached.

"Eradicating poverty and homelessness is ambitious but it is absolutely possible, as our mayor has said," said Daly.

"But it requires a level of investment and political commitment that we have yet to see."