It’s something many people take for granted: waking up in a warm bed in a home of our own.
Not having a safe place to curl up every night and get quality sleep dramatically impairs a person’s ability to do even the basic tasks that promote a healthy lifestyle.
“You can’t do anything without a roof over your head,” says Janine, a Case Manager for one of the housing programs at CUPS.
Finding someone a home is dynamic and complicated. But thanks to an extremely engaged and inspired team at CUPS, it’s a process that allows hundreds of people each year to start their journey forward with a new home.
For CUPS Key Case Management, they focus on long-term housing stability and improved physical and mental well-being. For the 120 adults in the program, the goal is making connections in new communities, and ultimately building lasting resilience and independence.
CUPS has a commitment to get every one of its clients into a stable living situation. But helping someone off the street and into housing isn’t a simple process. It’s a long, hard grind for the person — and the CUPS team — working to make it happen. And it doesn’t always work the first time.
Janine sees the struggle the clients face daily. Many of them spend a lot of time on the streets, face mental health issues and don’t know how they can ever have a roof over their head. There are so many barriers to overcome.
The client starts with the Calgary Homeless Foundation, and in a collaboration with CUPS and other agencies, they find a place to live.
Every week partner agencies come together and pick from a list of individuals and families who have been assessed and are ready for housing.
This is when people like Gabriela from CUPS step in and touch base with the client. The initial tracking down process can be of the most difficult pieces of the puzzle. Often clients show up once a week to get a referral — they aren’t readily available and many don’t have phones. The team uses all available knowledge and resources to find the person who is ready for a house.
Many clients need to be connected with an understanding landlord.
“A lot come with no references, an awful past housing experience, or they can’t pass a credit check,” explains Gabriela.
Once they’re referred into the CUPS system, the client is presented with several housing options, and when they find a home they’re happy with, they meet the landlord. The two sit down so the landlord can ask some questions to get to know them better.
With the Key Case Managers working hard to develop and maintain these relationships, most landlords agree to take on the prospective tenant. Gabriela says they try to do this all in a short period of time.
“Our clients are very hard to find, so time is essential. If we make things happen in less than a week, we're most likely to be successful.”
Having a house to live in can be the first step for clients to regain their independence, but the support from CUPS doesn’t end when they move into housing. We continue to work with them, as clients work towards earning a stable income and getting back on their feet.
Janine points to one client who graduated in October of 2021.
He was a carpenter who struggled with mental health issues and lived in the Drop-In Centre for eight years. Things started to turn around when he was accepted into the CUPS housing program. Since then, he has found housing, learned how to budget correctly and was diagnosed as bipolar. He no longer drinks, uses drugs or smokes and will be able to access his pension this year. All of this change happened in just two years.
CUPS will continue to act as a safety net if he or any other graduated client needs them again. Once a client graduates, they can move to a more stable housing situation and exit the program. At that point, a spot opens up, and we can take on another referral.
There is a passion for this work at CUPS and for Gabriela, she loves the feeling of signing the lease with a client and giving someone their new house keys.
“It’s magical. I have clients that cry, they are so happy. It can be overwhelming, too; it can be a big responsibility after being homeless. But, seeing that smile on their face makes my work a million times better.”
But even when clients get assistance, their problems aren’t over.
Janine says it’s not uncommon for her to rehouse people three to four times before finding the right spot. There have been times she’s housed a client, only to have them continue to experience challenges and get evicted.
Setting someone up for success with a house is only one part of the integrated care process. So, while CUPS works to get a roof over their heads, we are also providing physical and mental health support, family development coaches, care coordination and more.
Finding a strong, resilient path forward is a team effort…one that often starts with a home.
CUPS is grateful for our many community partners that support our work in housing, including the Calgary Homeless Foundation and HomeSpace, by providing truly integrated and wrap-around supports.