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In partnership with governments and agencies, Calgary Homeless Foundation has helped more than 10,000 people find their way home since 2008 — including over 3,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When people are “diverted,” it means they are directed away from emergency shelters into some form of housing.
At the shelter door, caseworkers talk to a person to figure out how they entered homelessness. The caseworker may connect that person to family and friends or help them find new housing. They may also assist that person with applications for damage deposits or financial supports that will supply a few months’ rent, preventing them from experiencing homelessness.
Diversion is a crucial part of the work we support. You can learn more about it here.
Our approach to fighting homelessness reduces the number of people using hospitals, jails, courts, and emergency and police services, saving taxpayer money and allowing governments to allocate funds to other initiatives.[1]
On average, it costs $87,000 per year to support a person who is a high user of public services because they don’t have a home. But once that person is permanently housed, their housing and supports decrease to approximately $30,500 per year, representing a 65% reduction.[2]
1. Figures are based on comparison of 12 months prior to and post-housing according to the 2018/19 Grant Accountability Review of the Calgary Homeless Foundation
2. Jadidzadeh, A., Falvo, N., & Dutton, D. J. (2020). Cost Savings of Housing First in a Non-Experimental Setting. Canadian Public Policy, 46(1), 23-36. doi:10.3138/cpp.2019-017