STAFF & BOARD MEET OUR STAFF South Shore Open Doors Association is a non-profit society incorporated in the province of Nova Scotia. It is composed of a volunteer Board of Directors, coordinated access system staff, and housing support Staff. JOSIE RUDDERHAM Chief Executive Officer ERIKA LANGILLE Housing Support Services, Lunenburg County AMANDA PHILLIPS-POOLE Trustee AMELIA SAVORY Housing Support Worker, Lunenburg County KRISTA MILLER Intensive Case Manager COURTNEY CARMICHAEL System Planner BOARD OF DIRECTORS The volunteer Board of Directors is composed of diverse stakeholders and members of the community, including and especially those with lived experiences of homelessness/housing vulnerability. It works towards establishing and maintaining a collaborative system of service providers and community partners working towards common objectives. The Board is also supported by volunteer Resource Advisors with particular expertise in housing issues. The members of the Board of Directors (as of June 30, 2023) are: RACHEL WHYNOT SIOBHAN DOYLE NAOMI ISNER BEN MOGL-MACLEAN MICHAEL GRAVES ANGIE BROWN JEREMY PORTER

STATE OF HOMELESSNESS RURAL vs URBAN HOMELESSNESS Homelessness doesn’t always mean sleeping in a tent, or in public spaces. In fact, the vast majority of people experiencing homelessness are not sleeping “rough”, but living in temporary, inadequate and unsafe accommodations. For some, homelessness can look like couch surfing, staying in emergency shelters, motels, hotels, campgrounds, and any other setting that is not secure. In urban settings, homelessness can be very easy to identify, especially in cities that have agencies and resources offering assistance or services to folks who find themselves unhoused. In rural settings, homelessness is harder to identify, and harder to characterize. A study completed by the Canada Observatory on Homelessness outlines a few key points on how rural homelessness differs from Urban homelessness: 1 The majority of interviewed individuals experiencing homelessness were very reluctant to self-identify as “homeless,” even if they were living in a car or couch surfing because of community stigma. 3 Lack of recognition for homelessness in rural communities contributes to the lack of funding and development in rural settings. 2 Homelessness in rural settings continues to go under the radar and is misunderstood as a social issue affecting only big cities. 4 Many rural residents are reluctant to access emergency shelters in the city. Whether you are experiencing homelessness in a rural or urban setting, one thing is certain: homelessness can be solved , and the solution is safe, adequate and affordable housing suitable for all citizens. CURRENT STATISTICS

CURRENT STATISTICS As of Winter 2025 127 INDIVIDUALS currently experiencing homelessness 5 MONTHS is the average length of homelessness 190 INDIVIDUALS currently identified as experiencing homelessness, including children 55 INDIVIDUALS experiencing chronic homelessness 63 CHILDREN currently experiencing homelessness/housing insecurity 157 HOUSEHOLDS now housed through SSODA HOUSEHOLD BREAKDOWN 212 Seniors 15 Veterans 72 Indigenous 74 Youth (25 and under) 245 Families 13 African Nova Scotians 1 Latin/Hispanic 38 Other SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS 5 sleeping in public spaces 25 sleeping in tents 25 sleeping in vehicles 28 sleeping in transitional housing 31 sleeping in shelter 52 sleeping in hotels 130 couch surfing (safe) 15 couch surfing (unsafe)* 16 sleeping in campground 173 renting pending eviction notices ORIGIN OF HOUSEHOLDS 331 in Bridgewater 196 in Lunenburg County 90 in Queens County 22 in town of Lunenburg 22 in Chester 31 did not disclose/other 19 in Mahone Bay TOP EVICTION TYPES Eviction due to relationship breakdown Leaving home due to domestic violence Building being sold Eviction due to change in income makes up only 23 of all intakes completed.