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

PROGRAMS & SERVICES COORDINATED ACCESS Coordinated Access is a system that brings consistency to the process by which individuals experiencing housing insecurity, energy poverty or homelessness access resources and services throughout Lunenburg County. COORDINATED ACCESS HOUSING SUPPORT TRUSTEE PROGRAM HOUSING SPECIALIST coordinated-access HOUSING SUPPORT SERVICES SSODA’s Housing Support Services helps potential tenants find and maintain their housing through weekly home visits, case management and goal setting sessions. housing-support TRUSTEE PROGRAM SSODA’s Trustee program offers financial literacy and basic money management services for individuals and families who may be struggling to maintain their housing costs, create and/or keep a budget, or pay bills in a timely manner. trustee-program System Planner The Affordable Housing Specialist engages multiple partners, agencies, rental providers and stakeholders in the implementation of the Coordinated Access System, and is responsible for the following: Leads the operations of the Coordinated Access System Establishes quality control for data Provides regular maintenance and updates within the Coordinated Access System Guide Manages data entered into Homeless individuals & Families information System (HlFlS) database Supports community organizations interested in the adoption of HIFIS Champions data driven community response by providing real time data reports to stakeholders, funders and community partners affordable-housing-specialist

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