Homelessness, mental health, and addiction issues continue to be prominent in Moose Jaw. To help find solutions, Square One Community Inc. has launched the 'Stronger Together' campaign with the aim of providing more people a meaningful independence.
After local metal artists Bill and Laurette Keen saw the extent of the problem in the community, they were moved to do something. The result of their effort has been to initiate the Stronger Together campaign in partnership with Square One Community Inc.
To run the campaign, the Keens crafted a metal pair of trees containing leaves that bear the name of campaign sponsors. To date, over $35,000 has been raised in support of the John Howard Society’s 'My Place' program.
The artwork is now part of a rotational exhibition, and the first stop is Circle Medical Centre located at the Civic Centre Mall Plaza.
Here, Dr. Karissa Brabant has displayed the artwork prominently at the building’s entrance.
“We were happy to start with sponsorship, and then being able to showcase the art here at the clinic has just been amazing. It looks wonderful and lots of people are talking about it and asking about it…,” said Dr. Brabant.
“We knew it would be one of the first things people see as they come in, so it would be something they would be interested in and ask questions about.
“There are so many factors at play, (that) it’s hard to understand any part of homelessness just by looking at a single example. There are so many layers and situations that arise and cause it. Without talking about it, we’re not going to get to the bottom of it,” explained Dr. Brabant.
“We see people observing it, but maybe not understanding it. That’s what we want to help,” added Della Ferguson, chairperson of Square One Community Inc. regarding the campaign.
Dr. Brabant works with the vulnerable members of the community.
“I do a lot of work with patients who struggle with addictions and homelessness. Square One has done a lot of work in helping my patient population,” she said. “It was something that made total sense to me to start supporting right off the bat.”
Dr. Brabant has found inspiration from her own personal story.
“The main inspiration is my own family’s experience with homelessness. Some of my more extended family members have gone through situations in their lives where they haven’t had a safe place to stay, and that has never been acceptable to me,” she explained.
“As I came into being a physician and I started to have the opportunity to influence decision making and influence the way I provide care, that was something I targeted early in my career and was something that I wanted to help with.”
Based on Dr. Brabant’s experience and through personal conversations with her patients, she said the best way to approach the problem is by providing housing.
“I think the main message I want people to be aware of is that while there’s so many layers to these issues… it is not something that needs to be permanent for a patient. It is not something that needs to be that patient’s whole story,” she said.
“These support systems and structures that we have in the community make a difference and I’ve seen it firsthand. Housing strategy is number one for that. I can’t do my job if my patient doesn’t have a place to live.”
Dr. Brabant explained that a housing-first approach gives individuals the means to begin their road to recovery. By having a secure house and a roof over your head, individuals can safely store needed medical equipment and not live in constant fear of losing this support.
Once a sense of reliability and routine can be established, Dr. Brabant said that individuals can then focus on getting the medical help they need.
“That was the message that I wanted to sent not only to the Moose Jaw community, but… to get to government officials, and the people who actually make decisions with regards to social services and medical care in general,” Dr. Brabant said.
“We need to focus our priorities on what the foundation is going to be. They are trying to add windows and a chimney, but we don’t even have a foundation yet. That’s not okay,” she said.
Circle Medical Centre is located at Unit 2B, 1251 Main Street North and can be reached at 306-693-3737.
To help donate to the Stronger Together campaign, Square One Community Inc. can be reached at CommunitySquareOne@gmail.com.
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