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-0 WAmwoammaa-my.mlz,zouo1 o o e Youths dying because of gaps in soc1al safety net, says ROOF ()0..an from W 1 only highlights the need for the region to continue to make “v ‘_,-1_ . investments in affordable housing,” he said. f " The plaque was started eight years ago when Dietrich~Bell “It's always sad to see homeless people and particularly ' started with the organization. It now has 10 names on it. young people have their livm end prematurely.” , “We wanted to find a way to honour those who have died While the choices made outside of ROOF can’t be con- that we have tried to support or offered services to.” she said. trolled, after 25 years in the community, ROOF is making i _ “it's difficult because having an open ceremony or service can some choices of its own and changes could be afoot as the be triggering to other youth. but we thought this was some- organization undergoesafeaslbility study. thing we could do to recognize them." The results of which will be known later this year. Kendra Foord. manager of services at ROOF, said the “We are increasingly busy. We have more youth than we impact has been felt around the organization. “These are have ever seen before, certainly more youth with complex folks that were trying to make changes in their lives and that and concurrent disorders," Dietrich-Bell said, adding staff _ ~ makes this all the more devastating." Foord said. have seen more youth with crystal meth addictions as well as 3 But she said it is often worse for the youths' peers. to mental health issues. Sandy Dietrich-Bell and Kendra Foord stand with the memo- whom they ofier grieving services and refenals to counselling Along with more challenges for staff, ROOF is busting at rial plaque ROOF has for W Who have died. "if” names organizations in the region. the seams. she said. were added in three weeks this year- As staff and the homeless youth ROOF suppons grieve, In 2013. ROOF supported almost 850 unique individuals ”'me "0'” Dietrich-Bell won'ies that without a change in society's atti- through their shelter, work- tude. more homeless youth will die. shops, job placements and \__ "lt would be easy to say we need more affordable housing food hampers among other or ROOF needs more money or we need more psychiatrists to services . . diagnose youth properly . . .," Dienich~Bell said. “That stuff is “We are doing our best to Reglon 0f Waterloo all 100 per cent true. But a small agency can't exert the do what we can and main- amount of pressure that it would take to make those things tain the programs that we - - happen, but society could. have, but we are certainly “We have to stan recognizing that people are dying ~ we very aware of gaps in servtoe can stop it and do things that are more proactive and preven- and gaps in programming tative instead of always very much after the fact when it costs and we are trying to address \ . us 10 times as much money and 10 times as much grief and that, not only for our youth. m of M W heartache. if things were done on the other end of the scale, but as part of our strategic m '3' W “I“ mm mm lives would be saved and real change would happen." plan. Regional Conn. Sean Strickland said news like this only “We're not celebrating W"! 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