Filling in gaps and advocating for high-risk populations

Jen Bernier is one of CEDAR’s many outreach workers who provide support and resources for Abbotsford residents who are unhoused. She picks up shifts at CEDAR outside of working as a civilian with the Abbotsford Police Department. She recognized the huge gap in services for people living on the streets and other high-risk populations, like those who struggle with addiction to illicit substances or those with mental health disorders.

“I wanted to figure out a way that I could advocate for these high risk populations, and try to bridge some of those gaps and help them have access to services,” said Jen.

One of the most important aspects of CEDAR’s work is destigmatizing what homelessness actually looks like in the community. According to the 2020 Homeless Count and Survey Report there are 333 unhoused people in the Abbotsford area, and the cause of precarious living situations are vast and varied. According to the 2020 report, the most common cause of homelessness was family and relational breakdown, including abuse. The second highest cause was a lack of affordable housing options.

A typical shift for Jen as an outreach worker consists of building harm reduction kits and handing out said kits to people living in known encampments around Abbotsford, as well as giving out other necessary supplies like warm clothing, bottles of water, and any food if they have it. She also empowers people to fill out an intake form so they can work with CEDAR to get into supportive housing options in Abbotsford. Clients may also ask Jen if she or other CEDAR staff can help make appointments and fill out paperwork to get access to other services in the community.

“A few people that I've spoken to, who've been out on the street for a long time, have asked to do an intake to get into housing,” said Jen. “[They] are willing to actually put in the work, [whether that] means that they need to seek medical attention to get on medication for different mental illnesses, they're willing to put in that type of work.”

CEDAR Outreach’s goal is to meet clients wherever they’re at and try to connect them with the right resources that will set them up for success to reach their goals. Whether that be getting into treatment, getting into supportive housing, reconnecting with friends and family, or accessing medical treatment, CEDAR Outreach workers are there to advocate for them and jump through the hoops with them.

“I want to be a friendly face for people,” said Jen, “I want to be able to listen to stories, to walk alongside them wherever they’re at in their journey.”