Drop-in Centre
Shalom Ministry Drop-in Centre
Objective
We endeavor to house and minimize homelessness with the wrap-around support that will
cater to all the homeless in the Abbotsford region, visualizing a 70% goal of the homeless by
maintaining housing for more than a year.
The Need Shalom Drop-in Centre is Seeking to Address
The primary need Shalom ministry identified is that the homeless individuals are limited in
establishing a relationship with the landlord. We see a potential of 30 percent of the homeless
population that we could assist. One could assume that those who have a mental illness also
suffer from addiction. In our assumption, we suspect that some of the conflict and abuse entice by
abuse of drugs and alcohol. Shalom Ministries aims to bridge this gap by linking the homeless
and the landlord through the Liaison program. The Shalom team will guide the homeless by
assisting in finding a home and providing wrap-around support to guide them throughout their
journey. By launching the drop-in center, we aim to provide support to meet the needs of the
homeless by providing peer counseling, spiritual care, tenant support staff, and housing research
experts. By building a bridge between the homeless and the landlord and giving support, we hope
that it ultimately guides the individuals towards the path of independence and healthy living.
Project Description and Activities
We propose to set up a drop-in center to provide peer counseling, spiritual care support,
tenant support workers, and volunteer housing researchers. The center will also help those at
risk of becoming homeless, prevent recurrence, find a home, and refer them to a treatment
center or mental health center for assistance if needed.
The drop-in center will also offer special programs that will focus on life skills, conflict
resolution, budgeting, recovery, and other such programs that promote independent and healthy
living. Assisting with housing and providing guidance throughout the rehab process is part of our
wrap-around program and housing setup process. Shalom ministry’s goal is to attend to this need
by delivering wrap-around support with the help of house support workers to assist in life skills,
groceries, hygiene, paying bills, bus tickets, counseling, etc. Our volunteers are people with lived
experience of addiction and are willing to befriend homeless individuals who are going through
similar challenges. Further, the house support workers will assist the homeless individuals with
furniture donations (from the MCC, Value Village) and provide storage space for the housing
setup.
As mentioned before, homeless individuals are limited in their ability to establish a
relationship with the landlord. It is the purpose of Shalom Ministries to serve as a liaison
between homeless people and landlords. Moreover, we aim to reassure the landlord by paying
rent and extended damage costs through government welfare if a situation occurs. Suppose a
homeless person needs new accommodation; we hope to gain the assurance of a landlord to
allow us an extension period of a minimum of 30 days to find a new tenant and help the previous
tenant find a new place to live. We will also ensure that the rental is returned in a clean
condition before the new tenants arrive. In addition, outreach workers will provide food, coffee,
pizza, and clothing directly to the homeless on the streets, in addition to sleeping bags and
blankets in response to cold and hot weather.
Our support staff is there to assist individuals every step of the way, teaching them life
skills, providing support, and helping them find a job to pay for their living expenses
Key Organizational Outcomes
- We aim to provide housing and support for 70 percent of the homeless population in
Abbotsford with addiction and mental illness.
1.1 By increasing referral for treatment or clinical treatment from 10 percent to 20 percent to help recovery for addicts and those with mental illness from 12 percent to 28 percent.
1.2 By addressing the homeless population, we hope to reduce the percentage of individuals with addictions to 10 percent and the mental health issues to 2 percent.
- Our approach to accomplish these outcomes are:
2.1 Through the “Bio, Psyche, Social, Spiritual” model, we seek to establish relationships with homeless individuals in recovery, encompassing the whole person.
2.2 We consider spiritual care not merely a religion but a state of mind and spiritual awakening of an individual.
2.2.1 The concept is to help homeless people restore to life and live free from addiction by coming to the Shalom State (wholeness).
2.3 We cater to the unique needs of individuals by providing one-on-one assistance.
2.4 Another approach is to promote self-esteem and learning skills for the client’s future.
2.5 We aim to offer a multi-facet of recovery by providing help in learning different skills.
Measurable Outcomes of Shalom Drop-in Centre
- Number of connections made with landlords
1.1 Amount of times housing support were contacted to intervene with resolving housing issues
1.2 The success rate of avoiding evictions
1.3 No success in avoiding evictions
1.3.1 Reasons for failure in avoiding evictions
- Number of homeless individuals that remained in the housing
2.1 Received housing support
2.2 Received life skills training
- Number of evictions
3.1 Reasons for evictions
- Number of individuals that returned to being homeless
4.1 Reasons for returning homeless - Number of individuals that were rehoused
5.1 Reasons for rehousing - Number of addicts and those with mental illness that received treatment
6.1 Number of people that completed their treatment
6.1.1 Individuals still connected with Shalom ministry
6.1.2 Individuals that partake in either self-help groups or religious institutions or both
6.2 The time frame for recovery after treatment
6.2.1 Number of recovered individuals
6.2.2 Number of individuals that relapsed
6.2.2.1 Reasons for relapse
6.2.3 Number of individuals that returned to rehab after relapse
Organization Experience and Expertise
Shalom Ministry Center helps homeless people find housing and promotes recovery from
addiction. Shalom Ministry has been operating since 2015. Sholom means wholeness,
restoration, or completion, which is Sholom’s goal for those they assist. Shalom’s ministry is
devoted to serving those vulnerable, striving to make them whole and free from addictions. As a
result, they can experience the dignity of living with purpose and meaning through the
expressions of love and care of the community, providing them with freedom and an example to
follow.
Shalom Outreach has a two-track program. First, our volunteers will visit the street
people at their places of stay to cultivate friendships and trust with them through relationships
and provide coffee and other essential items. In the second track, street people and marginalized
will be invited to a Shalom drop-in center and help desk to receive basic help with;
identification, skills development, online applications, and other practical, social, or spiritual
needs.
Educational qualifications of the Executive Director: Shalom Ministry’s Executive
Director, Pierre Bissonnette, studied Psychology in counseling at the University of the Fraser
Valley (UFV) and Trinity Western University (TWU). Pierre also graduated from TWU with
a Master of Arts in Spiritual Care in 2019.
Some of the courses taken by Pierre that apply to this Project:
- Pastoral Counseling
- Integration model of Psychology and Theology
- Theological issue in Counseling
- Pastoral Crisis Response
- Chaplaincy Program Practicum
- Chaplaincy Foundation
- MACS Graduating Project (Conducted a research paper on addiction and recovery)
- Christianity in Culture
- Faith and Evangelism Formation
- Theological Foundational of Chaplaincy
- Foundation of Christian Leadership
- Homiletics
- Preaching Laboratory
We combine our expertise with lived experience of Pierre and education. Pierre and his
volunteers launched Shalom Ministry six years ago and have received little funding aside from
$6000 Covid-19 relief funding from the United Way. Thus, Pierre and generous donations from
others have financed the Shalom ministry’s various initiatives. From November 2018 to July
2021, Pierre was a Home Share Provider to a high-demanding case that lived in his basement
suite. Through this arrangement, he was able to operate Shalom Ministry Center on a flexible
schedule. In Pierre’s ministry, a significant part is training the volunteers, and of the eight
volunteers, five are trained and have lived experiences. Further, all volunteers of Shalom ministry
have several years of sobriety under their belts.
Our Founder’s Testimony
I, Pierre, was born in the month of December 1966. When I was born, my mother was a
street girl about 16 years old. Despite her best efforts, it was too hard for her to keep me, and for
about five years I went back and forth from the orphanage to her until she finally gave up. Later,
the Bissonnette family adopted me, my father worked as a welder, and my mom took care of the
neighbor’s children. As well, I have a sister who excels at everything she does.
In fact, at age eight, an unspeakable event happened and continued for four years, until I
was 12; however, the damage was done by age ten. It wasn’t until I was 35 that my family
learned of this. Except for my father, no one believed me when I told them. At the age of eight,
I had my first drink at a Christmas party, and at the age of 13, I had my first blackout. Following
that, my life became so complex that at the age of 13, I attempted suicide; the last time was in
March 1997, landing me in the ICU in Abbotsford.
At 15, I was placed in juvenile jail, one of the most secure in the country. I came out at
the age of 18 and found cocaine. From the time I was 21 years old until I entered my first
treatment center on the 14th of April 1988, I went back and forth between sobriety and
addiction, as well as homelessness for 21 years. I am now sober for 15 years. Although I have
always had a difficult time living, I know that God is with me and that I must continue to serve
Him, for He is my rock.
Change in My Life
As a result of completing the AutoCAD computerized drafting software course the
following year, I started a new chapter in my life. After going home, I first bowed down on my
knees, thanking God for this course. Afterward, I went to the Abby in Mission and confessed my
sin; the next day, after praying for God’s help, I became sober. My friend Ralph walked with me
through my detoxification; we worked together for three months. We began by meeting daily for
coffee to discuss plans for the complex planter in his backyard. As I worked on the construction,
I detoxed from methadone, heroin, crack, and five other prescription drugs. In the hospital,
doctors were skeptical as it’s impossible to detox all these drugs at the same time; God, however,
weaved a miracle. I am now sober for 15 years
Vision for Shalom Ministry Centre
From my life experiences, I developed the idea for a ministry called Shalom Ministry
Centre. With the 12-step program of A.A., it is our goal to share the love of God with street men
and women. Living the character of God as an example for these men, giving them the hope to
feel love displayed by grace, mercy, and building lifetime friendships.
Sustainability plan for the Shalom Drop-in Centre
Overall Budget: $285,304
Reaching Home Funding (City of Abbotsford): $135,304
Fundraising: $150,000
7 donors @ $10,000 = $70,000 CAD, 4 donors @ $5,000 = $20,000 CAD, 12 donors @ 2500 =
$30,000 CAD.
This project will continue as we plan to receive some funding from the Christian
community and the community at large, since we are a charitable foundation. Our plans also
include submitting a proposal to the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren
Churches. Although we do not have a partnership yet, we are contacting prospective partners.
We look forward to forming a partnership alliance in the near future. If we ally with the
Reaching Home Contribution Agreement, we aim to continue our partnerships after the
agreement expires. Moreover, as of now, we have no funding sources critical to the success of
the Sustainability Plan.
In the meantime, Shalom Ministry has been funded by Pierre, the Executive Director of
Shalom Ministry, and will be funded by him in the future as well. Additionally, we are receiving
generous support from The Life Centre Church and Canadian Resources for Missions
Foundation (CRMF) to help us achieve our goal for the Shalom Drop-in Center project.
Shalom ministry has been sustaining itself from 2015 to November 2018. Most of our
financial support came in the form of gift-in-kind, while the Executive Director contributed the
remaining funds from his savings to the ministry. From November 2018 to July 2021, Pierre
Bissonnette had a home-share contract with the John Howard Society, representing CLBC. As
a result of his contract, Executive Director Pierre Bissonnette is more able to aid the homeless.
In October 2020, Shalom Ministries received $6000 from the United Way to help the homeless
community. Furthermore, Pierre is currently awaiting another home-share contract with John
Howard Society. A home-share contract can, however, range from $1,700 to $2,500.