Salvation Army Shelter Helps Client Move From Homelessness to Success
Peter (not his real name) has spent a long period of his life experiencing homelessness and struggling with addiction. Many times he attempted to get his life back, without success. However, over the past year, the staff at The Salvation Army’s Gateway of Hope shelter in Langley, B.C., have allowed him to embark on a consistent journey to recovery.
Originally from Surrey, B.C., Peter came to Langley looking for his sister. He was unable to find her and had nowhere to stay. He went to The Salvation Army, and the staff gave him space at the shelter.
“They’ve helped me a lot here. They helped me with clothing, shelter, food and with my health.”
“It is thanks to the people here at The Salvation Army that I was able to find a place to stay. They’ve treated me with kindness and respect, and it has worked out well for me,” Peter says.
Although he admits living in a shelter isn’t always easy, he is particularly appreciative of the additional assistance Salvation Army staff provide.
“They’ve helped me a lot here. They helped me with clothing, shelter, food and with my health,” he adds.
When Peter first came to the shelter just over a year ago, he was dealing with some health issues. In the next few months, he was in and out of the hospital a few times. Despite that, he says The Salvation Army was there for him.
“I was pretty sick when I first came here, so I was thankful they still let me have a bed. That kept me going. They helped me keep a roof over my head and my belly full,” he shares.
Peter believes the assistance he received from The Salvation Army was a lifeline.
“I would probably be dead. I had been living on the streets for so long, and I had nowhere else to go. I’ve seen many people die from overdoses or the cold, so it makes a huge difference to have access to this place.”
Peter is currently clean of drugs. He says the rules and regulations followed at the shelter have helped him stay away from addiction. He is working with caseworkers to apply for housing and wants to reconnect with his family once he gets settled.
“I had been living on the streets for so long, and I had nowhere else to go.”
“I am looking forward to getting my own place and getting on with my life,” Peter shares.
Gateway of Hope offers different shelter services in Langley. They have a 32-bed emergency shelter that runs 24/7, a nightly shelter that runs from 7 p.m. to 9:30 a.m., and an Extreme Weather Response shelter that runs the same time frame during the winter on days with weather advisories.
Cristina Schneiter, residential services manager at the Gateway of Hope, explains that all the services give clients access to basic needs.
“Our shelter programs ensure people can get access to warm meals, showers, change of clothes and have the space and support to connect with specialized teams and resources.”
By Juan Romero
