Streets Alive purchases downtown building to help reintegration efforts
By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on June 1, 2023.
Streets Alive Mission has acquired the downtown Galt Manor building as affordable "safe secure residential housing" for individuals working towards reintegrating into society. Herald photoLETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com
Streets Alive Mission has acquired a new building to be able to continue helping those who are helping themselves get reintegrated into society.
Founder of Streets Alive Mission, Ken Kissick spoke to the Herald on Tuesday and said they have purchased the Galt Manor located on 7 Street S. and were taking possession of the building yesterday.
“We rent a number of facilities to house people who have succeeded out of our programs,” said Kissick.
 He provided an example and said when someone comes into their program as an addicted individual, they would reside in supportive housing under supervision and care and at some point, they would move on to different living arrangements. And that is where the Galt Manor would come into play, but he said they will not be removing anyone who is presently living there to accommodate those entering their programming.
“In some cases, you want to still stay connected, so we have properties that we rent out and you rent from us, so we become like the landlord sort of speak,” said Kissick.
 He said the Galt Manor will be used for renting to those who want to remain connected with their programming, while living on their own. He also said their facilities are abstinence based and monitored for compliance.
Kissick explained their programs are offered in four stages, with the first stage being geared towards helping individuals looking to recover from addiction. This is where they would live in a segue home, provided room and board, including meals and 24-hour staff presence, under a restrictive schedule.
“Stage One is when you first come out of either a detox facility, a stabilization facility, or a treatment facility and you already started the process,” said Kissick.
The second stage is post-treatment and houses them in supportive housing. Room and board are provided and they are still in recovery programming but with a little bit more freedom.
“Stage Two is where you are now actively involved in programming, which includes addictions-based counselling and volunteerism. There’s a number of things in which we’re helping people address the trauma in their life and work on all of the things that they need to work on to move forward and get away from their addiction,” said Kissick.
The third phase is where they will be in recovery housing, with daily programming that is mandatory to attend while not working or in school.
“In Stage 3 you should by now have been clean and sober for a while, but you’ll also now be looking to either go back to work, or back to school. You may be working part-time even,” said Kissick.
The last phase is where they have been through the programming and need a place to live while reintegrating to society. At this stage meals are no longer provided as individuals are expected to be working and being able to provide their own meals.
“In Stage Four you’re now paying rent in affordable housing, providing your own meals, you may or may not have a roommate, you are responsible, you are working, or you are in school,” said Kissick.
 He said after the last stage, they will still work with individuals to help them find their own place to live, and they are still welcome to stay connected with programming.
 “The Galt Manor would be what we would call affordable safe secure housing, safe secure residential housing – it’s not programmed housing like our segue home or like our Parkside home in downtown,” said Kissick.
 He said they would still have surveillance for compliance, to make sure those living there will abstain from using drugs and alcohol, not only because that is stipulated in their lease, but also to make sure there is no temptation for those who are taking the necessary steps to remain sober.
“The Galt Manor was completely destroyed by drug dealers, drug users and everything else and it is completely renovated and will be used to house people who have recovered from that and are productive members of society, so we think it’s exciting,” said Kissick.
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https://youtu.be/aVI0go65Njs
Instructive when dealing with non profits. They have no benefit solving any problem.
You can’t make money off of healthy people.
Agree, fix, and no money for the savin’ lives industrial complex. (Borrowed)
What financial breaks are coming from the city? Do you have data that supports a measurable level of success for your programs? Are these results independently accessed? Are you competing with other nonprofits or are you working together to maximize resources? And how? So your segue homes(?) are not clean and sober? What neighborhoods are they concentrated in? Are they spread throughout the city for your segue homes? Is there just community consultation,neighborhood agreements and or public hearings etc. in certain neighborhoods? If so why do just some neighborhoods get a head’s up to what they are buying or building beside? How long before tenants are kicked out of your unsober facilities like the segue homes? Is there a full time security person checking for illegal activities at your segue homes? How do we verify?