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Forming team

New foundation being formed aims to tackle homelessness in Red Deer

Nov 5, 2024 | 1:53 PM

A new foundation to combat homelessness in Red Deer is being formed.

Over the summer, chair of the Red Deer Chamber Homelessness Taskforce Lyn Radford and vice chair Kathy Lacey worked to develop a transition team with the goal of forming the Red Deer Homeless Foundation.

In March 2023, the Red Deer Chamber Homelessness Taskforce launched its homelessness initiative and after submitting their final report in April of this year, are now looking to continue the report’s main recommendation of forming the foundation.

Officials say the transition team has made progress and expects the foundation to become operational early in the new year.

The Red Deer Chamber led the initiative but their involvement will come to an end on Jan. 31, 2025 and the foundation will be transitioned to the business community to continue their work. The Chamber provided financial support for the reports and the establishment of the foundation.

A new monthly community update has been posted online and in the first issue they outline the transition team which includes Lyn Radford, Kathy Lacey, Art Anastasi, Bryan Pobishushchy, Dr. Michael Mulholand, Gwen Clarke, Ian Milne, Jamil Charania, Kimberley Worthington, Mark Jones, Pat Moore, Ryan Krutzfeldt, Scott Robinson, and Talitha Klym.

The Transition Team is comprised of a group of independent community leaders committed to bringing about change and advancement related to homelessness in the community.

The team’s goal is to gather input, foster collaboration, and develop actionable solutions that effectively tackle homelessness in the community.

Some key upcoming dates include a call for permanent board members on Nov. 30 and on Jan. 31, the foundation will be operational. On Feb. 28, those on the transition team board will retire and the new board begins their work.