“We are a Christian organization. We understand that is traumatizing to folks,” said Mustard Seed CEO James Gardiner.
The CEO of the Alberta-based non-profit selected to set up shelter spaces in Saskatoon says it’s working on creating partnerships with agencies that have more knowledge of Indigenous culture.
James Gardiner, speaking at a Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce event on Thursday, described The Mustard Seed as a Christian-centred non-profit. The organization was selected by the Saskatchewan government to set up two shelter spaces and a transitional housing project in Saskatoon.
A large number of the people The Mustard Seed is expected to serve in Saskatoon are Indigenous. Gardiner said the organization is taking steps to ensure it’s properly prepared.
“We are a Christian organization. We understand that is traumatizing to folks,” he acknowledged.
Concerns have been raised through the media and directly to The Mustard Seed about whether Indigenous traditions and customs will be upheld. Many of those who have spoken out are survivors of the Sixties Scoop or the residential school system that was largely operated by churches.
Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand said earlier this year that he had spoken directly with the organization and had to educate them on working with First Nations people in the city and province. The Mustard Seed does not have the STC’s or the Salvation Army’s experience working with First Nations people, Arcand said.
“When I see a Christian organization coming in to take care of the First Nations people again, I have a problem with that.”
While The Mustard Seed does offer Christian programming, Gardiner said it’s always at the option of the client. The organization focuses on three areas: basic services, support services and housing.
The Mustard Seed serves everyone, “regardless of their religion, their race, their gender, their orientation … and that, I think, is Christianity: giving without conditions attached,” Gardiner said.
In September, city council approved 210 Pacific Avenue — the former Saskatchewan Transportation Company parcel service depot in downtown Saskatoon — as the location for a temporary 30- to 40-bed enhanced emergency residential shelter to be operated by The Mustard Seed.
Gardiner said a delay in opening the shelter is a result of the need for renovations to make the building habitable.
“We’re the operator. We’re not doing the renovations,” he said. “The parties that are doing the renovations are working through the municipal process and the funding that’s involved.”
Funds are dedicated to having an additional, visible presence in the neighbourhood around the Pacific Avenue shelter, but he hasn’t been told whether the money will be used for extra Mustard Seed staff, police and fire, or some type of security, he said.
“Our primary concern is that the people that we’re serving are safe, and that there’s not encampments that are building up from people that aren’t necessarily attached to our shelter,” Gardiner said.
The idea of another shelter in downtown Saskatoon has long been contentious. When the issue was up for debate and discussion at city council, advocates and opponents lined up to speak or wrote letters.
Gardiner said The Mustard Seed doesn’t shy away from public engagement, knocking on 300 doors in the community when a shelter location in Sutherland was under consideration.
“There were many people at those doors who were excited about us coming there because they understood the need for the space,” he said.
The Pacific Avenue site was identified more quickly and they haven’t been able to knock on doors there, but they have met with several businesses in the area, he added.
The Mustard Seed is also providing property management for the former Lighthouse building, offering wrap-around supports for up to 60 people to help them transition into sustainable housing. The Mustard Seed is set to take over operations of the downtown building on Dec. 1.
The move will be made in partnership with Saskatchewan Housing Corporation and Saskatoon Housing Authority.
Late last year, the sale of the building to the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation was approved in Court of King’s Bench. The province at that time said a co-ordinated and planned approach is vital to ensure that critical support services offered at the downtown location continue.
“We’re looking at having somewhere between 70 to 80 staff here funded by the contract. And then if there’s donor support and interest in the community, we’ll be hiring employment coaches and system advocates,” he said.
Gardiner estimated that about 30 employees will work at the Pacific Avenue site, while 41 staff will work at the former Lighthouse location.
About 14 per cent of people staying at Mustard Seed shelters in Alberta and B.C. every month are moving into permanent housing, he said.
“We’re really, really proud of that.”
Gardiner said community and volunteer engagement are very important.
“Our target as an organization is … for every staff member, to have 18 volunteers.”
The Mustard Seed had donations and/or volunteers from 227 churches and 1,012 businesses last year, he said.
It collected $46,068,750 in revenue and recorded $47,764,316 in expenses.
About 47 per cent of the revenue came from donations; 37 per cent came from grants and government funding; six per cent came from rentals and services; three per cent came from other income and seven per cent came from gains on the sale of assets.
On the expense side, 43 per cent covered basic services; 16 per cent covered housing; 24 per cent was spent on support services; 12 per cent was spent on resource development, marketing and public education; the remaining five per cent was administration costs.
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