Nonprofit aims to improve lives of Yellowknife’s unhoused residents

A new Indigenous-led nonprofit in Yellowknife is advocating for the city’s homeless population.

Established in November last year, the Yellowknife Street Support Network focuses on “community knowledge, cultural understanding, and is committed to providing compassionate support for those impacted by homelessness in Yellowknife.”

In a news release earlier this week, the organization stated its mission is to make Yellowknife a city without homelessness while ensuring Indigenous people are “respected, supported, and leading the change.”

The organization’s board includes Georgina Franki, Brenda Kowana, Stacey Drygeese Sundberg, Jennie May Smith and Maria Greenland, with a growing team of volunteers helping to support its work.

On Friday, the group hosted a community soup and bannock gathering outside Canada Post on Franklin Avenue.

Kowana, who has been sober for eight years and has personal experience with homelessness, emphasized the importance of connecting with people where they are. She explained that Indigenous nonprofit organizations addressing homelessness are rare.

“An Indigenous nonprofit is what is missing,” she told Cabin Radio, “because we know our people better than anybody with a textbook or education.”

While the focus is on Indigenous communities, she said the organization welcomes people from all cultures. The group is actively seeking partnerships with other organizations to expand their reach.

Kowana described the support she hopes the organization will provide as “knowing that when they’re ready to sober up and be a part of society, instead of looking down on society, we want to hold their hand and take them to their appointments,”

“Supporting them through applications, if they need that done as well,” she added. “We want to give out food, clothing. We want to do language, culture. We want to do on-the-land detox.”

Although the group has been discussing these issues for years, Sundberg said forming a nonprofit allows them to apply for funding and collaborate with local organizations and businesses in a more structured way.

While they have not yet applied for government funding, the group said it had received support letters from members of the First Nations community and is seeking further backing.

“It’s so important to have this initiative led by Indigenous people because there is a majority of Indigenous people on the streets that we have been always wanting to help, but we didn’t know in which way,” Sundberg said.

Looking ahead, Sundberg hopes the organization can expand its team to include people who have experienced homelessness themselves, allowing for guidance based on first-hand knowledge of the community.

Franki said the group plans to provide food to the homeless on a full-time basis and is currently looking for a van to perform deliveries to people in need. For the past few years, she has been donating essentials like clean socks, mitts and hats during the wintertime.

“There’s a lot of studies done already on the homelessness issue. What we want to do is just go with it and let’s do it. Let’s not waste any more time. I don’t want to. This is long overdue,” she said.

“The women here are beautiful. They’re very strong, active and they’re very serious about helping the community, bringing our community together.”