By David F. Dawes

LETIZIA Waddington is one of many Christians who are taking a stand on homelessness. Her latest vehicle is Red Tents – a Vancouver-based campaign initiated by the Pivot Legal Society.

“I have a private campaign to take a picture of a red tent on each of the summits around Vancouver,” said Waddington, who attends Grandview Calvary Baptist Church.

She is also willing to forego domestic comforts for the cause.

“I am sleeping in a red tent on May 6 and 13 in front of my church . . . with the goal of encouraging faith groups to support the national Red Tents campaign.”

Others will be doing the same at their churches.

Waddington wants to encourage other believers to take simple and practical steps, such as “sending an electronic postcard to Prime Minister Harper; and asking their pastors or priests to publicly support the Red Tents campaign.”  

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According to the Red Tents website, “Canada’s homeless population is somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000. In Vancouver, there are about 2,000 homeless people living on the streets.”  

Further, it states, Canada “is the only industrialized nation without a national housing plan. The cost of keeping people off the street is significantly cheaper than the medical and other associated costs of leaving them on the streets.  Solving homelessness isn’t as complicated as curing cancer – it’s a matter of building homes and putting supports in them so people are successful.”

One of Red Tents’ goals is to encourage homeless people to become involved in activism, as they “have a self-determined role in the campaign. Homeless people involved with the project are aware of the risks and goals associated with the campaign and participate knowingly.”

Participants can help homeless people directly by sponsoring one tent for $100; a tarp for $50; or a poncho for $20.  

Contact: redtents.org.

May 2010