E4C’s Crossroads Downtown helps women and transgendered individuals find their way out of street life by providing them with safe housing and the supports they need to become self-reliant and eventually secure permanent housing on their own.

Crossroads Downtown, which has two houses with room for eight women, follows the “housing first” model which has been found to be more economically responsible than keeping the chronically homeless on the street.

The model has proven to be successful across North America and has been adopted by Homeward Trust Edmonton and the Alberta government through its 10-year plan to end homelessness.

“This morning is a celebration. A celebration of new opportunity. A celebration of community will and collaboration. What we have here are two houses that have been developed and opened to provide a door off the street,” said E4C’s CEO Michael Farris said.

Women involved in prostitution in Edmonton struggle with physical and mental illness, drug and alcohol addictions, criminal persecution, poverty and homelessness, and are subjected to repeated violence and abuse.

Crossroads Downtown program manager Crystal Finch said six women moved in last December.

After they settled in, staff arranged for them to see doctors, dentists and counsellors and worked with them to overcome the barriers that were keeping them homeless.

“A few of them really opened up to us immediately,” said Finch.

“The hurt and trauma they have been through was really painful to hear and I went home and cried a lot that first week. But now I get emotional for different reasons — now it’s for that pivotal moment in a woman’s life when she enters treatment for her addictions, when she moves into her own home, when she gets her daughter back — their resiliency is powerful.”

floyie@thejournal.canwest.com