Siksika Nation Support Services, In From the Cold sign MoU

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Siksika Nation Support Services and In From the Cold signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Sept. 19, as a means to create a relationship to improve access to shelter and housing opportunities.

“Today’s MoU was a collaboration and relationship-building agreement between us and In From the Cold in order to help families facing crises that really stem from homelessness and lack of available shelter,” said Richard Sparvier, tribal manager with Siksika Nation Tribal Administration. “We realized that with the housing crisis that is currently affecting Siksika Nation members who are living in urban centers, Calgary specifically, that once they face the crisis, they tried to come home and there just was not anything available.”

In From the Cold is a Calgary-based not-for-profit agency which supports families in finding stability during times of crisis. The three primary programs offered by In From the Cold are homelessness prevention and diversion, emergency family shelter, and supportive housing.

Heather Morley, CEO of In From the Cold, added the MoU also offers an opportunity to strengthen the cultural connections for people utilizing services while traversing their housing journeys. 

“By signing an MoU, I think for sure there is a piece of formality to it, but it is an important occasion that marks a deep understanding, and so I think that while the relationship is there, the work is there, the collaboration is there, it is also good to have the written document there too, and that outlasts the individual people, and it helps to strengthen a longstanding relationship and commitment,” she said. “We know that Indigenous people are overrepresented in the homelessness population – a result of course of colonialism, legacy, trauma, racism, and so I think that organizations like In From the Cold need to be able to step up in a very different way to be able to support Indigenous families.”

Morley added more than half of families who are supported by In From the Cold are Indigenous, thus she wants to see their services operate as respectfully, as appropriately, and culturally congruent as possible. 

Sparvier explained Siksika Nation is already looking into building a family shelter local to the Nation for families as well as individuals who are struggling with homelessness or who are escaping from hostile domestic situations. 

“We do need some sort of relationship in order to understand how organizations such as In From the Cold operate so that we can reflect that back onto our operations here, as well as opening up doors for employees who want to perhaps follow that type of career path and create those types of relationships between the two organizations,” he said. “I am really excited to create this partnership with In From the Cold. I hope it flourishes and I hope that more Siksika Nation families who are facing crises know that they do not have to face that alone.”