A Better Tent City is a "giant leap" for unsheltered Homeless in Waterloo Region. It started as a community led initiative in April 2020, and is now an incorporated non for profit. Reasons to continue supporting A Better Tent City:
1. We help people who are experiencing homelessness and who cannot or will not use shelters and are on waiting lists for affordable housing.
2. We provide tiny homes that give autonomy, security, heat, and happiness to people and their pets.
3. We offer a hot, nutritious meal daily and a place to gather for residents to eat and share their lives with one another.
4. We offer a low-cost alternative housing model with mobile community supports for those struggling with their physical, emotional and/or mental wellbeing.
5. We have 2 full-time staff members who live on-site and 1 full-time person who lives off-site to help residents and neighbours solve problems and build a community that cares.
6. We have a board of directors and a leadership team that meets weekly to ensure proper functioning of A Better Tent City, with members from The Working Centre, The Social Development Centre of Waterloo Region, and St. Mary's Parish.
If you would like to support us please contact ABTC@waterlooregion.org. To make an online donation please send an e-transfer to sdcwr@waterlooregion.org. Please indicate this is for ‘ABTC’ and include your name and address in the comments section to receive a charitable tax receipt.
Thank you in advance for any support you can offer.
Media Advisory on the Temporary Move of A Better Tent City, October 26, 2021.
This is to let you know that A Better Tent City (ABTC) is moving to a new temporary location.
As you know, ABTC has been located at the City of Kitchener snow storage site on Battler Road since June of this year. That site will now be converted back to its regular use as part of the City’s winter maintenance operations.
Beginning today we are moving to 49 Ardelt Avenue, which is the grassy area between Ardelt Avenue/Ardelt Place and the Conestoga Parkway.
A portion of this new site is owned by the City of Kitchener, and a portion is owned by the Waterloo Region District School Board.
The Ardelt Avenue site is a temporary location while we continue to work closely with the municipalities to find a longer-term solution for the residents of A Better Tent City.
The first phase of the move will be to relocate all of the huts from the Battler Road site to the Ardelt Avenue site, and to extend electrical connections to power the radiator in each hut. The second phase will be to set up the common facilities (washrooms, showers, laundry, kitchen and dining).
ABTC leaders have reached out to neighbouring businesses to let them know about ABTC and to create accountability and a commitment to the neighbourhood to maintain a respectful relationship.
We are extremely grateful to the City and the School Board for making their lands available to support the Better Tent City community.
I am happy to speak with you further and welcome you to visit our new site once we get settled. In the meantime, I ask that you respect the privacy of ABTC residents as they transition to their new temporary home. Thank you.
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You can read more in the article "It's way less lonely': Inside an Ontario program where homeless individuals now have homes", L. Casey, Global News, October 24, 2021.
