Alain Spitzer and the St. James Centre; supporting Montreal’s growing homeless population

The St. James Drop-in center has been the Executive Director’s passion for twenty years.

The homeless population is growing and Montreal is not exempt from a crisis brought on by many factors including affordable housing.

“When I first bought my home it was doable, ”explains Spitzer. “Now – trying to find an affordable apartment with a modest income seems insurmountable. Imagine those suffering from mental illness, addictions or are having trouble finding a job? When I first started at the center – finding homes for people in need was easy. Now …?”

Alain Spitzer is the long-serving Executive Director of the St. James Drop-In Centre

The St. James Drop – in Center is a hub for those seeking different types of help. Located in the heart of the Village, the centre tends to various needs by offering nutritious meals, access to showers, and clean clothes. They also provide counseling, crisis intervention, monitoring of medication and assistance with welfare. The team works with members in order to secure housing opportunities, accompaniment to important appointments and collaborating with outside agencies such as legal services and CLSCs.

“There used to be hope among the homeless.” Says Alain. “No matter what a person’s background was or what they had to overcome, the problems from the center’s viewpoint and the individual’s eyes was ‘we can do this’. Now I see that hope is fading and that translates into seeing more aggression, more drug use and more despair. During the pandemic – people were discouraged from using cash and that way of life still exists.  Without change in people’s pockets, that also affects the way homeless manage their money because they have less to manage.”

In a society that  appears to be isolating people more and more as a ‘work from home’ and ‘social media interaction’ mentality becomes the norm, people’s empathy for each other has also changed.

“My Grandparents were raised to be helpful. The neighborhoods where they lived all looked out for one another. People were involved in the Church and despite the Churches’ own weaknesses – charity and encouraging people to help their neighbors was one of their strengths. The world is going quicker than ever and the homeless and people with severe problems are overlooked because the newer generations are more into themselves.”

The St. James Drop – in Center is a place where some people have been ‘members’ for twenty years while others get support and move on. Others may visit and then return a year later. Family members of those in need are there to help and if family does not exist – the center becomes the family.

“I’m here to tell it like it is and provide my opinions and expertise to help as best as I can. I make sure I understand the difference in people’s personalities. Some people are sensitive and others can handle the ‘tough love’.  The reasons people are here are multi –layered. There is no easy solution.”

Please visit: www.stjamescentre.ca. To make a donation: www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/id/94031