Since 1983, Shepherds of Good Hope (SGH) has provided meals and emergency shelter for vulnerable adults in downtown Ottawa.
As demand has grown for these services, the organization has adapted to meet the complex needs of individuals facing homelessness in our community. With the help of local partners and advocates, Shepherds of Good Hope has developed effective harm reduction and supportive housing programs which aim to bolster the safety, well-being and overall independence of service users.
Terra will explore the changing face of housing insecurity from the 2008 financial crisis, through the COVID-19 pandemic, and beyond. She will discuss the impact of a burgeoning opioid epidemic on both public health policy and social supports in Ontario and look more closely at the root causes of substance use disorder and the potential consequences of reducing access to services.
A lifelong Ottawan, Terra was raised in a close-knit housing co-operative that fostered her strong values in affordable and accessible housing.
Terra joined Shepherds of Good Hope in 2023 as a member of their Facilities Maintenance team. With a background in sheet metal fabrication and automation, she brought a creative, determined and meticulous eye to her role. Inspired by her passion for harm reduction and the growing demand for affordable housing, she worked to nurture a sense of security and dignity for residents, building trust, and developing residents’ confidence in supportive housing environments.
Terra has since joined SGH’s Hope Living residence in Kanata as a Community Development Manager. She has focused on integration of residents within the program, developing connections in the greater community, and engaging with neighbours and local leaders. She brings a resourceful, compassionate, sustainability-based approach to her roles, well-aligned with the organization’s greater vision:
“Homes for all. Community for all. Hope for all.”