By Stephanie Gauthier sa国际传媒� Contributor.

Lee has lived through hard times.

Homelessness, substance use, and poverty have all been part of it. Some of the toughest things are surprising, like stigma and the hostility it creates. Last winter, Lee split her time between the streets and a shelter, accessing the shelter only on the coldest evenings.

sa国际传媒淚 was sleeping outside of a restaurant,sa国际传媒� said Lee. It was freezing out that night and I slept under there with my hairdryer. They had a plug-in on the outside wall and I had a tarp and a blanket and I was sleeping underneath that and I had the hairdryer going on me all night to stay warm because I thought I was going to freeze to death.sa国际传媒�

It was a hard night, more difficult and frightening than most people can imagine, and then it got worse.

sa国际传媒淭his one fellow came out of the restaurant and he called me every name in the book and told me to get out of there, so I packed up and left.sa国际传媒�

It wasnsa国际传媒檛 the first time Lee had experienced poor treatment, she has witnessed plenty of examples of stigma in action.

sa国际传媒淚t just made me want to use more,sa国际传媒� she said.

How could it not? Unsheltered homelessness is hard, but life in a shelter came with its own challenges. Itsa国际传媒檚 hard to feel safe in a shelter, especially for women.

sa国际传媒淚 basically just had a bed,sa国际传媒� said Lee. sa国际传媒淣o privacy whatsoever, and theresa国际传媒檚 (sic) guys and girls and itsa国际传媒檚 all mixed. You donsa国际传媒檛 know who yousa国际传媒檙e sleeping six feet away from.sa国际传媒�

Her health was another factor that made homelessness, and life in a shelter, more difficult. Lee moved from Saskatchewan in 2021 based on an invitation from her cousin.

sa国际传媒淚 was in search of a better life,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 have an illness, my liver, and I wasnsa国际传媒檛 getting help medically in Saskatchewan or Manitoba.sa国际传媒�

Leesa国际传媒檚 cousin had moved by the time she arrived, leaving her in a new city without a support structure.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e been kind of a transient person my whole life,sa国际传媒� she added. sa国际传媒淚 just worked and went from place to place to place, and when things didnsa国际传媒檛 work out I just kept persevering.sa国际传媒�

Leee now lives at Ellis Place, a subsidized, supportive housing site in Kelowna. Life isnsa国际传媒檛 perfect, but itsa国际传媒檚 better. She has access to the staff and other supports. Lee is happy with where she is. Shesa国际传媒檚 joined a local community church where she volunteers. Lee faces a great deal of uncertainty still, but she finds joy in her home and her church.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a start and Isa国际传媒檓 okay with that.sa国际传媒�

Read More: Chocolate and empathy, advice from an outreach volunteer on Kelowna streets

Read More: Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Journey Home launches Face Homelessness campaign

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