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Ending Homelessness

Wednesday, 27 August 2014 05:00

Tracy Rhea and Social Planning Executive Director Ashley Farrar

Community advocate, Tracy Rhea has been awarded a scholarship to attend a conference in Vancouver.

OXFORD COUNTY- Tracy Rhea's childhood began in East London. She remembers it being a very different time back then. Things were safer- she could go to the corner store unattended. That London she knew growing up is gone. Rhea's life changed and she ended up becoming homeless.

Rhea said the hardest part about turning things around is accepting or wanting help,"I've learned it's not always easy but when you have back-up it makes it much easier."

Rhea says when she was homeless she classified herself as the 'working poor,' but she turned that around when she decided to return to school.

"Finally one day I thought you know what, I want to make changes in my life but I want to do something for other people...I took on a student loan and away I went to school."

Rhea adds the best part about it, is having experience on both sides of the track. Sharing a backyard with others who are in poverty, she tries to use her knowledge to help them.

She will get the chance to share her experiences in November when she attends the National Conference on Ending Homelessness. Rhea was selected as the Lived Experience Scholarship recipient.

"Mixed emotions, I've never flown so it's exciting, It was a mix because things like this don't happen to me, so knowing that the opportunity came available somebody had sent it through it was an opportunity to go."

Advocating and bringing awareness to homeless are Rhea's passions.

"It's my passion to be working with the people that are in homelessness, it's not just the trip its the part about how many people I can help, and learning what's coming you know the things that are happening for people so that we can end homelessness."

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