One of very, very many in need

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/12/2023 (887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s both a good news story and a bad news story.

On Nov. 17, Bill Pchajek moved into a furnished two-bedroom apartment with his dog Gabby.

The former truck driver came to wide public attention when he built a small shack near Omand’s Creek on Empress Street, the only way he could see to put a roof over his head.

His not-so-home-sweet-home drew the attention of area residents, of housing outreach organizations, and city officials as well.

Pchajek had built the shack after other attempts to gain housing had failed.

“Clearly, there is something wrong with our system. I was hoping to get into somewhere by Sept. 1, that was my goal. And then it passed, and then October, and then November.”

His temporary home had a gas-powered generator, and was built out of salvaged pallets and tarpaulins, insulated with cardboard.

Unable to work, he had exhausted his savings and was expecting to stay in the small structure all winter.

Pchajek clearly recognizes his good fortune, and the fact that his situation is exceedingly rare.

“I wish everybody could get the support I’ve had … There are people all over the city living outdoors and January is coming.”

January is coming. And February. And not-so-kind March as well.

And that’s the issue with this feel-good story that may have gone some way towards renewing your faith in humanity.

For every Bill Pchajek, there are thousands who aren’t so lucky.

Manitoba Housing has 6,243 units in Winnipeg; 110 are vacant and 3,565 people are currently on a waiting list.

Pchajek definitely had some things working in his favour. City councillor Cindy Gilroy highlighted some of those before he got the apartment: “He is somebody that I think can easily be housed, so it really is a shame that he is out there,” she told the Free Press. “Some of our other individuals are harder to house because they need supports, but Bill is a prime example of where we are failing.”

St. Boniface Street Links stepped in, finding an apartment for Pchajek and paying the first month’s rent so that he can get financial supports.

Broad-based support has also meant he’s also gotten help with his health, including dental health for infected teeth and a consultation with one of Street Links’ occupational therapists. The 52-year-old has Type 1 diabetes and Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid and causes anxiety and fatigue.

Perhaps at the heart of the issue is that Pchajek’s case is so relatable.

A person losing their job and home because of illness, unwilling to move to somewhere that would not accept a faithful dog that had been at his side for years, willing to take matters into his own hands to try and build a semblance of a future.

He even has his own fair share of his own hopes and dreams.

“In the future, he dreams of moving to a rural property, where he can start his own non-profit, build a large garden and grow fresh produce for Manitoba food banks. In the meantime, he and Gabby will continue to settle into their new home,” the Free Press story said.

How could you not want to help him?

By all means, celebrate the success of Pchajek finding a new home, and celebrate the hard work by volunteers and donors and government officials who helped in so many ways to get him there.

But recognize that his story is just a drop in the bucket.