Calgary homeless outreach team desperate for new headquarters

By Bill Graveland Chaz Smith has endured physical and verbal abuse, as well as countless hours in frigid temperatures helping the homeless, but it’s a recent blow dealt by the City of Calgary that he’s having a hard time shaking off. Smith, who was homeless as a teen, is the founder of BeTheChangeYYC street outreach group, which has provided food, water, blankets, hygiene supplies, tents and tarps three nights a week in the city’s downtown for the past decade. That work is about to face a serious challenge, after the group was informed it needs to vacate its headquarters on Dec. 31. “The City of Calgary is closing our building, which they have allowed us to operate in over the past five years. This means that we have been actively…

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