Saskatoon's homeless, struggling find services at trade show

Tyler Naytowhow got a free hair cut at one booth. His blood pressure and blood sugar checked at another booth. And he had access to everything from free shoes and a backpackto a social security number.

That's the kind of one-stop service offered today at a first-of-its-kind event in Saskatoon.

YXE Connects is a trade show with a difference, a free service fair for the city's struggling and homeless.

Naytowhow only arrived in Saskatoon three weeks ago, having moved from Prince Albert. It's his chance to learn about the community.

"I just live across the street and it's pretty nice to have this here and have all this stuff available for you," he said.

People who need to access resources sometimes have to make as many as five phone calls to find the resources that they need.- DeeAnn Mercier, The Lighthouse Supported Living

The event is running from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST at City Centre Church and White Buffalo Youth Lodge, two side-by-side gathering places on 20th Street West in the Riversdale area.

Beside the hairdressers, Carly Beaudry was treating people to an alternative therapy called rolfing or structural integration.To the unpracticed eye, it resembles massage.

"I'm planning on working with the community in an even bigger level, so I wanted to get my name out there," Beaudry said.

Events like it across Canada

The inspiration for YXE Connects comes from numerous events like it across Canada, said DeeAnn Mercier, who works at The Lighthouse Supported Living, a downtown homeless shelter.

"It's estimated that people who need to access resources sometimes have to make as many as five phone calls to find the resources that they need," Mercier said. "And so we're hoping by gathering resources together, even if people don't need, say the Council on Aging right now, that then they'll know, maybe they have a loved one and that they can call them and get connected."

Police are also on hand, doing free criminal record checks. There is free credit counselling. Free coffee and snacks. And at noon, free hotdogs were served up in the parking lot.

Organizers hope to make this an annual event.