Douglas MacLellan

Francis---last name withheld by agreement---shows his guitar collection in his room at UA, a former university student dormitory that is now a home for the formerly homeless. Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. 27 November 2021. UA is an interim project operated by the Working Centre of Kitchener, a community based nonprofit venture, in partnership with the Region of Waterloo, a government body. Both organisations are responding to the rapid increase in homelessness in the region. UA can house up to eighty individuals and has six to eight people on staff for each of the three daily shifts. Most but not all of the residents have drug addictions and mental health concerns. Some individuals have moved to other supported housing while many of the current residents have been living at UA for a year. Francis, whom I've known for many years, has given permission to use this photo. He and I talk at length and he is key to this story. He introduced me to other people and allowed me to photograph his room and guitar playing.