By eight years old she was plotting how she would escape her abusive and addiction-riddled home, and by 13 years old she lived on the street, falling prey to the pitfalls of living alone in poverty.
Rev. Susan Brandt, 54, now finds her riches in helping others, just like someone did for her when they picked her up off the streets of Ottawa and guided her to a new life.
“I am here because someone believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. And now I absolutely believe in helping others the way someone took a risk with me,” Brandt said.
Once Brandt faced her own addiction and poverty issues stemming from life on the streets, she became a nurse and founded the Ottawa Inner-city Ministry, now celebrating its 20th anniversary.
In Calgary now for five years, Brandt helps Calgary’s homeless with street level counselling.
“I believe that some people just need someone to help them get through those crucial steps to get themselves into a better situation,” she added.
Brandt will be at a “one-stop-shop” at a homeless services event this Saturday with the Calgary Homeless Foundation, president and CEO Tim Richter said.
For more information visit calgaryhomeless.com.
