CDN-NDG hires homeless, unemployed people to distribute borough flyers

The borough of Cte-des-NeigesNotre-Dame-de-Grce has partnered up with community group L'Itinraire to provide jobs to the homeless orunemployed.

The new employees will godoor-to-door to give out information flyers to residents about everything fromboil-water advisoriesto new compost pick up dates.

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"When people come toL'Itinraire, they're looking for a way to get their life back, to do something, to work, to find themselves in society," saidCharles-ric Lavery, the head of social development.

"We want to offer more possibilities and the distribution for the borough was a way to offer something else."

Ray Adam first walked through the doors atL'Itinerairein March,homeless and hopingthe community group could help him find a job.He was hired for the flyer distribution project.

He says he's faced a lot of stigma, having lived on the street.

"When you don't have a permanent address, a lot of businesses don't want to hire [you]because they think you are lazy, you don't want to work, you're an alcoholic or a drug addict," he said.

This partnership is the second forL'Itinraire.It received a contract for a similar project fromthe City of Montreal in April.