The Mustard Seed is expanding its Health and Wellness Program to other locations, including Red Deer.
For five years, The Mustard Seed has offered health and wellness services from its downtown Calgary location. In response to the needs of those in other cities, The Mustard Seed will add services or open clinics at locations in Red Deer, Edmonton, Kamloops and Medicine Hat.
The nonprofit organization’s Health and Wellness Program supports people experiencing poverty and homelessness to improve their health and wellbeing through programs that are tailored to the individual.
“When people struggle with their health and wellness without the right support, they stand to lose their jobs, families, homes, health, and hope,” The Mustard Seed said in a press release Monday.
“Once on the street and even more, cut off from care, they are trapped in a vicious cycle of homelessness, poverty, and poor health. Our programs break that cycle and reduce the cost to our healthcare systems.”
More than 77 per cent of those experiencing homelessness have an average of 2.1 hospital visits per person, per year, according to The Mustard Seed.
“While the average cost per day of hospitalization is $944 in a medical ward, $1,164 in a surgical ward, and $4,114 in a critical care ward, the average cost of The Mustard Seed’s preventative Health and Wellness Services is $13.74.”
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