Encampment: Resistance, Grace, and an Unhoused Community

By: Maggie Helwig

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Synopsis: "Striking, elegant." – Publishers Weekly, ★ STARRED Review"An activist priest provides sanctuary for an encampment of unhoused people in her churchyardThe housing crisis plaguing major urban centres has sent countless people into the streets. In spring 2022, some of them found their way to the yard beside the Anglican church in Toronto’s Kensington Market, where Maggie Helwig is the priest. They pitched tents, formed an encampment, and settled in. Known as an outspoken social justice activist, Helwig has spent the last three years getting to know the residents and fighting tooth and nail to allow them to stay, battling various authorities that want to clear the yard and keep the results of the housing crisis out of sight and out of mind. Encampment tells the story of Helwig’s life-long activism as preparation for her fight to keep her churchyard open to people needing a home. More importantly, it introduces us to the Artist, to Jeff, and to Robin: their lives, their challenges, their humanity. It confronts our society’s callousness in allowing so many to go unhoused and demands, by bringing their stories to the fore, that we begin to respond with compassion and grace.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
Book Size:: 176 Pages
ISBN-13:: 9781770568426
Related ISBNs:: 9781552455043
Publisher:: Coach House Books
Date of Addition:: 05/16/25
Copyrighted By:: Maggie Helwig
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: Nonfiction, Biographies and Memoirs, Religion and Spirituality, Social Studies
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.