Matthew Wesley and his dog Koda, who poked his massive head out of the truck's windows and barked heartily, were recognized by people who started pouring from the makeshift tents of a homeless encampment near downtown Regina.
Dozens more came walking down the alley as Wesley stopped his familiar red truck and trailer, jumped out, and began placing bags of apples, buns, and cans of carbonated water into a storage locker that serves as a free pantry for the surrounding neighbourhood.
He knew their faces. They knew him. There were friendly exchanges as they grabbed food and water.
A Personal Mission
Despite the area's reputation, Wesley said he has never been in danger as he drives through the alleys, handing out donated food and clothes, picking up garbage, and chatting with the denizens. It is a task he has taken on solo for the past five years, motivated mainly by memories of his own addiction and homelessness.
"You don't wanna live out there, right?" said Wesley. "Unfortunately, I'm helping the people, but I'm using them as an example, too, if I wanna better the world."
From Addiction to Helping Others
Born in Ontario, Wesley began smoking pot after high school and started dealing drugs when a friend, wary of being arrested, surrendered his illegal trafficking business. Wesley was quickly selling cocaine and smoking crack, becoming just another homeless, unemployed addict who was ostracized from his family and living on the streets of Kitchener in his early 20s.
"I decided I didn't want to die," said Wesley, who is an even six feet tall and 182 pounds. "I was down to 150 pounds. Imagine how skinny I was."
"I was just sick of it. I guess some people have to hit rock bottom. I hit rock bottom."
Building a New Life
After four rehabilitation attempts, Wesley moved to Regina on a friend's suggestion. A handyman who could not find work in Ontario's "rat race," Wesley immediately fell into Regina's welcoming job market and now looks after "960 residences" as a sub-contractor. He intersperses food deliveries with work calls. The last year has become particularly intense for inner-city handouts.
Sometimes he evicts people and regularly cleans up empty apartments, but Wesley primarily repairs stairs, doors, windows, washing machines, refrigerators, and light switches. He started giving away food when he realized, during an apartment clean-up five years ago, that most of the canned goods he was about to throw away had not yet reached their expiry date.
