Speaking

Chad Verity builds frontline technology at Hope Mission in Edmonton, Alberta. Chad believes homelessness is prevented in childhood, that a person can be housed and still homeless, and that organizations ending homelessness should build their own tools and share their data. Chad writes from a pragmatic understanding of people and poverty, and from an incomplete perspective that’s built on 25 years of trying and usually failing. Chad publishes essays and field notes here and sends “Upstream”, a monthly letter on technology for people experiencing homelessness. Views are Chad’s own.

Chad Verity builds frontline technology at Hope Mission in Edmonton, Alberta. Chad believes homelessness is prevented in childhood, that a person can be housed and still homeless, and that organizations ending homelessness should build their own tools and share their data. Chad writes from a pragmatic understanding of people and poverty, and from an incomplete perspective that’s built on 25 years of trying and usually failing. Chad publishes essays and field notes here and sends “Upstream”, a monthly letter on technology for people experiencing homelessness. At Hope Mission, a rescue mission, Chad leads the Innovation Hub, where engineers work alongside frontline staff in the same building as the Community Members they serve. The Hub’s work includes an open Shelter AI Use Policy template, a pilot of AI tools that give staff time back, an evidence brief on childhood and youth pathways into homelessness, and a model collective data sharing agreement for organizations that build their own tools. Chad speaks to shelter leaders, youth-serving agencies, funders and churches about forward deployed engineering, prevention, and measuring what matters after move-in. Chad speaks from what the team has built; on child welfare, mental health or theology, Chad brings in the experts. Views are Chad’s own. (Placeholder: final 250-word bio to come.)