Sahar Foroutani

1. What is your role and what does a typical day look like for you?  

I manage Durham Region’s Homelessness Service System, driving program enhancements and building strong partnerships to better serve our community. My work brings together service providers, local municipalities, and community organizations to create a coordinated system that includes Street Outreach, shelters, winter warming programs, drop-in hubs, and housing supports, all designed to help people move from unsheltered homelessness to stable housing. At the heart of this work is collaboration to ensure everyone has a safe place to call home.

2. How did you find your way into municipal work?  

I have worked my entire career in Social Services, starting as a summer student and later serving on the front lines. Those experiences gave me a deep understanding of the challenges people face and how meaningful change happens. Over time, I learned that lasting impact comes from strong partnerships and system-wide collaboration. Today, I am proud to help drive change by enhancing programs and creating pathways that make a real difference.

3. What part of your work has the biggest impact on your community?  

The biggest impact comes from helping people find safety and hope when they need it most. By bringing together the right supports, including lived experience voices, we ensure no one navigates the system alone. When someone moves from sleeping outdoors to having a home, it is life changing. Those moments are why this work matters.

4. What is one moment, project, or accomplishment you’re proud of?  

I am most proud of the ongoing commitment to driving systemic change in homelessness services. Meaningful change does not happen overnight. It requires persistence, keeping people at the centre of decisions, and maintaining momentum year after year. Seeing policies align, partnerships strengthen, and individuals move from crisis to stability reminds me why this work matters.

5. What’s something people might be surprised to learn about your job? 

People are often surprised that my role is about managing an entire system, not just overseeing shelters. Much of my time is spent working with data, coordinating partnerships, addressing funding gaps, and planning housing pathways. Homelessness will humble you daily and real change takes persistence.

6. What do you enjoy most about serving your municipality?

I value being part of a community that believes people deserve dignity and a place to call home. This work happens through Durham’s continuum of care, including frontline staff, service providers, Indigenous partners, lived experts, and municipal leadership. I am especially proud of my team, whose collaboration and commitment make real impact possible.

7. What are you looking forward to in the year ahead?  

I look forward to expanding transitional, supportive, and affordable housing, and improving access to daytime and overnight supports. In 2026, I am focused on strengthening partnerships, exploring innovative approaches, and addressing root causes like poverty and mental health. We can learn from what is working elsewhere and adapt it to our community.

8. Anything else you’d like people to know about your role, your team, or your municipality? 

I am proud of the work happening across Durham Region. It is driven by passionate teams and strong partners who believe homelessness requires all of us. Progress happens when systems work together and people remain at the heart of every decision.