As extreme poverty and homelessness continue to increase and become more visible in urban centres throughout Canada, it is increasingly more important to develop and critique interventions within the field. This grounded theory study provides and overview of one type of intervention---street outreach programs. It is informed by interviews with front line street outreach workers in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. It includes an outline of the academic literature on homelessness and street outreach programs and stresses the importance of viewing this social phenomenon through a structural lens. It describes in detail the main aspects of street outreach work, as well as evaluates the greater the political significance of this type of work. Conclusions demonstrate the importance of establishing trusting relationships with clients and working from a structural approach that satisfy peoples immediate needs while addressing the root causes of extreme poverty and oppression.

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