A warm place to sleep and a hot meal can make a world of difference for the homeless, especially as temperatures begin to dip.
But this winter, an Emergency Weather Shelter (EMS) might be a no-go in Campbell River. That’s because organizers are having a difficult time finding a suitable location and staff interested in night-time, seasonal work.
According to the Campbell River & District Coalition to End Homelessness (CRDCEH), every year in B.C., people experiencing homelessness die from cold exposure.
Coalition coordinator Stefanie Hendrickson says it’s a similar story locally. In Campbell River, she finds the windy, wet weather soaks through tents, sleeping bags, and clothing.
Luckily, during the day, she says people are able to access Kwesa Place, a laundry and shower program run by Laichwiltach Family Life Society, as well as similar services at the Salvation Army Centre of Hope.
However, at night, it’s a different story and times are extra tough.
“People are often going to sleep in equipment that’s already wet from the previous night, which becomes a very dangerous situation for illness, injury, and even death,” Hendrickson tells My Campbell River.
Ultimately, this harsh reality has prompted a group of people to come together. Recently, local social service non-profit organizations, like the CRDCEH and the Urban Indigenous Housing and Wellness Coalition, have been brainstorming solutions to be able to provide Campbell River with an EWS.
“Last year, the Salvation Army had a location that they were able to use for this purpose,” Hendrickson says. “Since that time, they have renovated and converted it to other housing and it’s now housed with people in it, so it’s unavailable this year.”
According to Hendrickson, Emergency Weather Shelters usually operate from Nov. 1 to March 31, from 7 pm to 7 am, providing overnight accommodation and a hot meal.
They’re funded by BC Housing, Hendrickson notes, so the difficulty is not in having funding available, it’s having a physical location that can support the program.
“Location is a challenge this year, as is staffing. A lot of our local non-profit organizations are really struggling right now with finding enough staff to reach that capacity that’s needed in the community. It’s just getting harder and harder to find people,” Hendrickson explains.
If a solution is not found, she says it will actually be the first time in recent history that Campbell River is not able to provide an EMS, leaving unhoused locals even more vulnerable this winter.
“It’s not looking like we’ll get there,” Hendrickson says.
“We’ve been working on this for just over a month now trying to find a solution. We have followed up on a couple of ideas and nothing has panned out at this time.”
Currently, the coalition is also asking locals to connect regarding any solutions for possible locations.
As well, anyone with previous experience working or volunteering with homeless populations, who might be interested in some night-time, seasonal work, is encouraged to get in touch via email at [email protected].
“This working group has already exhausted a number of ideas and now feel like it is necessary to bring the greater community together to discuss this issue,” Hendrickson adds.
“It takes a community to solve big problems like this. This is one of those opportunities where we can reach out and see if we can come together to make this happen.”
