Outreach organizations in Lethbridge in need of donations, Kenney announces shelter funding

Streets Alive offers vulnerable people a place to warm up and receive additional clothing. Director of Operations Cameron Kissick says donations are needed now and throughout the winter months.

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -

With the colder temperatures arriving in southern Alberta lately, outreach organizations in Lethbridge have begun to prepare for the upcoming winter weather.

The PIN bank shelves at Streets Alive Mission are almost empty -- and it couldn't come at a worse time.

Cameron Kissick, director of operations at Streets Alive, said they are starting to see an increase in people needing warm clothing as the overnight temperatures begin to drop.                                                                   

“We’re see people that are accessing the resources more frequently because we are in southern Alberta, often times we can go from minus 10 degrees to plus 15 degrees in the matter of eight hours, so clothing can be taken off and lost,” said Kissick.

Streets Alive offers vulnerable people a place to warm up and receive additional clothing. Kissick said donations are needed now and throughout the winter months.                

“It’s important that you realize that we have five months of winter coming and we need to provide these people with warm attire, warm clothing, things like that for those five months,” added Kissick.

MORE FUNDING

In an effort to help shelters in Alberta, the UCP government announced more funding on top of the $78 million it put in place in March 2020.                                                          

“We are concerned as we go into colder weather that there may be people that can’t find shelter during cold, winter days here in Alberta,” said Premier Jason Kenney. “That is why I am pleased to be here today to announce that the Alberta’s government is providing $21.5 million to extend COVID-19 supports to homeless shelters and women’s shelters until March 2022 right across the province.”

Streets Alive offers vulnerable people a place to warm up and receive additional clothing. Kissick says donations are needed now and throughout the winter months.

In a report published by HomelessHub.ca, states that in 2018, Lethbridge had 233 people experiencing homelessness.

“This is great news, regarding the homeless dollars,” said Tracy James, acting CEO of YWCA Lethbridge and District. “There is an extreme need to address the homelessness in our city.  There is a need for services to help address the root cause of people's experience with homelessness.  It is essential to address these complex issues with an expansion of services to meet the needs of this population.”

The new funding will be distributed in packages, including $13 million to support homeless shelters, $6.5 million for isolation facilities, and $2 million for emergency women’s shelters. The government says funding will support both homeless shelters and isolation sites in Lethbridge.

“The money set aside for Women's Shelter comes at a time when we see the severity of domestic violence increasing," said James. "It will help organizations to respond to the urgent and challenging needs of individuals leaving domestic violence. It can help enhance shelters to focus on our community needs, to reach our populations that are isolated through virtual services and so many other in-house services that can help enhance those that are affected by domestic violence.”

The UCP government has created a task force to develop a homelessness action plan. The task force will look at how communities are affected by homelessness and develop a model for responding to people with complex needs.