New warming space, expanded DOAP team to help homeless Calgarians
Global News
The City of Calgary has approved spending $750,000 to coordinate a community hold weather response to support Calgarians experiencing homelessness.
As of Monday night, there were still more than 100 spaces for people to stay at the Calgary Drop-In Centre to escape the extremely cold temperatures. But some unhoused Calgarians distrust the existing shelter system or don’t want to be split up from a partner or pet.
“We need actual indoor warming centers. We need tents set up that have a heater in them. Those are the sort of things we need. We need places where homeless people can be safe and not judged,” said Nigel Kirk, a member of the Client Action Committee.
Warming centres have been proposed by some homeless advocates like Kirk but they are not a long term solution according to agencies providing overnight shelter.
“We don’t believe a warming centre goes far enough. Everything we do must be focused on that end result of getting people housed,” said Calgary Drop-In Centre executive director Sandra Clarkson.
In mid-December, Clarkson said the Drop-In Centre opened the Bridge Program funded through provincial money. A low barrier space with a capacity for 40 people to warm up, get clothes and food and start building relationships with shelter staff.
“As word of mouth continues to build and the signage is created more people will come and I’m happy to say we have housed one person directly from the program to their own home already,” Clarkson said.
“Meeting their immediate needs in the moment is of course important but it’s not enough.”
Clarkson said they are planning to have it open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.