Winnipeg shelters bracing for upcoming cold snap
Global News
Until now, mild winter has eased some stress at local shelters, but as a cold spell arrives in Winnipeg this week, agencies are seeking a warm helping hand from the community.
The racks of donated clothes at Siloam Mission are full but that could change as temperatures are expected to plummet in southern Manitoba later this week.
“Anytime we are looking at a cold snap we start to get worried. Will we have enough for everyone?” Siloam Mission communications manager Luke Thiessen said.
Siloam Mission has been reaching capacity even during the more mild winter weather.
However, the nicer weather has helped in other ways.
“With the milder weather this year, some of the things we would see with the extreme weather drops, like people coming in with frostbite or medical issues related to the cold weather, we’ve seen less of that,” Thiessen said.
Meanwhile, at the Salvation Army, its emergency shelter is seeing average demand but that could also change this weekend.
“We are running about 10 per cent under capacity and I know working with other shelters right now we are just trying to get everyone inside,” Salvation Army Centre of Hope executive director Mark Stewart said.
However, the Salvation Army’s family shelter is a different story. Not only has demand increased due to rising costs, but the waitlist gets longer the colder temperatures get.