A project to help out homeless residents in Chatham-Kent has been given some provincial recognition.
The Chatham-Kent Homeless Response Line has been awarded the Local Municipal Champion award by the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association.
The program was launched in response to what was seen as a shortage of emergency housing in the community.
The program offers a dedicated phone line during the evening and on weekends and holidays when regular social service offices are closed.
With connections to a number of local agencies, callers are screened and diverted to safe temporary housing, with transportation provided when necessary.
Since being launched in August 2014, there have been 450 calls to the help line, with 312 emergency stays arranged.
