Chatham’s Hope Haven will be able to help more residents this winter with additional funding approved by council Monday night.
In some emotional deputations, several community members who use Hope Haven spoke on behalf of the shelter, letting council members know the impact this funding would have.
“Hope Haven is a place where keeping warm at night means the difference in some cases between life and death,” shared Julie McLaughlin.
In April, council approved an agreement with Hope Haven for them to provide outreach services, day programming, and limited winter warming for people living in deep poverty.
On December 1, the shelter started opening its doors nightly from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., without the necessary funding to do so.
Renee Geniole, Reach Out Chatham-Kent’s (R.O.C.K.) executive director, spoke on behalf of Kim Crew, Program Manager of Housing Services who put forward the motion about Hope Haven’s need for $65,000 in funding.
“When we adopt a person-centered attitude and our true motives are to serve the people, finding people somewhere to be inside during the coldest of nights is the best option to potentially save lives,” said Geniole.
Hope Haven estimates that, on average, they have helped 40 individuals per night since opening the facility for the extra 12 hours. Previously, being open overnight was reserved for extreme weather conditions with the shelter typically operating from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
This funding allows Hope Haven to operate overnight from December until the end of February. What happens after that will be determined then.
The cost of the extended service at the Wellington Street West shelter will be 100% provincially funded through the existing Homeless Prevention Program budget.
“This is a temporary solution that takes some pressure off and allows people a lifeline that we weren’t going to be able to offer before now,” Geniole told council.