An emergency donation from the Winnipeg Foundation is allowing Siloam Mission to open the doors to its overnight warming space for homeless people while the non-profit organization waits for expected funding from Ottawa.
The Christian humanitarian charity applied for funding through the federal government’s encampment strategy in early fall to re-establish a warming centre set up last year by several local organizations. Siloam is going it alone this year, and the funding is on the way, but when it became clear it wouldn’t arrive in time to meet frigid temperatures, the people there had to think quickly.
They went to the Winnipeg Foundation, which quickly stepped in, providing up to $200,000 to ensure the centre at Siloam’s 300 Princess St. site was able to open the doors Wednesday.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
Siloam Mission’s warming centre will be open every night from 8:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. until March 31.
“I think, sometimes, philanthropy can move a little bit quicker than government is able to, and so we’re able to play that goal of being a little bit of a bridge for community organizations when something urgent comes up,” said Megan Tate, the foundation’s vice-president of community impact.
It proved to be necessary as the weather hit -28 C Wednesday evening. Overnight shelters across the city quickly filled up, and word of mouth about Siloam’s space spread. There were 71 visitors to the centre, which has a 116-person capacity.
“Last year it was called a pop-up, this year it’s called a warming space, in response to the need because all the shelters are full,” Siloam Mission’s director of services Julianne Aitken said Thursday. “And in winter, obviously, that can be a life-or-death situation when people have nowhere to stay inside.”
Unlike last year’s pop-up facility, a collaboration organized by Siloam, 1JustCity, Main Street Project and Sunshine House, this year’s warming centre will be open every night from 8:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. until March 31 at Siloam, rather than based on a cold-temperature threshold.
While many visitors will likely come and go, cots will be available for anyone who needs a place to sleep, Aitken said.
“It’ll be interesting this year, as we get to know the community members more and what the story is that led them to need the space,” she said.
Last year, the program was funded with $200,000 from the City of Winnipeg and $65,000 from End Homelessness Winnipeg’s federal funding.
The city dollars came from an “experimental pot of money” given to former chief administrative officer Michael Jack as discretionary funding to address supports for people experiencing homelessness, but the funding was not renewed in the city budget that followed, Siloam CEO Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud said.
“We knew that the need was still there, and so that’s why we wanted to make sure we could still do this,” she said.
The Free Press has requested comment from the city.
When the federal funding arrives, it will supplant the Winnipeg Foundation’s support, Whitecloud said.
At Main Street Project, the 120-bed overnight emergency shelter quickly fills up on winter evenings. When that happens, staff will let people take turns warming up in the lobby.
Two outreach vans visit people staying outdoors, offering hand warmers, hot drinks, clothing, blankets and harm-reduction supplies.
Even milder winter nights can prove dangerous for those dealing with homelessness, said Cindy Titus, the organization’s communications manager.
“In the daytime the temperatures (rise), their clothes get kind of wet, and then once it starts getting cold overnight again and things freeze, the clothing items freeze (and) that poses a great risk for people in terms of illness and injury, as well,” she said.
About half of MSP’s donations arrive through the mail. While emphasizing that the agency is supportive of Canada Post workers’ right to strike — the month-long labour dispute came to an end Tuesday after strikers were ordered back to work by the Canada Industrial Relations Board — Titus said the inability to get mail through much of the holiday season had a significant effect.
“It is unfortunate that they were legislated back to work, and we’re very grateful for the service that Canada Post workers provide, but because of (the strike) we’re definitely impacted in terms of being able to get our messaging out to donors,” she said.
MSP pivoted quickly — staff and volunteers have gone door to door hand-delivering its year-end appeals for donations and reached out to donors over the phone — but fundraising dollars are about 50 per cent short of where they would typically be at this time of year.
Titus said donors can send cheques in the mail, but can also donate online, by phone or in person during drop-off hours.
At Siloam Mission, staff say thick winter socks and mitts are in high demand. Items can be dropped off at 300 Princess St. or people can make donations online.
malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
Malak Abas
Reporter
Malak Abas is a city reporter at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg’s North End, she led the campus paper at the University of Manitoba before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Malak.
Every piece of reporting Malak produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.