Out of the Cold opens its doors
Overnight shelter now available seven days a week
Community members in search of a hot meal and overnight shelter now have a place to go each night of the week.
The St. Catharines Out of the Cold program launched for the season Thursday, and while the program may have been in jeopardy during the off season, organizers have been able to secure overnight shelter space for each night of the week, as well as host locations for hot meals.
Earlier this month, the chair of Out of the Cold’s inter-church committee, Susan Venditti, announced vital changes had been made in regard to how the program operates: supper will be served at one location and then guests will move to a different place for the overnight shelter program.
“We realized there was a need for professional help to deal with some of the behaviours (volunteers) were seeing,” said Venditti, explaining the change. “The program will now be staffed every night of the week.”
Out of the Cold, with assistance from Mayor Walter Sendzik’s office, struck a deal with Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre to use Robertson Hall three nights a week for the overnight shelter component of the program — the Church Street hall known as the Robby will welcome guests Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
“This fits nicely with our mandate,” said the centre’s new executive director, Emily Kovacs.
“Both newcomers and the homeless have often been perceived in a negative light by the general community. This is an opportunity to change the narrative and say that newcomers give back to our community.”
Downtown area churches will provide overnight shelter for the remaining four nights of the week: Silver Spire United Church on Sundays, Queen Street Baptist Church on Tuesdays, St. Barnabas Anglican Church on Fridays and Knox Presbyterian Church on Saturdays.
There are 35 beds available each night, offered in partnership with Start Me Up Niagara. The program runs to April 15. An enhanced registration program will now make it possible to direct people to vacant beds and determine actual homelessness status so individuals who are homeless access the beds.
The supper program will be hosted at Silver Spire Church on Mondays, Cathedral of Saint Catherine of Alexandria on Tuesdays, St. George’s Anglican Church on Wednesdays, St. Alfred Roman Catholic Church on Thursdays, Knox Presbyterian on Fridays and Queen Street Baptist on Saturdays and Knights of Columbus Hall on Sundays. Dinners are served in all locations starting at 6 p.m. with the last serving at 7:30 p.m.