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Volunteer Wayne Broughton makes up a bed on Sunday at Inn from the Cold, just hours before the homeless shelter was set to open for the season. (Photo Joe Fries)
Strapped for cash after paying to bring its building in line with the fire code, a Kelowna homeless shelter is nonetheless trying to do more with less as it opens the doors two weeks early this year.
Inn from the Cold was to have opened on Sunday night, a full two weeks earlier than in 2008.
Another two weeks will be tacked on a the end of the season in March if possible.
That’s a big if for the Sutherland Avenue facility.
The fire code upgrades put a massive dent in the shelter’s finances, said Carrie Broughton, communications co-ordinator for the non-profit society that operates Inn from the Cold.
“If we don’t increase our donations, we won’t be able to stay open as long as we want to stay open,” she noted.
There is a plan, however, to raise more money, namely by asking local businesses, schools and other groups to “sponsor” a night at the shelter. The campaign, dubbed A Night at the Inn, is expected to launch online later this month.
In addition to cold hard cash, the shelter also needs donations of socks, toiletries and volunteers to fill a variety of shifts and positions.
The 35-bed facility is the only such co-ed option in the city and is considered to be low-barrier, meaning it accepts people who have been drinking or using drugs, so long as they’re not consuming the substances on the property.
The clients run the gamut from the hardcore homeless to the working poor to families and couples. Some regulars spend all four months at the shelter, which also serves breakfast and dinner daily.
And even though the really cold weather is still weeks or months away, the facility has already attracted clients.
“We had people sleeping outside our shelter a week ago, and they kept asking, ‘When are you going to open?’” Broughton recalled.
She offered them water and juice, but had nothing else to give.
“It’s sad that in such a rich city that we need to exist,” said Broughton. “Our entire mandate is to put ourself out of business.”
joe@kelowna.com
250-575-4303
One Response to “Homeless shelter’s finances take a beating”
Tags: inn from the cold
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What does this say about our society? We have a society
that has almost everything the third world doesn’t yet we
have to have homeless shelters begging for assistance.
If we had responsive government, we would have to engage in
this effort at all. I am not being critical of one party
over another here, as I think it is the responsibility of
the country to ensure we have shelters for the least of
those who cannot care for themselves, especially when you
consider that many have mental health issues.
As most will remember, those mental health patients were
basically pushed out onto the streets years ago and we as a
society still have not dealt with the problem.
Please continue discussion on the forum: link