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Renovations and new outreach worker are good news for the homeless

COLD WEATHER SHELTER
Hilda's shelter
The Rotary Club of the Sunshine Coast-Sechelt recently helped construct an addition to the annex of St. Hilda’s Anglican Church in Sechelt. It will now allow the Cold Weather Shelter to operate more effectively from November to March. The church will be hosting an official opening on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 12:30 p.m.

For people with no place to call home, the news that this year’s Cold Weather Shelter will run from November to March is good news.

The other boon for the shelter located behind St. Hilda’s Anglican Church in Sechelt is the recent addition done by the Rotary Club of the Sunshine Coast-Sechelt.

For housing coordinator Brenda Wilkinson, the only thing that could be better for the people she serves would be supportive housing. However, she is grateful that so many levels of government and local people have come on board to help feed and shelter those in need.

“There is often a small group of people who have difficulty navigating a standard housing situation. Things may break down for them. For instance, they may think the hydro has been looked after, and suddenly it’s turned off because the person you trusted to pay it didn’t. We need to honour these folks; they’re people first,” Wilkinson said.

Sometimes they’re people with mental health challenges or people with addiction concerns, she explained.

Wilkinson is part of the Sunshine Coast Homelessness Advisory Council. Many different social agencies are part of the group, including the RCMP, Vancouver Coastal Health, local governments, MLA Nicholas Simons’ office, St. Hilda’s and the Sunshine Coast Community Services Society, among others.

The funding comes from Services Canada for the cold weather and from the province when the weather dictates extreme conditions. And three local governments, the Town of Gibsons, the District of Sechelt and the Sunshine Coast Regional District have all kicked in money as well. But Wilkinson said there is a $20,000 shortfall for the last month of the service. So local fundraising is still crucial.

This year, thanks to the building addition, Wilkinson and the two paid shelter staff and the newly-hired outreach worker will have some privacy to help their people.

“The outreach worker is such a great position. They’ll be able to work with clients for housing, employment and mental health support. The significance is the outreach worker will be working towards helping people change their lives. The worker will be supporting them and advocating for them,” Wilkinson explained.  

What’s important to stress, Wilkinson said, is that the shelter serves the entire Sunshine Coast from Earl’s Cove to Langdale.

The Extreme Weather Shelter is also housed in the same building. The only difference between the two forms of shelter is who’s paying the bill. At one time the Salvation Army in Gibsons supplied the extreme housing, but because of where the folks who use the shelter are primarily located, it made sense geographically to move everything to Sechelt.

One of the features of the shelter Wilkinson is happiest about is the daily dinner supplied by community members for the homeless. From 5:30 until 8 p.m. a different local group will provide dinner for those needing it.

“The best part is the people not only prepare and serve the meals but they sit down and eat with the guests. It touches me because it means that when the volunteers walk through the streets of Sechelt and the Coast and see our folks instead of crossing the street to avoid them, they strike up a conversation. I think it just makes it a good community to live in. Compassion replaces fear,” she said.

The volunteers include two local Rotary clubs, the Sunshine Coast Lions and five local churches. Wilkinson is also thankful for the donations from Claytons Heritage Market, Sechelt Starbucks and McDonalds. They go a long way to adding comfort to the clients, she said.

The Sechelt Aquatic Centre has helped too by providing a shower program for the shelter’s guests.

If you would like to help with the dinner program or have good used clothing (new underwear only, please) and sleeping bags to donate, call Wilkinson at 604-989-3144. You can also drop off the items at the Salvation Army Thrift stores in Gibsons or Sechelt. Just make sure you specify that the donations are for the shelter.

To give cash to the program go to the Community Services website (www.sccss.ca) and follow the prompts. Mechanical Sun Robotic Horse, Rob Wilk, Sing You Sinners and Keely Halward are throwing a fundraising concert on Nov. 22, 8 p.m. at Gibsons United Church. Everyone is welcome. The cost is $12, and tickets are available at Strait Music, Swish and MELOmania.

On Nov. 6 at 12:30 p.m. the St. Hilda’s annex that houses the shelter program is having a grand opening to celebrate the changes to the building.

“Our hats are off to the Rotary Club of the Sunshine Coast-Sechelt who oversaw the whole renovation project. The project also would not have been possible without the funding from the District of Sechelt, the Sunshine Coast Regional District and many kind individual donors,” said Rev. Clarence Li, St. Hilda’s minister.

The church is located at 5838 Barnacle St. in Sechelt and everyone is invited.