People facing housing insecurity are exploring available services in Williams Lake while staying warm, connected and fed at the Canadian Mental Health Association’s (CMHA) new warm-up events.
Held at the Cariboo Community Church, Warm up for Winter connects people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with representatives from local services which may be helpful to them. It provides a more informal environment than what you might see at CMHA’s warming centre, located on the second floor of an office building where folks often pop in for a quick snack and warm up before going on with their day.
“This is kind of more of an inviting environment...let's just enjoy each other's company and hopefully get some information or connections and have some decent eats,” said Teri Plumb, manager of supportive mental health and outreach services at CMHA.
The Warm up for Winter events run from noon to 6 p.m., filling in the gap between lunch and supper when local shelters and meal programs are closed. Plumb said people are more than welcome to spend the entire six hours at the event, where they have access to snacks, a hardy meal, information pamphlets and kits to help them through cold nights. Visitors can pass the time socializing, playing board games and listening to speakers on topics such as harm reduction and anti-violence.
“Education information is the goal, and just really having our community organizations come together to support the most vulnerable populations,” Plumb said.
Wednesday, Feb. 12 was the second of three Warm up for Winter events in Williams Lake, made possible by the Cold Weather Grant provided by United Way.
“The purpose of that grant was to try to offer support for homeless or very vulnerable individuals during the cold snap during the wintertime,” said Plumb.
“There's not a lot of places for people to go when it gets really cold,” she explained, as shelters normally close their doors during the day unless it’s extremely cold. There are even fewer options for those who, for one reason or another, are unable to access the shelter.
“There's absolutely nowhere for them to go,” Plumb said, noting that warming centres are closed at night.
The Boys and Girls Club and Interior Health were among the organizations at the Feb. 12 event, giving talks and socializing with visitors to see how they might help.
Some folks attended to hear about available services which may suit their needs, while others popped in and out for a quick meal. There was also a winter boot draw for those who attended.
The next Warm up for Winter event will be at the same time and location on Feb. 26.
The CMHA office's warming centre is open Monday to Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. To access the Hamilton Hotel Shelter people are asked to arrive by 5 p.m. and dinner is served at 5:30.
The Cariboo Friendship Society asks people to arrive by 4 p.m. to access its 33-bed shelter which offers meals and access to laundry machines.
The Williams Lake Salvation Army offers free, 45-minute breakfast and lunch programs from Monday to Friday at 9 a.m. and noon. The drop-in centre is open from 9 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. and from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. on weekdays and gives access to showers, laundry and a place to relax.
The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul continues to offer soup and sandwiches at Boitanio Park on Sundays at noon.
