The Sunshine Coast’s cold weather homeless shelter now has the money it needs to stay open every night until the end of January, but they’re still working to raise another 14-thousand dollars to keep going until the end of March.
On nights declared “extreme weather” the shelter gets money from BC Housing, but on nights that don’t meet that threshold the costs have to be covered some other way.
Kelly Foley of Sunshine Coast Community Services says those costs can be substantial.
Foley says as well as the great fundraising response so far, several community groups have working to offer meals to those using the shelter.
She also says opening every night in the winter months is really important because past experience has shown the homeless people they serve will just give up coming to shelter when they don’t know if it will open on a given night.
Foley says the shelter has been running at or near capacity and they’re hoping if the every night opening pilot project is a success BC Housing will offer more funding and it may even lead to funding for a permanent shelter.
People interested in contributing should contact the Community Services Society.
