New Glasgow shelter receives $430K to expand homelessness services

An emergency shelter in New Glasgow is increasing services offered to those experiencing homelessnessthanks to $430,000 in funding from the province's Department of Community Services.

Viola's Place Society, an organization that operates an emergency shelter, is using the funding to hire another housing support worker, expand servicesand add 12 more shelter beds to its original eight.

"In the fall of last year, we were really struggling," said Lisa DeYoung, executive director of Viola's Place Society. "We were feeling like we weren't able to meet the demand that our community had."

In one month leading up to winter, DeYoung saidthey had toturn away 25 people.

"It just didn't feel like we were offering as much support as we wanted to because we didn't have the funding or the manpower to do that," she said.

DeYoung saysthe funding from the province will help house people temporarily as shelter demand continues to grow amid a housing crisis.

She said more temporary beds are required at the shelter, as finding long-term housing for low-income peoplehas been a challenge.

"Usually it would take about two to four weeks for us to be able to secure housing for them. Now it's taking much longer," DeYoung said.

"We've had an individual here for eight months," she said. "We're struggling to find, first of all, vacant units. They come and go very quickly, sometimes in less than 24 hours."

Renovationsadds more space

When they opened their doors in 2018, they only had eight beds. Extra funding helped them toadd 12 more.

The building, which used to be a church, has undergone renovations in order to make space for shelter beds in an open-concept upstairs space.A large kitchen, new washrooms, shower room, laundry roomand community rooms were remodelled.

An extra housing support worker was also added to the 10-person staff, which helpsextend shelter hoursto 24-hour access.

Those supports includefood, hot showers, laundry services, financial assistance and help finding housingfor those experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.

The Department of Community Services said in a news release the organization will receivemore than $680,000 per year for shelter services andhousing support workers.