Charlottetown group launches drive for homeless women's shelter

A grassroots group is working to set up a shelter for homeless women in Charlottetown.

Liz Corney,co-founder of Blooming House, said the group is in planning mode now.

"We've got a website, a Facebook pageand we are working with government on proposals," shesaid.

Corneysaid the Blooming Housegroup has been meeting since January.

The group is made up ofpeople interested inentrepreneurship and business, who'vedecided to put some of their energy toward getting a women's shelter up and running.

"We knew this was a need," Corneysaid.

The only women's homeless shelter in Charlottetown Grandmother's House closed in 2012 due to lack of funding.

"Right now, there are a couple of men'sshelters there is a shelter for women who are escaping abusive relationships, but there is not one for just homeless women,"Corneysaid.

"We are trying to fill the need, fill the gap of homeless women not having any place to sleep in the city," she said.

No Location Yet

The group said they want to have a shelter which would provide beds for about eight women. They haven't pinpointed an exact location but want it to be in the downtown area.

"We are looking for property," Corney said. "It will probably be a three-to-fourbedroom home."

The group's hope is to provide more than just beds. Corney said she hopes the shelter can become a hub to connect the womento other forms of assistance such aseducation, counselling or more permanent housing.

"So that it's not just 'in the door, out the door,'" she said.

Shelter talked about in Legislature

Hannah Bell,Green PartyMLA for Charlottetown-Parkdale,has spoken with the group and brought up the issue in the legislature recently.

"Emergency shelter provision is one of those really critical things that we need,"said Bell.

Bell, before becoming a politician,was involved in a number of women's advocacy groups.

The lack of a shelter for homeless women puts them at risk.

"There's a lot of women ending up in very unsafe situations," she said.

Bell said government has a roleto provide support but she also believes a lot can be done on a community level too.

"It's about taking care of everybody," shesaid.

Funding needed

At this point, the Blooming House group is working to get officially recognised as a charity.

The groupwill then work to secure funding for the project through private fundraising, as well asprovincial and federal government fundingto help pay for the shelter and operating costs.The exact cost of the project is unknown.

It is hoped the shelter will open by spring 2019.

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