ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A temporary, low-barrier shelter will be established at the Gathering Place in hopes of shielding the most vulnerable from a second wave of COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador.
On Tuesday, Premier Dwight Ball and Children, Seniors and Social Development Minister Lisa Dempster were at the Gathering Place in St. John’s for the announcement, which will see $732,000 go toward starting the temporary shelter, which will be established by September.
“It’s really very simple. When we envisioned this, it was really during Snowmaggeddon, to be honest, when we on a regular basis passed out blankets when they were leaving because they had to find somewhere in the community to sleep. That was probably a parking garage or a shed,” said Joanne Thompson, executive director of the Gathering Place.
“We realized that using a model similar to the rest of the country, that out-of-the-cold model, which simply means that in bad weather or difficult weather, people would have a place to sleep, that’s really the model that we need to move forward. COVID was really responsible to seeing this would start in September and not during the winter months. It’s just a place to sleep.”
The temporary shelter will see 30 rooms established with a low barrier to access, meaning those with ongoing drug, alcohol or mental-health issues will be able to use the shelter from 8 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. the next morning. Those who use the shelter will have the full supports available at the Gathering Place.
This afternoon @PremierofNL & @CSSD_GovNL Minister @LisaVDempster were at @GatheringNL to announced $732,000 to fund a temporary low-barrier emergency shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness.
— Government of NL (@GovNL) July 7, 2020
📹Video > https://t.co/TY8JgInfdd
📰 News Release > https://t.co/LcxMrQiNaw pic.twitter.com/mEUdG5oyMs
Dempster says having those extra supports from the Gathering Place is key.
“The difference I believe, and we’ve spoken about it many times publicly, is the wraparound supports that are needed for folks with complex needs,” said Dempster.
“This 30-bed shelter that will house people at night, they will have a full assortment of services through Eastern Health and the Gathering Place and other community partners during the day. I believe that’s what will make this different and hopefully successful.”
Ball says the temporary shelter is the first step toward a more permanent structure with the same function.
“The objective here is to get the temporary measures in place in case we have to deal with another outbreak, and try to get a permanent structure in place for the future,” said Ball.
“It’s about a two-year process. We’ll go through a (request for proposals).”
Progressive Conservative MHA Jim Lester says the move is a good first step, but underlying issues need attention.
“The objective here is to get the temporary measures in place in case we have to deal with another outbreak, and try to get a permanent structure in place for the future. It’s about a two-year process." — Premier Dwight Ball
“It’s definitely a great move, but it’s a baby step into traversing the crevasse of ever-growing need for these types of services. What we really need to focus on now at this point in our history is how do we put in preventative measures to prevent people from becoming homeless,” said Lester.
“This type of reactive approach, it’s necessary, it’s needed and I appreciate the efforts of the Gathering Place and all the volunteer organizations and committees that contribute. But we need to stop the tide of need that is coming to these types of organizations.”
Our Executive Director, Joanne Thompson, has recorded an important message about what The Gathering Place is facing during COVID-19. We invite you to watch this video and ask that you visit https://t.co/7b1GnJY3Lr or call (709) 753-3234 if you are able to help. pic.twitter.com/Ot5dkluQWQ
— The Gathering Place (@GatheringNL) April 9, 2020
Twitter: @DavidMaherNL