Mayor Thiessen,

It has come to the attention of Vanderhoof citizens, that there is a need for a low barrier Homeless Shelter in Vanderhoof. There have been a number of organizations advocating for a shelter, but unfortunately they have not been successful as of yet. We would like to reach out to the District of Vanderhoof Mayor and Council for support in our endeavour, and for help in securing a location. We understand that the District may be able to help locate a vacant building or lot. 

Respectfully,

Veronika Cooper

 

Please read below a letter kindly written by Lynne Stuart, RSW, Med. Director of Omineca Safe Home Society:

 

Dear District and Council of Vanderhoof,

We would appreciate a few minutes of your time to consider the following:

SUBJECT:

We, the undersigned, are asking for support to create a safe, secure, and accessible homeless shelter in Vanderhoof.

BACKGROUND:

Folks from all walks of life access shelters. There are some preconceived ideas about who accesses a shelter, but we would like to point out that people become stranded in this remote (and often cold) area for several reasons. They include: an inability to afford a hotel when coming from neighboring communities for medical appointments, people needing to reach communities along the Highway of Tears who do not have secure transportation and women who are fleeing violence and the safe home is full. The lack of available evening transit in the area also contributes to this issue.

We would add that rental accommodation is scarce and expensive. The study completed by UNBC bears this out.

We also know that folks who struggle with mental health or substances are especially vulnerable, and the idea that they would use a shelter is a good thing, not a negative. There, they can be safe and potentially access services they were previously unaware of. We see this as harm reduction, and research proves that harm reduction is effective.

Omineca Safe Home has turned away, on average, one woman per week because they are not fleeing violence but are, in fact, without a place to live.  You can understand the danger this places on women, and we know that women in this community “couch surf” in less than safe places, and are often propositioned, just to have a place to sleep. In the winter, we open our doors to women although it is outside of our mandate. We understand that because we do this, folks may be unaware of the level of need. It should also be noted that men also face homelessness and do not have a place to go when it gets cold.

OUR VISION:

To secure a building in town for easy access. The shelter would be co-ed, with separate sleeping areas. At a minimum, it would be staffed in the evening and night and closed during the day. There would be a laundry facility and a secure place to store things that a bag-check deemed non-permittable. It would be a place where folks could sleep safely and connect with staff or volunteers and establish connections with service providers if requested. It would be a low barrier shelter, with the emphasis being on appropriate behavior, not sobriety. Policies and Procedures would be in place to ensure the operation is organized and safe. The goal would be that staff would be trained in a Trauma Informed perspective, with an understanding of trauma/mental health, and strong communication skills.

We hope this letter addresses some of the questions you may have about our goal and why we feel it is important. This is with the hopes that the district will support this much needed community endeavor. If you require any additional information or have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at the contact information provided.  

Thank you for your time.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Lynne Stuart. RSW, Med.

Director, Omineca Safe Home Society

lynne@ominecasafehome.ca

 

Concerned Citizens: