Do you have unused clothes, underwear, toques, mitts and travel-size toiletries for men?
The items are desperately needed for the Tri-Cities’ Emergency Winter Response Shelter, which opened last Thursday (Nov. 3) at the Kyle Centre in Port Moody.
Polly Krier, coordinator of the Tri-Cities Homeless and Housing Task Group, said warm clothing, shoes and personal items for larger men are urgently sought for the walk-in visitors, as well as blankets to keep them comfortable overnight.
The 15-bed facility run by the Phoenix Society is open on a temporary basis until April 2023 and when the temperature dips below freezing.
Criteria for cities to open an Emergency Winter Response Shelter are as follows:
- Temperatures near zero degrees with rainfall that makes it difficult or impossible for those experiencing homelessness to remain dry
- Sleet/freezing rain
- Snow accumulation
- Sustained high winds
- Temperatures at or below zero, or feels like zero degrees with the wind chill
- Rainfall of at least 50 mm in a 24-hour period
Meanwhile, local churches are also opening their doors to homeless people for overnight stays, with the assistance of the Progressive Housing Society.
Coquitlam's Calvary Baptist Church (1636 Regan Ave.) is this month’s host, while Port Coquitlam's Trinity United Church (2211 Prairie Ave.) has the shelter for the month of December.
The nightly winter shelters provide 25 cots to homeless people who are shuttled to the church; the shelter is open from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. each day.
To donate to any or all of the winter shelters, you can call 604-790-8929 or email [email protected] for a drop-off time and location.
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