The gd2go Warming Centre has been open for a few weeks and staff at the facility say it is being well received by homeless people in North Bay.
The facility has 15 cots and Darcy Lee Bakowski, the team leader at the warming centre, says there is usually a lineup of about nine people when she opens the doors in the evening.
“Half go to sleep right away,” Bakowski said who works for People for Equal Partnership and Mental Health (PEP).
“Others have their broth, they might socialize a little and then at 11:00pm the lights go out. They respect that. And if some don’t want to go to sleep right away, they lie on their cots and read.”
The warming centre at the former gd2go site at 496 Main Street East came together in a matter of weeks when community groups banded together to ensure homeless people in the community had a safe and warm place to stay during winter nights.
Bakowski says although nine people might be waiting when the facility opens each night, some also arrive throughout the night.
When they arrive, they have the option to have their belongings locked away in a locker.
“So they don’t have to worry about their belongings getting stolen at night,” Bakowski said.
“They also don’t have to worry about getting hurt overnight. We’re here. No one is going to hurt them. So they’re getting a good night’s sleep.”
Bakowski says the feedback she’s received so far from the homeless is they are very appreciative that they have a place where they can spend the night.
Bakowski says so far it seems nine to 12 people use the warming centre on a regular basis.
She says a few more use the Gathering Place as an overnight stay which has 10 cots.
The Red Cross donated the 15 cots at the gd2go Warming Centre and Bakowski says each morning when the homeless leave for the day, the beds are sanitized and linen and pillows cleaned so that everyone who comes back that evening has a fresh bed to sleep in.
Chris Wyness, the Program Manager with Nipissing Mental Health Housing Support Services, says three people normally staff the warming centre overnight.
They are usually paid, staff employees and two volunteers.
He says the people on staff all have panic buttons around their necks and push the button if they feel a police presence is needed on any given night.
“But we’ve been pretty fortunate,” Wyness said.
“There have been minor incidents with people raising their voices but so far, so good.”
Wyness says the warming centre also has an outreach worker who visits the facility about five to six times a month just before the homeless leave again for the day.
Wyness says that individual is there to build a rapport with the homeless and to provide support.
Wyness adds the outreach worker doesn’t push any services on anyone.
He says if one of the individuals needs help with housing, mental health, finding a doctor or getting identification forms, the outreach worker can help.
Bakowski also wants to correct the perception that many homeless people are addicts.
Although addictions can befall anyone in society, Bakowski says some of the homeless at the warming centre are there because for whatever reason they got behind on their rent and have no place to live.
The gd2go Warming Centre is available every night until the end of March.
Wyness says the long-term goal is to find a permanent facility for the homeless.
“We’d like to see one location that’s bigger with support services as well as a facility big enough that we’re never turning anyone away if they need a bed,” Wyness said.
Wyness is also putting out an appeal to the public when it comes to volunteers.
“Without volunteers, we wouldn’t be running right now,” he said.
“Part of the success so far is we have community members who care about this initiative and what’s we’re doing.”
Wyness says moving into the holiday season has increased the need for more volunteers.
“One of our biggest obstacles is to ensure we have three (people) here working every night for the next four months,” he said.
“We can never have enough volunteers.”
If you can volunteer send an email to PEP at [email protected] or call the agency at 474-7687 and ask for Tiffany Fournier, the North Bay Warming Centre Coordinator.
Bakowski says there are two other items the warming centre can use and they are mitts for the homeless and broth.
She says the warming centre is not in a position to accept food but the broth is welcome.
Both the gd2go Warming Centre and Gathering Place open in the evening at 9:00pm.
The homeless have to leave the Gathering Place by 7:00am but can stay an extra hour at the gd2go Warming Centre.