Those needing a warm place to rest their heads and get out of the cold will have a space in South Delta this winter thanks to a partnership between the Ladner United Church, the City of Delta and Options Community Services.
The Delta Extreme Weather Shelter is located at Ladner United Church and will be opened from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. when alerts are called.
The church was home to the shelter for several years, but that changed when it underwent extensive renovations. Earlier this year, Delta approached the church to see if it would be open to the idea again.
Delta provides funding for the mattresses, bedding and blankets, while the church provides the space and volunteers to set up the shelter and clean the space. Two staff members from Options are on hand when the shelter opens because of the need to have people who have training and experience.
“We offer them a hot meal, a shower if they like, some warmer clothes and a bed for the night,” said church volunteer coordinator Debbie Mitchell. “We will open up when there are negative temperatures, so below zero and super saturation from the rain. We did open for the first time on Nov. 21 because of the heavy rain.”
The shelter can accommodate up to 10 people.
“Debbie and her team have put in a lot of work to get this organized,” said Rev. Jim Short. “Gillian McLeod, the corporate social planner at the City of Delta, has also been awesome to work with.”
When an alert is called, posters are set up at various places in the community, there is also outreach from other community groups as well as Delta police to ensure those who need it are brought to the shelter or are notified that it is open.
The church also offers a hot shower program every Monday and Thursday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. People can come in, have something hot to drink, have a shower, get a warm pair of socks and socialize a bit with the volunteers.
“We were also dealing with a homeless gentleman a few weeks ago and we actually opened up to assist him,” said Short. “Debbie and her team have a gift of outreach, so this just isn’t a place to line-up for food or a place to stay, it’s a place to be welcomed for outreach and other services if needed.”
And while the church appreciates donations of clothing, due to storage issues, would prefer cash or gift card donations.
“That way folks can go and get a meal, buy groceries or get some warm clothes that fit them properly,” Mitchell adds. “The gift cards are really the best way to help.”
