Homeless shelter was overwhelmed by demand last winter, so now it will only be open during extreme weather conditions
The First Unitarian Fellowship of Nanaimo has decided to scale back its shelter operations this year, after being overwhelmed by demand last year. The organization’s extreme weather shelter for homeless people had been made available every night between November 1st and April 1st last winter, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. But despite increased funding for the increased availability, volunteers were taxed beyond their limit, with up to 25 homeless people seeking shelter at the 24-bed facility each night.
Now First Unitarian has announced that it will return to a sticter “extreme weather” service—which means that homeless people will only be able to access shelter when temperatures fall below freezing or if heavy rain accompanies cold temperatures.
Advocates for homeless people are expressing concerns that the decision will lead to greater suffering among homeless people.
We speak with Wallace Malay, an artist and a long-time social justice activist in Nanaimo.
Image: Cots are set up and ready for use at the First Unitarian shelter in Nanaimo
