"We're really excited to be here and can't say enough about the community's support," says the supervisor of The Lighthouse in the Battlefords. "The community here is amazing."
Caitlin Glencross was speaking to Battleford Town Council Monday where she praised the support of the community for the new 24-hour emergency shelter that opened in North Battleford Jan. 26 under the auspices of The Lighthouse in Saskatoon.
Giving an overview of the centre's operation to council members, Glencross said the shelter at 962-102nd Street is averaging 15 to 20 people per night and 40 to 50 at each of the three meals a day they serve.
The meals are available to anyone who walks in, not just those who are staying at the shelter, said Glencross.
"This isn't something we intended to do," she said, "but something we noticed is a need for in this area because no other agency in this area does three meals a day."
She said there is a huge need.
"We've seen families come in you can tell it's been a while since they had a hot meal."
Although they have no funding for the meals and it is supported mainly by community donation, they plan to continue with the program. On April 5, they held their first community supper, she said, and 88 people showed up. Donations from the community included 25 pies baked by the emergency department of Battlefords Union Hospital.
In addition to providing meals and shelter for the homeless, The Lighthouse also takes in intoxicated individuals, working closely with the RCMP, said Glencross.
"If someone is non-violent, a safer option is for them to come stay with us rather than be on cells," she said. "Cells shouldn't be a place just to house somebody.
Although the centre has just started up, its 14 staff members are moving forward with new services. There are Alcoholics Anonymous groups twice a month, and they hope by next month they will be weekly. They also have a Narcotics Anonymous group once a month.
They are also working on renovating basement, said Glencross, in order to run a type of recovery program to help people deal with the barriers in their lives that are not allowing them to move forward.
"They can come a safe place, have meals and be going to programming, but be able to go forward," said Glencross. "Those are people who have to be sober. So we are still going to have the emergency shelter, but looking at having this more intensive program."
On the main floor, there are beds for 36 people and dining room for 60. But, she said, they would never turn anyone away.
"At no point does The Lighthouse say, 'This isn't an option for you,'" said Glencross. "We're a last resort."
It takes a lot to get removed, she said, referring mainly to violence.
They do help people find housing and have had success stories, she said.
Offering an example, she talked of one gentleman who came to them from a violent home. He wasn't working at the time, but was capable of working, so they encouraged him, helped him with his resumé, and within four days he was going out on interviews. He now has a job and his own home.
"It's amazing what you can do when you meet someone's first basic need of shelter, a safe place and three meals a day," said Glencross.
She noted, "There are success stories like that, and then there's people we'll be working with forever."
It's hard when people are struggling with mental health and addictions, she said.
"It has to be their choice."
There are people who have struggled with chronic homelessness because of their addiction issues, she said.
"But there are supports in the community, such as Mental Health and Addictions, getting people into treatment, doing things like that."
Glencross indicated homelessness more of an issue than it may appear, especially since the community's last permanent shelter was shut down when the Salvation Army left in the 1980s.
"There has been no documentation of the issues of homelessness in this area for a very long time," she said, "so we are starting to uncover that and we've been keeping very close stats."
She added, "The government was very shocked by the stats."
It's been an unidentified problem in this area, she said.
"Fortunately we've got a lot of community support so we're hoping to continue to tackle it," she said. "We've just opened, but we'd like to move down the road to things like supported living like we have in Saskatoon."
Glencross said it wasn't easy to get started in the Battleford.
"Thanks to BATC [funding], that finally got us here," she said.
Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs wanted The Lighthouse here, she said.
"They said, 'You are helping our people, we want you here," Glencross said.
There was money last year from the federal government's Rural and Homelessness Partnering Strategy, but this year that grant went to the shelter that shut down at the end of March, so The Lighthouse will apply for next year.
Glencross also hopes funding will eventually come from the Prairie North Health Region for the nurse practitioner who will be visiting twice a month and for the detox program.
"Things like that come with time," she said. "We have to establish those relationships with people in the community and the question is always is it in the budget to do it."
Some funding also comes to them through Social Services, as individuals on assistance pay room and board at the centre.
The centre has been generously supported by donations from the community so far, said Glencross. She needs only to post on their Facebook site that something is needed and someone arrives at their door.
Their biggest need right now is donations of food, since there is no funding for their meal program.
"We hope down the road there will be some recognition from the government, but right now its funded by people who stay with us."
They have been given all the clothing they need so far.
"We're packed to the brim, people have been so generous," she said.
Glencross said, "Right now we are just identifying what the needs are in the community and trying to meet those need. Lighthouse has kind of been famous for that. We just say we're gonna do it … and funding comes.
Glencross, who has a degree in criminal justice, comes to the Battlefords from The Lighthouse in Saskatoon, where she worked in every department there.
"I also volunteered with Salvation Army for a long time, so homelessness is something I am really passionate about," said Glencross. "We just want to help the community, we're here to fill those gaps and we have seen some success with the people we've had so far."
