After a successful debut this past winter, the Warm Welcome program will be returning again in the fall.
Lieutenant Brian Bobolo of the Estevan Salvation Army was before city council last Wednesday to speak about the shelter's first few months of operation and their plans for the future. Bobolo also asked council to continue allowing shelter guests free access to the showers at the Estevan Leisure Centre, a request that was carried unanimously.
Bobolo said the seeds that grew into the Warm Welcome were planted around this time last year by Pastor Brenna Nickel and many of the congregants at St. Paul's United Church where the shelter is located. He said they had come across a number of people who were struggling to find shelter throughout the year and wanted to help those in need.
"They wanted to assist the community in a direct manner as Warm Welcome does," he said, "through providing the provision of direct services to people who require emergency shelter as well as generating a spirit of volunteerism in the community and Warm Welcome accomplishes both of these things."
Bobolo said it was Nickel and the group from St. Paul's who approached him and the Salvation Army about getting involved with the shelter, a partnership which he called a "no brainer." As word of the potential program began to spread, Bobolo said other community groups such as the United Way and Estevan Ministerial Association and businesses including Tim Hortons and the Days Inn threw their support behind the program.
Bobolo said all involved were very happy with how things went over the winter.
"There is a spirit of community that developed at the shelter throughout the winter and this is very important to people who have issues with finding secure shelter, especially in smaller centres like Estevan.
"A lot of times they feel marginalized, they feel like they are treated like misfits. A lot of times smaller centres can't understand why there is a need for an emergency shelter like that and they have a hard time finding acceptance and we really provide that at the Warm Welcome Shelter."
The shelter was open for 75 nights over the winter and had 210 admissions, the bulk of which were men. Bobolo said, thanks to word of mouth, they expect to house five to six people per night.
After being open for just four nights a week over the winter, Bobolo said they plan to be open every night, which he feels will benefit the community in a number of ways.
"I think Warm Welcome aids the ongoing labour shortage that we are experiencing in the city of Estevan. We help individuals stay a little bit longer, rather than come in, realize there is no housing and do an about face (and leave).
"We also provide a valuable service to the City of Estevan on cold weather nights. When the cold weather alerts come out, the City of Estevan can say we have a plan."
In his closing remarks, Bobolo said that contrary to the stigma that comes with a shelter, he feels the presence of Warm Welcome in Estevan is a sign of success, proving that the people of the city look out for each other.
"The city should not be embarrassed to declare to the world we have a shelter like Warm Welcome. This is a symbol of great community success. An entire community has come together to provide this service. We can hold our heads up high and say we go the extra mile. Yes, we have issues, but we take care of our own."
