A haven for women and children dealing with homelessness is almost ready to take in clients.
The City of Windsor and the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women and Families announced that a new, expanded emergency shelter will be operational next week. The shelter will move into a former hotel at Tuscarora Street and Glengarry Avenue, which the City purchased.
Jennifer Tanner, the City's Manager of Homelessness and Housing Supports, told Windsor News Today that the new shelter will be much larger than the current quarters.
"It will offer up to 32 beds for single women," said Tanner. "At their previous property they had 12 beds available, so it's a significant increase. And, there are also up to 20 rooms for families."
All three levels of government are behind funding for the new shelter. In addition to the City's purchase of the property and support already in the operational budget, the project also received a $7.75-million contribution from Ontario's Social Services Relief Fund and $553,000 from the federal government's Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy initiative.
Tanner called the project unique.
"The City of Windsor owns the building and will maintain the responsibility of property maintenance and the exterior of the property, which we hope gives the neighbourhood a measure of comfort," said Tanner, adding that the day-to-day operation of the shelter will be handled by the Welcome Centre Shelter.
The opening of the larger shelter comes at a time when Canada is facing an affordable housing crunch, and in Windsor, the homelessness issue remains a big concern. Families experiencing homelessness are currently being housed in local motels. Tanner said that the City most recently logged 460 families currently experiencing homelessness.
Tanner also added that the COVID-19 pandemic created an unusual situation. Despite shelter use falling during the pandemic, demand for services went up again as more people were vaccinated against the virus, and caseloads went down.
The City's Homelessness and Housing Help Hub (H-4), at the former Windsor Water World, remains a key service centre and daytime drop-in, connecting affected people with resources and medical care, and providing food, washrooms, and daytime rest for the vulnerable.
Complete information about the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women and Families can be found on its official website.