on the donated clothes rack Silom Mission are full but that could change as temperatures are expected to drop across southern Manitoba later this week.
“Whenever we are looking at a cold picture, we start to get anxious. Will we have enough for everyone? said Silom mission communications manager Luke Thiessen.
Silom is reaching mission capacity even in milder winter weather.
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However, the good weather has helped in other ways.
“With the mild weather this year, some of the things we’d see with extreme weather drops, like people coming in with frostbite or medical issues related to the cold weather, we’ve seen less of it,” Thiessen said.
The Salvation Army, meanwhile, is seeing average demand for its emergency shelter but that could change later this week.
Mark Stewart, executive director of the Salvation Army Center of Hope, said, “We’re running about 10 percent under capacity and I know we’re working with other shelters right now, trying to get everyone in “
However, the Salvation Army family shelter is a different story. Not only has demand increased due to rising costs, but freezing temperatures have resulted in longer waiting lists.
“Within our family shelter we have a 60-bed unit where we have men, women and children, single fathers, whatever family unit shows up and we’re seeing a higher number of businesses,” Stewart said.
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As for this week’s weather, a change has begun to cooler temperatures as the days wear on.
“We really start to see it on Friday, where daytime temperatures won’t get above -16,” said Natalie Hassell, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada Warning Preparedness. “Temperatures drop to -30 overnight on Friday, with not much of a recovery on Saturday, where the forecast is now calling for highs of -25.”
As shelters prepare for the extreme cold, they do their best to find beds for those who want beds; To do this the facilities coordinate with each other.
They are also calling on the public to help – with donations of warm clothing hopefully no one will be left without.
“Donations of parkas, boots, mittens, long underwear are really appreciated as such,” Thiessen said.
Donation information for the Silom Mission can be found on their website, Salvation Army information can be found on their online donation page.
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