Employment and Social Services in Chatham-Kent has been very busy in May helping the homeless and those struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The municipality is reporting the emergency temporary homeless shelter at the John D. Bradley Centre has provided 6,300 meals to people in the shelter and transitional housing over the past four weeks. It has also offered mental health, addictions, and wellness activities for those residents.
All the work has helped four people secure new and permanent housing and 85 individuals with shelter or transitional housing.
"Ending homelessness requires a coordinated response," read a municipal Facebook post on Thursday. "It takes all of us to help change lives every day. Together we can make a difference."
The United Way of Chatham-Kent is also reporting they helped social services reach people who are temporarily housed in local motels by arranging local volunteers to pick up meals at the temporary shelter and deliver them to the motels every day. United Way CEO Steve Pratt said his team has been helping the volunteers deliver the meals safely by providing personal protective equipment and by covering any out-of-pocket expenses they may incur such as providing gas cards.
"This is helping to feed approximately 80 people every day who are currently experiencing housing insecurity with the purpose of helping them to practice social distancing and to self-isolate when required," Pratt said.
