Windsor-Essex's largest homeless shelter has been seeing an increase in the demand for its services throughout 2021.
Citing the City of Windsor's Point in Time Report, the homeless issue has increased in scope, along with the reasons people become homeless, and the Downtown Mission is not immune. The Mission's food bank has also seen increased demand, as unemployment brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is among the reasons people need it.
The Mission's board chair, Michele MacGregor, said that while the community has always supported what the Mission is doing, even that's not keeping up with demand.
"The need and demand for our services are at an all-time high, but unfortunately, our community donations are not keeping pace with the increased needs that the Mission has been facing this year," said MacGregor. "For the past ten years, we have been the proverbial canary in the coal mine, going forward and responding to the needs of hurting people without reservation. Despite our current financial situation, and if not for the trust of our generous donors over the years, our community’s homeless situation would be disastrous."
The holiday season, as always, seems to make the issue all too real.
"The Christmas season is traditionally a time when many in our community make a charitable contribution to a cause that touches them, and they believe in," said Mission Interim Executive Director Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin. "The Downtown Mission is helping hurting people who have no other means of support. A gift to the Mission can literally save a life."
The Mission's 80-bed capacity, reduced from 103 to comply with COVID-19 space guidelines, has been filling up nightly for the last few weeks, with people lining up three hours before the doors open at 8 p.m. The Service Support team responded to 115 drug-related emergencies, with no lives lost. The Housing First program has helped 83 people get off the street permanently.
Other than the Enterprise Program through the City of Windsor, the Phoenix Recovery Program from the Erie St. Clair LHIN, and the federal government's COVID-19 relief fund for shelters, the Mission relies on donations and sponsorships. The government funding is due to end March 31, 2022, possibly creating a gap that could leave up to 40 additional people turned away.
For complete information on donating to the Downtown Mission, visit its official website.
