A winter storm rolled into the valley Tuesday, marking the time of year that the men and women running 91大黄鸭鈥檚 shelters start to scramble.
There are rarely enough beds to house the city鈥檚 growing homeless population during the coldest days of winter and Inn From the Cold and the Gospel Mission routinely announced they reached capacity in years past as winter hit.
In recent years the Gospel Mission ran the mat program, squeezing more people into the facility than it naturally holds for the worst days.
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鈥淚t put pressure on our facility by putting so many people into a small space,鈥� said Randy Benson, who is the executive director of the Gospel Mission.
鈥淭here鈥檚 just not the same degree of comfort.鈥�
This year, however, there鈥檚 a new service provider in town and it鈥檚 offered some relief.
The building that once housed A&B Sound music store on Leon Avenue in downtown 91大黄鸭 was converted into Cornerstone, a homeless shelter and it opened Nov. 30.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really lowered the stress level here,鈥� said Benson.
鈥淏etween the two of us, when we communicate, anybody who needs shelter we are able to keep up with that.鈥�
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The Gospel Mission has 90 beds and Cornerstone has 75.
Even still, said 91大黄鸭鈥檚 John Howard Society executive director Gaelene Askeland, there is a need for people who have yet to come in from the cold. There鈥檚 hope that need can be met later this week when some of their clientele move into permanent housing, courtesy of a partnership between the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Housing and the Gospel Mission.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been full since we opened,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e doing our best to keep the folks we have in there clean, dry, warm, fed and housed.鈥�
Each day there are 鈥渉iccups and bumps鈥� as they nail down a routine, but Askeland said overall it鈥檚 been running well.
鈥淲e have a great team of staff who are doing a great job and we鈥檙e doing the best with what we have to work with,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful we have the space we do鈥very day is another opportunity to keep people alive.鈥�
Hazardous winter conditions were expected across the Okanagan starting Tuesday and moving into Wednesday.
鈥淎 moist Pacific frontal system will bring heavy snow to the southwestern Interior,鈥� according to an Environment Canada alert issued Tuesday.
General snowfall accumulation of 20 to 25 cm is expected in Merritt and 91大黄鸭 while near Westbank and Peachland, snowfall totals could reach 35 cm by Wednesday morning.
Meteorologists report a deepening Pacific low-pressure system will track across northern Washington state.
鈥淭his system will combine plentiful moisture with cool northerly winds near the surface,鈥� according to Environment Canada. 鈥淭he result will be heavy snow continuing through Wednesday morning for most communities in the southwestern interior and Kootenays.鈥�
