THUNDER BAY -- The frigid temperatures this holiday season are putting a strain on the Thunder Bay Shelter House.
The facility has been maxed out and running at full capacity over the past week.
The shelter has 63 beds, and all of them have been completely filled on a nightly basis, forcing some of their homeless clientele to be transferred to other facilities.
The SOS van has also been busy, running seven days a week, providing transportation in the cold weather, and bringing clothes, blankets and food to the city's less fortunate.
Operations supervisor Christina Fletcher said it has been hectic, especially when businesses are closed for the holidays.
“With the Christmas season it has been especially busy because it has been especially cold, but because we’ve been full to capacity before the cold spell hit it’s been a little bit if a struggle to make sure we can find everybody a place to stay for the night,” Fletcher said.
“Once we are full we shift people around to all the other organizations that are out there such as Salvation Army, detox and GracePlace to make sure we are utilizing all the resources we have in town.”
On the plus side, the shelter has received some extra donations this week and they've had an army of volunteers helping out in the kitchen over the holidays.
The volunteers have helped provide 2-to-3 hot meals a day for 150-to-200 people.
Fletcher said the generosity has been astounding this season as they've even had some people give up their beds at the shelter, to make room for others.
“Lots of people have been extremely generous and lots of people here have family they may be able to stay with for the night over the Christmas season, so they are giving up their bed and staying with a family member so someone who doesn’t have a place to stay can come and just get out of the cold,” Fletcher said.
“Also during the day we practice cold weather compassion when it’s this cold, so we let people in just to warm up and find them some hats mittens and scarves.”
Fletcher added they're encouraging their clients to stay put, and not venture out into the cold if they don't have to.
(TBT News)
