The Salvation Army has once again expanded its emergency shelter services to accommodate the increasing number of people seeking refuge. A new 80-bed shelter has been established for men, with a significant portion of the occupants being refugees. The Centre of Hope emergency shelter, run by the Salvation Army, already houses over 400 individuals on any given night, with approximately 120 being refugees.
This recent expansion comes just six months after the addition of 60 beds in October. The new space officially opened on March 31 and is already hosting 30 individuals, with more refugee claimants expected to fill up the shelter in the coming weeks.
Mark Stewart, the Executive Director of the Centre of Hope, highlighted the additional support services being provided to the refugees. In addition to accommodation, the shelter offers assistance with job searches, housing, education, and access to various community services.
The new shelter will operate 24/7 and provide clients with access to caseworkers, resources, and three meals a day. To address hygiene needs, mobile showers and washrooms have been brought in.
Stewart emphasized the collaborative effort between different shelters in the city, including Siloam Mission, to ensure that everyone in need has a safe place to stay. With the number of asylum claimants processed in Manitoba more than doubling in the first two months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, the Salvation Army and other shelters are prepared to meet the growing demand for emergency shelter services.