Photo via Out of the Cold Kamloops
The Out of the Cold Shelter Society is still working on trying to find a permanent site for its operations in Kamloops.
Executive Director Renee Stein says the society – which has been operating out of the Stuart Wood School since 2021 – is “chomping at the bit” to find a full-time home.
“Unfortunately, that is beyond what we’re able to just action on ourselves as an agency,” Stein said. “Really that comes down to a conversation with the City as well as to what sites are available, what would work best with out community as to the appropriateness of the site.”
Founded in 2007, the Out of the Cold Society began operating at St. Vincent De Paul and moved to St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, where it was until 2019.
It then partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association to operate out of Stuart Wood School for three days a week in 2021 before expanding to seven days a week in 2022, where it has been ever since.
Stein says the society will also work to be a good community partner at whatever facility becomes their permanent home.
“That is something that we’ve really worked hard on this site [at Stuart Wood],” Stein said. “We share a site with three daycares, a private school who comes to utilize the park, the Farmer’s Market, and we have a great working relationship with all of those parties and its been really positive.”
“So we want to make sure that wherever we go, we could have that same positive contribution there.”
The 25-bed Stuart Wood Shelter is currently set to close on April 30 of next year.
Stein says there were 944 unique individuals who sought shelter between Nov. 2022 and March 2024, about 25 per cent of which were Indigenous. She also says there were 619 people who attended the Supportive Recovery Drop-in program between Sept. 2023 and March 2024.
“We are really hopeful that BC Housing may be able to find that a long-term site and a winter site, so that is what we’re all working towards, is to be able to keep the program continuing,” Stein told Radio in April 2023.
“At that time, it will be decided by the City and Tk’emlúps and BC Housing on whether we remain here or whether they are able to find us a longer-term site.”
