Salvation Army to provide emergency shelter spaces in response to winter weather

With the threat of snow and below-zero temperatures in the Greater Victoria forecast, the Salvation Army is getting ready by providing a warm place to sleep for people living on the streets.

The charitable agency will open 30 shelter spaces at its Addictions and Recovery Centre on Victoria’s lower Johnson Street as part of its Cold Weather Protocol. The shelter spaces will be open to men and women 18 years of age and older.

“We’re expecting cold weather and snow and the Salvation Army is very concerned about those people on the streets who don’t have a place to go,” said Patricia Mamic, public and government affairs director for the Salvation Army’s BC Division.

“Everyone deserves a warm and safe place, so we put out the mats in our chapel.”

Mamic says in order for the Salvation Army to comply with COVID-19 protocols, everyone will be required to wash their hands at the hand washing station in the entrance to the Johnson Street facility. She says that once inside the shelter space, people will need to wear masks at all times unless they are eating.

Mamic says once the Cold Weather Protocol is put in place, the charitable organization will open the doors to those people needing shelter at 8:30 p.m. Not only will people have a warm and dry place to sleep, they will also be served a hot meal to help them warm up once they arrive, Mamic says.

“People who are on the streets are dealing with things that are beyond what we could even acknowledge at the best of times,” said Mamic. “A lot of them are compromised already with their health and have health issues, so it’s more important than ever to ensure that they have a safe place to come to that’s warm and dry when it’s cold.”

The Salvation Army will provide the 30 overnight shelter spaces as long as the Cold Weather Protocol is in place.

“People need a roof over them and a warm, safe place to lay their head,” said Mamic. “As soon as we get the call, we’ve got the beds, the mats, the food and we’re all prepared to welcome people to come in to get out of the cold.”

For information on the charitable agency’s cold weather sheltering program go to the Salvation Army website.