The Scattered Sites Emergency Shelter, operated by the Kikinahk Friendship Centre will now have funding for 10 emergency shelter spaces.
The government of Saskatchewan announced that $97,600 in funding will go towards emergency shelter spaces in La Ronge.
“There continues to be an increased need for services and supports in the community. This funding will help us to keep more people safe and connect them to services this winter,” said Executive Director of Kikinahk Ron Woytowich.
The shelter has been running for 24 hours a day since opening in October and has the capacity to take in 23 people per night throughout the winter until April. Last year was a busy one for the shelter and they saw around 200 clients use the shelter. This year has been just as busy, and inflation is causing the shelter to struggle when it comes to food and winter clothing.
“Costs have gone up big time, food especially and it’s really cold out there, people eat more, they need more winter clothing,” explained Woytowich.
In previous years, the shelter received funding from the government to help throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year shelters stopped receiving that funding. The funding announced today as a part of Saskatchewan’s Provincial Approach to Homelessness will help the shelter make up for the lack of other funding this year.
“The Ministry of Social Services is pleased to support Kikinahk in its important work caring for members in their community who are experiencing homelessness,” Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky said. “Through our community partners, we are connecting vulnerable people to the emergency shelter and supports they need to assist them on their path to achieving stability.”
The shelter is still in need of adult sized winter clothing items like jackets, toques, socks, gloves and more. To donate you can drop items off at the Scattered Sites Emergency Shelter or the Kikinahk Friendship Centre.