RRDSSAB receives $11,500 in donations to help homeless populationThe Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board received $11,500 in donations from the Canadian Medical Association in collaboration with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
RRDSSAB decided to channel the donation to assist the town in dealing with the issue of homelessness in Fort Frances.
“Local governments have been on the front-lines since the beginning of the pandemic and are ideally placed to effectively direct funds to deliver results,” Fort Frances Mayor June Caul said. “Funds will be used by RRDSSAB in capital upgrade necessary to renovate the “Out of the Cold” shelter which provides temporary housing for our vulnerable population.”
The announcement was made during council’s bi-weekly meetings. The donation was given to address the unique needs of vulnerable people in the community in terms of COVID-19.
Homelessness in Fort Frances has been the topic to numerous articles featuring different voices of stakeholders in Fort Frances who are working to find a solution.
Caul said when they received the money they knew it had to go towards the town’s vulnerable population.
“We thought the best use of it right now would be for helping out our homelessness initiative in town in trying to get a shelter going before winter,” Caul said. “We had a struggle last winter. I know it was a hard job to try and find a secure place where the homeless could be sheltered and by the time it was found out that we had a place it was getting a little bit later in the winter.”
Caul said RRDSSAB will deicide how they will distribute the money to cover the cost of running the Out of the Cold shelter.
“We will leave them the money to use however they see fit to try and secure a place for the winter. We did not specify whether they will use it for some of the repairs that are needed or whether they will use it towards staffing or food,” Caul said.
“RRDSSAB has been working very hard in trying to get some different funding measures involving the various different aspects of homelessness – those who are completely homeless, those who are couch surfing, those who are finding it difficult to make ends meet. They are in the process of trying to figure out what they will do with the money that we provided, as well as what they have been able to secure themselves.”
Further clarifications on how the donation will be used were sought from RRDSSAB but none were provided as of press time.
About one month ago, Caul and Councillor Andrew Hallikas decided to sit on the homelessness committee chaired by Jamie Petrin from RRDSSAB to find a lasting solution to homelessness – an issue that has been a hot topic for the past few years.
Caul said the goal of the homelessness committee is trying to find a way to take care of Fort Frances’ homeless population on a yearly basis.
“It is one thing to house people in the winter, but they really need a place full time as far as I’m concerned,” Caul said. “Securing a place like that is paramount in trying to help the homeless even in the summer so that there isn’t an issue that arises where they are being housed and where residents are living.”
Caul said public help in the form of money and food donations are welcome because the homelessness committee and RRDSSAB are looking to offer all-encompassing help to the town’s homeless population.
