An initiative called Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy is giving over $1 million to agencies in Winnipeg that are helping end homelessness.
A call was put out by End Homelessness Winnipeg, alongside Service Canada and the Community Advisory Board for Reaching Home for agencies to fill out an application last month.
The idea of the application is to help these agencies in light of people experiencing homelessness on top of the winter weather and pandemic.
The following agencies have been awarded a total of $1,439,343 for this initiative:
- 1 Just City: Weekend Drop-in
- Agape Table: Food Distribution
- Ka Ni Kanichihk: 24/7 Safe Space and COVID-19 Community Response
- Life's Journey: Preventing Homelessness for Winnipeggers with Neurodiversities
- Main Street Project: COVID-19 Shelter Cleaning and Shelter Diversion Case Work
- Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itala Centre: Biindigen Drop-in
- Ndinawemaaganag Ednaawaad: Ndinawe's Community Response
- Oak Table: COVID-19 Response
- One88 Community Church: Community Program
- Rossbrook House: 24/7 Safe Space
- Salvation Army: Transport and Weetamah Daytime Drop-in
- Siloam Mission: Rapid Re-Housing Staff and Coordinator
- Spence Neighbourhood Association: COVID-19 Winter Emergency Response
- Union Gospel Mission: UGM Drop-in
- Wahbung Abinoonjiiag: COVID-19 Basic Needs for Women and Families
- Freedom House: Drop-in Centre
- West Central Women’s Resource Centre: Housing Supports for Women during COVID-19
"We know that homelessness prevention, shelter diversion and rapid re-housing will help to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 on homelessness in Winnipeg," said End Homelessness Winnipeg CEO, Lucille Bruce.
"By supporting this work, as well as drop-in spaces and basic needs for people experiencing homelessness, our community will be better able to weather the second wave of COVID-19," she says.
The federal government announced in September that a total of $236.7 million would be dispersed across Canada in this initiative.