Volunteers are really making a difference in helping those who are in need. We are talking homeless people, poor, sick, disabled, children without parents…, the list is endless, so each volunteer, each day and each hour they give and provide the service, really helps those people and the cities to stay cleaner and a better place to live in.
Siloam Mission is expanding — and the organization is creating a women-only space in its new building that’s currently under construction. The shelter has 110 beds in the existing facility, but more are coming to the new centre, which will also feature a separate entrance solely for women.
An organization working to end homelessness in the city released a report about homeless people population in Winnipeg. The report compiled results of 406 interviews conducted between July and October of 2018 at emergency shelters and community agencies that serve people who are homeless.
“With the expansion, what we found is that we need more space for women, and dedicated space. So there will be a completely separate area for women,” Siloam’s Julianne Aitken said.
As part of the planning process, Siloam conducted surveys with people who use the shelter’s services, finding out what people liked, what they didn’t like and what they wished the facility had. But ultimately, Siloam is using the new facility as a means of continuing to build and develop relationships with its patrons.
Approximately 70 percent of the people we interviewed were of Indigenous descent. Nearly half of them had spent time in child protection services. The reports of mental health concerns were also very high, with 65 percent of respondents reporting they had been diagnosed with a mental illness during their lifetime.
Participants also shared information about how they access food, income and health services, how much sleep they get, and many other details of their daily lives.
To read the full report and for more information please visit a link below:
https://streetcensuswpg.ca/
Winnipeggers volunteer every day in many areas and on all possible levels. Especially big impact make groups of volunteers that join the movement.