I posted this over at the Salvation Army Community Centre’s blog and I thought I would link to it here. There has been a lot of media reports about guys who are sleeping outside in –40 below weather. I know some of them personally and the guys do have options for places to sleep. If they are sober, they can stay here. If not, there is Larson House (or even the city cells). If for some reason, we can’t house them, we provide them other places to stay. Not only that but Social Services is trying to help them as well.
It’s frustrating because when I talk to them, we explain all of this to them. Guys listen, tell me how much they appreciate us but say, “I’m not really ready to come indoors yet.” There has been a lot of articles written on the need of a wet shelter but I am not even sure if that would deal with this problem. I think it isn’t so much a shelter problem as it is an issue with the mental health system. Either way it seems to be a growing problem.
