Huron County is going to be reopening an emergency shelter for the cold weather season.
On November 15th, the county will reopen the Huron Out of the Cold: Heart to Home emergency shelter, located at Lakeshore United Church in Goderich. It will be able to accommodate up to 15 people a night, with meals provided, for the winter. The release states the shelter "offers wrap-around supports for homeless individuals in Huron County, including staff specially trained in trauma informed care, substance use, and mental health services." Since the shelter opened in 2020, 16 people have been successfully and permanently homed with help from the Heart to Home Stability Team.
For more information on Huron Out of the Cold: Heart to Home, including emergency shelter contacts, please visit http://www.HuronCounty.ca/housing.
“A variety of life circumstances can bring someone to be in crisis, without a place to call home. When this happens, people need support and they need shelter,” says Huron County Warden Glen McNeil.
“CMHA Thames Valley Addiction & Mental Health Services is pleased to continue its partnership with Huron County and Choices for Change for the next season of the Out of the Cold shelter. We continue to do this important work of providing safety and supports during the cold weather season to some of the most vulnerable individuals in our area,” says Lori Cribley Clark, Regional Manager of Rural Services Exeter and Goderich Sites, CMHA Thames Valley Addiction & Mental Health Services. “As a team, we work together to provide them a warm space and a meal while we work at building rapport and resources in hopes that their challenges may become fewer and successful housing a viable option for them in the future.”
“Choices for Change is pleased to work with our partners and the community to ensure the safety of the homeless population over the winter months,” says Catherine Hardman, Executive Director, Choices for Change: Alcohol, Drug & Gambling Counselling Centre. “This is a temporary solution to a long term and complex problem. It’s the responsibility of all citizens of a community to work towards permanent housing solutions to support our most vulnerable population.”
