KAWARTHA LAKES- Officials at A Place Called Home say the last few years have been challenging.
The pandemic forced them to move from the home that served as the only emergency homeless shelter for the City of Kawartha Lakes and the County of Haliburton for over the past 25 years.
“The arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic forced the agency to make some seriously tough decisions when they were unable to meet the mandated Covid-19 restrictions.” said a press release from the organization.
In March of 2020, staff and clients of A Place Called Home tentatively moved into the Knight’s Inn Motel to meet Covid-19 social distancing requirements. Shortly after moving into the hotel the Board of A Place Called Home made the decision to build a new shelter and embarked on the agency’s biggest fundraiser they had ever endeavoured in an attempt to raise 1.5 million dollars to build a new “purpose” built shelter.
In June of 2022, the shelter staff and clients moved into their brand new and much larger shelter. Renovations to the old shelter buildings and to their newly acquired transitional house were completed, offering clients leaving the shelter with new stable, and more affordable housing options.
“With the organization securely housed and the addition of their new transitional and permanent housing units, the agency is looking towards building a positive and sustainable future to support those experiencing homelessness in the community.” continued the press release.
To accomplish this new vision, the agency says it will need to develop a new five-year strategic plan and applied to the Community Services Recovery Fund (CSRF) for funding in February 2023. The Community Services Recovery Fund is a $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support community service organizations, including charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies, as they adapt and modernize their organizations. The Community Services Recovery Fund is being delivered through three National Funders – Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada, and United Way Centraide Canada. A Place Called Home announced today it has been funded $29,450.
Jen Lopinski, Fund Development Coordinator at A Place Called Home states: “The Community Services Recovery Fund (CSRF) has given our agency an incredible opportunity to create a new strategic plan, built on valued feedback from our clients, our staff, our board, community partners and based on the needs of the homeless. We are so grateful to receive this greatly needed funding that will provide our organisation with the essential tools to build a strong foundation for a successful future for our both the clients that we serve and our community. Thank you!”
To learn more about the services A Place Called Home provides, please visit: https://www.apch.ca/
