The Downtown Mission has increased its shelter beds for the first time since COVID-19 – CBC

City and Mission to open warming centre to help growing need

Dec 12, 2022

For the first time since COVID-19 hit, the Downtown Mission has added more overnight shelter beds. It will also open a warming centre to better accommodate a rising need in the community.

Ahead of colder months, the Downtown Mission said it has added a dozen more overnight beds, bringing its total up to 96 spots, and it has eight more tables in its dining room. Before COVID-19, the Mission had 103 beds.

It also plans to open a warming centre on Dec. 19 between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., where 30 people will be able to come in and grab a seat to get in from the cold. The Mission said it is opening this space in partnership with the City of Windsor.

“There is an increase in people utilizing shelter this year … we’ve been full almost every night since September,” said Matt Johnson, the Downtown Mission’s director of programs and services. He added that this peak is happening earlier in the year than usual.

“With the increased need, increased capacity was a must.”

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/downtown-mission-shelter-beds-1.6676287