THUNDER BAY -- Shelter House needs the city's help to keep going.
Acting executive director Brad King told city council Tuesday night that the organization is in dire financial need and only has reserves until around August. The only shelter for women who aren't fleeing domestic violence, the only youth shelter and the only shelter that will let people in if they're using substances, King said it's now normal to be at 122 per cent capacity on any given night.
Even then, Shelter House has already seen three deaths this year.
Running a skeleton crew of staff already, King said without an extra $188,000 for Shelter House included in this year's city budget, it'll be forced to either throw people out during the day, stop it's SOS program or end it's managed alcohol program. For every dollar spent on those programs, King said there's up to $1.22 in savings somewhere else from the emergency room to the police station.
"None of them are good," he said of what program could be cut. "It’s like choosing which limb to amputate.”
Board chair Ryan McDonnell said they're exploring other funding partners along with a development officer constantly looking for new donors.
"We know you're not the only answer to our problems,” he said.
But in the meantime, they need the city's help through its community funding program to get by.
Council voted to include the ask in a budget options package. Deliberations begin Thursday.
