Addressing Homelessness in the Southeast
Vadim Kononov| October 3, 2024
In the last few years, homelessness has become much more prevalent in Canada in urban as well as rural areas such as Southeast Manitoba. In response, we are excited to announce the official launch of the funding campaign for The INN, Initiative for Neighbourly Nights Inc. We are so thankful for the many businesses that have already pledged their in-kind support as well as Hillside Construction coming on as General Contractor together with the Lisa Clark Design firm. We are also grateful for local contributors including three church fund-raisers as well as the Summer in the City, Worship in the City offering that has helped with our seed fund.
The INN will be a shelter for any adult from the Southeast area in need of immediate, safe, low-barrier, transitional housing. Our vision is to end homelessness in Steinbach and area, through a focus on prevention and diversion when safe to do so. In part, diversion means that any person from out of the Southeast region seeking help from The INN will be assisted in safely going back to where they came from. Guests of The INN will have a private room and access to support during the day and evenings. Rather than just a shelter in the winter, The INN is committed to being open 365 days of the year, because, simply put, everyone needs a home all year round. It is only with stable housing that people can focus on other needs they may have.
Guests of The INN will be encouraged to access daytime services through community agencies that provide housing, employment, mental health, addiction recovery, spiritual wellness, and any other needed support.
The strategies used by The INN are those endorsed by the evidenced-based Housing First model. Simply put, this means that people are welcomed in off the street and given a place to live until a permanent housing solution is found. Guests will have access to the building 24/7, and they will work together with staff and volunteers to help keep the neighborhood safe and clean.
Our hope is to have The INN built mortgage-free! We know it is possible when we ALL work together – churches, businesses, government, families, and individuals. We encourage anyone interested in helping with construction to contact Hillside Construction directly.
Homelessness does not mean hopelessness. When we all work together offering Help, Opportunities, Patience, and Encouragement, we can meet the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors. Let’s build The INN because it is what love requires.
