By Chuck Bishop

THE PRESSING needs of some of society’s unfortunates brought several denominations together in Kamloops during this past winter.

The initiative to help the homeless will hopefully be continued next autumn. An auction is scheduled at the end of this month, to raise funds for a larger facility to house the needy.

Anglicans and Roman Catholics banded together to provide shelter for homeless friends and neighbours at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in the city’s downtown core.

“Volunteers from all denominations were welcomed,”said Louise Peters, Dean of the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior (formerly the Diocese of Cariboo) and rector of the cathedral.

“There were not only Catholics and Anglicans helping out, but also Baptists and Pentecostals – and people of no religious affiliation,”she told BCCN.

The cathedral was open to the homeless every Wednesday, from November until the end of March.

“Our facility for shelter has a capacity of 34 people,”she said, noting:“At one point in December, when it was 10 degrees celsius below zero, the shelter was full for eight days in a row.”  

Asked if the operation was deemed a success, she said: “People were housed when it was extremely cold. So that’s a success.”

She is hoping to see the program continue. “I’m sure it will be revived next fall. The program is welcome to stay in the cathedral.”

The cathedral became involved several months ago.

A successful Out of the Cold program was being run by  the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

But the facility was so over-taxed that the society was forced to find another location, and was led to St. Paul’s basement.

“We stepped up because it was brought to us, it was a need,”said Peters.  “We have the space and the cathedral committee and the community [considered this] a ministry we’d like to partner with.”

In this ecumenical ministry, the Anglican cathedral provided the space, some of the volunteers and some of the meals.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society managed overall delivery of the Out of the Cold program, and handled all arrangements for feeding, housing and caring for the homeless.

The program volunteers included a retired street nurse, who was the cathedral’s liaison person. Donors came from both faith communities.

There were not, however, always enough volunteers. The program needed people who could come from midnight to six or seven the next morning.

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“It takes 18 people – from set-up before opening to tear-down and clean up in the morning – to operate at this site,” said Le Roy Wells of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

This year’s program started November 21, serving five people. The next session saw 23 staying overnight; and by November 28, the building was full. One night that month, four people had to do without mattresses.

Some 50 percent of the neighbours being served were under 30, and about 20 percent of them were women.

“It gets pretty snug,” said Wells, speaking while the program was still operating. “People ring the door bell, we greet them and show them their bed. We feed them a supper – and most of them are into bed pretty early.”

He added that St. Paul’s “is so busy that we’re required to be out by 8 am the following morning; and it’s a bit difficult getting everybody served breakfast, getting them out and getting the place clean.”

Each morning, beds were disinfected before they were put away; sheets, blankets and pillow cases were washed every day.

“Cleanliness is very important, because the cathedral basement is also used for daycare and Sunday school,” Wells said.

“It’s essential to protect both our friends and our landlord, who’s given us the gift of this space.”

The immediate success of this year’s Out of the Cold program has created another challenge. “We need another spot,” said Wells. “We’re maxed out.”

Accordingly, an auction was held in late February. More than 65 people donated items such as refrigerators, stoves,  washing machines and dryers.  

Kozaris said the auction raised some $6,000.  “It was not as successful as I hoped,”he told BCCN.

The main problem, he said, was a lack of sufficient advertising. Consequently, he said, because of the lower attendance, “some people got some really good deals!”

However, he has hopes that the next auction – scheduled for May 30 – 31, will be more successful.

“Our job is to raise enough funds so we can buy a building,” said Kozaris. “We want to strengthen our Out of the Cold program, and we badly need a larger premises.”

For more details, or to volunteer, call 250-314- 0676.

Courtesy of Kamloops Diocesan News, with additional reporting by David F. Dawes.

May 2008