Carmichael Outreach to open warming shelter all winter long

Steps are being taken to ensure that nobody in Regina is left out in the cold this winter.

Carmichael Outreach is opening its door all night to provide a warming shelter. This time, it will be all winter long.

Winter is coming and many people are living in tents throughout the inner city. Charlene Netowaysin is concerned about them.

“Take our beautiful people, look listen right there and then just put them up in a nice roof. because it's raining and it's going to snow,” she said.

Carmichael Outreach has secured federal and city funding to operate an overnight warming shelter from now until the end of April.

"People can come in and pretty much warm up, stay as long as you need. There's going to be tables and chairs set up if anybody need to sit down and relax for a little bit and get warm. We're going to be having coffee on all night," Chrysta Garner said.

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The shelter is just one of several services available to people living on the street. Deb and Val are two Craven residents who distribute socks, mitts, and snacks from the back of their vehicle.

“We just do it on our own,” Val said. “We’re not with any society or anything like that.”

Connections made are bearing results. Eric Poorman lost his belongings in a recent house fire. Carmichael Outreach and Gentle Road Church of Christ quickly got him back on his feet.

“Carmichael is being pretty good,” he said. “They’re offering me clothing, stuff that I lost so it’s very helpful and people here are nice so it’s working out good and especially my church too, they’re helping me out with beds and stuff like that.”

Overnight supports aren’t just a winter need. Some folks have been living outdoors all summer. Carmichael hopes that some day, the winter warming shelter can become a year-round service.