By Spencer Sterritt

Nanaimo cold weather shelter staying open longer

Mar 28, 2017 | 12:06 PM

NANAIMO — The extreme cold weather shelter is staying open two weeks longer for the first time ever.

Shelter coordinator Kevan Griffith said they can afford to stay open in the bottom of the First Unitarian Church until April 14 instead of March 31 due to “fiscal responsibility and generous donations” from other churches and concerned citizens.

“We just really tightened our belts this year as far as looking for better deals. We were certainly helped out by our community partners,” he said.

The shelter is now listed as a cold weather shelter, which means the City of Nanaimo pays for it instead of the province. Griffith said their operations won’t change over the next two weeks.

He said in upcoming years, it’s hoped the shelter will be open as long as it’s needed without pulling resources or clients from other shelters.

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“I know it’s a stop gap Band-Aid measure, but you know what, to know that some of the toughest to house and most vulnerable are going to be okay for another 14 days makes my day. It makes my week, it’s actually going to make my year,” Griffith said.

spencer.sterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit