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Inn from the Cold has been helping people since 1999, but soon they may be without a location to house them.
The building that houses that facility was sold earlier this year, and no new location has been found. If a replacement location is not secured within 30 days, the people who take refuge at the shelter could find themselves back on the streets.
The facility's operators are scouring the Kelowna region for a temporary space to house it 45 homeless citizens, saying that if they are unsuccessful in their quest that the population of people "living rough" will jump by nearly 25%.
"We don't need anything fancy," Inn from the Cold's executive director, Jan Schulz, said at a press conference today. "An open warehouse or hall-type location would be perfect for us."
“While possible locations have surfaced, the owners of the space are reluctant to lease to us once they realize we shelter the homeless,” reports Schulz.
Schulz understands the hesitancy, but counters with ‘good neighbour protocols’ the Inn has developed, affirming that “the Inn recognizes the need to minimize impact on the surrounding community and is prepared to do whatever it takes to be a good neighbor.”
Anyone who thinks they can assist in finding a new location for Inn from the Cold is asked to email Schulz at jan@innfromthecoldkelowna.org.
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