Extreme weather shelter at Alliance Church (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

SHELTERS FULL

Kamloops shelters at capacity as mercury dips

Dec 20, 2022 | 4:20 PM

KAMLOOPS — As wind chill values in Kamloops are forecast to approach minus 40 overnight, emergency cold weather shelters are feeling the pinch. Across the city more than 200 beds are available for those experiencing homelessness, but it isn’t enough.

The Mustard Seed is operating two shelters in Kamloops, the Yacht Club and the extreme weather shelter at the Kamloops Alliance Church. Kelly Thomson, the managing director of the Kamloops Mustard Seed noted that some people are sleeping in chairs to stay warm as all the beds are taken.

“Our West Victoria street is all full, Yacht Club is all full, and the extreme weather shelters has been full since we opened on day one. So we have had 30 there and we have started to allow few additional people in chairs as well so people don’t have to be out in the cold,” said Thomson.

Thomson said that the other shelters in the city have also been above capacity and more beds are needed in Kamloops to support the most vulnerable.

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Along with providing the shelter spaces, the Mustard Seed is still in search of warm clothes, including boots.

“Warm clothing, toques, mittens, gloves, all those kinds of things, boots. Boots is something that is really hard, especially in size 11, 12, 13. There isn’t a lot of boots available in those sizes, we give them away out of our thrift shop all the time just to keep people warm as they need. The other thing too is hand warmers, foot warmers, those things really help,” added Thomson.