Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

COLD WEATHER RESPONSE

United Way BC cold weather preparedness grants put to use in Kamloops

Feb 18, 2025 | 4:49 PM

KAMLOOPS — The latest cold spell has begun to ease off, but winter isn’t over yet. Several non-profits in Kamloops and around the province have been using grant money from United Way BC to help people endure the cooler weather.

When temperatures drop, it’s not just shelter space people facing housing instability require, which is why United Way BC began doling out Cold Weather Preparedness Grants at the start of the winter season.

Kristi Rintoul, United Way BC’s director of community and investment, says the organization started distributing funds back in November of 2024, with a goal of bolstering cold weather response resources.

“Making sure that [those in need] have access to essential services and supports like even toques and mitts and food and boots and jackets and sleeping bags — just in case they are having to survive outside in the elements during these cold temperatures.”

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United Way was tapped by BC’s Emergency Management Ministry to distribute the money to more than a dozen agencies in B.C., and says so far it’s been well utilized. Rintoul says having an in-person presence in communities helps them decide how to equitably distribute funding.

“We have staff in communities across the province who work really closely with those community partners and charities and municipalities and First Nations to make sure that folks who need the funding and need the resources are getting it.”

The Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society, the Mustard Seed and BGC Kamloops were among local recipients, granted $10,000 apiece. Marketing and Development Coordinator Alison Bowman says BGC used the funding for youth outreach and drop-in centres in Kamloops and Williams Lake.

“For this, we were using the money to purchase more cold-weather-specific items — socks, underwear, hoodies, sweatpants, fingerless gloves and little heat warmers for the hands. These are things that are in high demand this time of year,” she says.

The items were added to BGC’s Necessity Nook, which is a pantry-style program offering basic essentials to teens and young adults.

“With the cold weather, we’re seeing about 25 youth and kids per week but that can go up or down. We average about 100 hampers per month but this was able to help us outside of food to be able to clothe the youth,” explains Bowman. “And we’re not done the cold weather yet, we still know that there could be another cold snap coming up so we are purchasing more supplies to have on hand.”

Citing similar experiences of caregivers encouraging teenagers to put on a coat or boots in the winter, Bowman says being able to purchase new, warm clothing that youth actually want to wear has been making a big difference.

“This is the first time in a number of years where we have been able to offer such a wide variety of clothing for the youth who need it,” adds Bowman.