The Lighthouse Serving the Battlefords. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Tyler Marr

HELP THE HOMELESS

Capitol Theatre, Lighthouse partner on fundraiser for World Homelessness Day

Sep 30, 2019 | 6:06 PM

People who suffer from occasional or chronic homelessness often have very specific individual housing needs as they struggle with mental health, addictions and exhibit anti-social behaviour.

This can make it that much more difficult for individuals to fit into what housing is available and makes shelters like The Lighthouse valuable for many in the Battlefords.

“I think we need to continue to be creative by meeting with local agencies and brainstorming how to accommodate individual issues which we are doing but there is always more work do,” Kerry Reimer said.

Reimer is the co-manager of The Lighthouse, which will be on the receiving end of a fundraiser on Oct. 10 for World Homelessness Day. The Capitol Theatre will screen the documentary Us and Them, with half of the money from ticket sales going to the shelter, alongside dollars raised through raffles that evening.

While The Lighthouse has cultivated valuable partnerships with local grocers, the food bank and several other community organizations, every dollar received is vital, more so as there is no core funding for shelters in Saskatchewan. He said the organization would like to expand many of its services, like case management, but struggles to find additional dollars.

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“It is an ongoing struggle to get funding just to do the very basics that we do,” Reimer said. “Each year we are seeking and struggling to find that [funding] and when we don’t get what we feel is necessary to serve the people, they suffer.”

The Lighthouse can house 45 people and Reimer said they are at capacity about 70 per cent of the time. He said they rarely turn people away and go above and beyond to find a place to put people internally or externally.

He said new faces are always coming through the centre looking for a bed. As the cost of food and other necessities continue to rise, more and more pressure is placed on the pocketbook oh households, Reimer said.

“Any little blip in their financial radar will put them out on the street and into our facility or other agencies hands,” he added.

He wished policy around donating food was simpler and greater specialized social housing could be developed to help remedy the growing situation.

Reimer hopes World Homelessness Day encourages people to take time to explore why homelessness happens, especially here in the Battlefords.

“Battlefords has a unique context but a lot of the answers are in the movie and people need to be educated about the local context,” he said. “Many First Nation historical traumas play into why we have this many homeless in this particular area.”

The screening will take place at 7 p.m. at the Annex. Tickets are available online.

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tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr