Abbotsford homeless advocates struggling with burn out after long winter

A long, gruelling winter is taking its toll on homeless advocates in Abbotsford, B.C. as the city braces for another winter storm tonight.

Pastor Jesse Wegenast is with the 5 and 2 Ministries and a harm reduction coordinator.

The city opened up a temporary 40-bed emergency winter shelter in early December, but it's been operating at over capacity in recent weeks. 

"We're seeing overcrowding. Sometimes we're getting 200 per cent of our allocated guests, and of course, we're not turning people away," said Wegenast.

This winter the emergency shelter set a record in the Fraser Valley for being open 40 consecutive nights in a row, he said.

Volunteers have been driving around the city looking for vulnerable people and making sure they have shelter during the dangerously cold temperatures.

"It's too cold ... Abbotsford is a huge geographic area so they are picking up people from all over the city and making sure they get inside," Wegenast explained.

He said the prolonged cold weather has put a tremendous strain on the resources and staff.

"You always run the risk of compassion fatigue when you have so many people who are putting out their time and their work ... It can put a lot of emotional and physical strain on folks," he said.

The storm forecast for tonight will not make matters easier, but Wegenast says his staff will find a way. 

"We book cabs when we have to, even though it costs a little more. We give people rides. We try and recruit people with four by fours to get up and down hills to get staff in. There's a lot of tired folks, lot of tired staff and volunteers looking forward to a reprieve from this."

Ward Draper, another pastor with 5 and 2 Ministries, estimated in January there are 100 people in the city who sleep outdoors.

With files from The Early Edition

To listen to the interview, click on the link labelled Abbotsford homeless advocates suffer burn out after long winter