Cold snap creates new struggle for Saint John's homeless

The art of surviving the streets of Saint John will be tested severely today by a frigid air mass from which there is no all-day protection for the homeless. 

"I don't know any place that's open 24 hours for people to come in out of the cold," said Shelly McCready, community ministries co-ordinator for the Salvation Army.

The city's two overnight emergency shelters both require that visitors leave by 8 a.m.

Thus begins the necessary shuffle, among various social programs, to try to piece together three square meals and places to stay warm.

Environment Canada said the air mass would begin to move across New Brunswick on Thursday night, producing wind chill temperatures below –35 early Friday. 

Gift cards and extended hours

The Outflow Men's Shelter will be handing out gift cards to Tim Hortons on Friday to help some clients fill the gap before the breakfast programs start. 

Many don't begin until 9:30 a.m.

That applies to the Hope Cafe, run by the Salvation Army. Normally closed by noon, Friday's cold snap will likely lead to extended hours.  

"We'll probably stay open as late as 4 a.m.," said McCready. "Our volunteers may not be there serving, but that's OK. It may just be self-serve." 

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McCready, who has been working with the marginalized in Saint John for the past seven years, keeps a meticulous chart of where people can go for shelter and food. 

She's compiled a list of community suppers, coffee drop-ins and various other programs that open at different times of the day, week and month.  

Bending the rules

The most consistent of them all is the Romero House Soup Kitchen. 

It serves people every day of the year, from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Evelyn McNulty, the executive director of Romero House, says she'll bend those rules when it's extra cold. 

But she says that can create a new set of problems.

"Even here, when people hang around for too many hours, then trouble starts," she said.

"So people go out in the malls and oftentimes get the run put to them because they're perceived as loitering."

"But really, I'm not sure where they're supposed to go." 

"It's a lot of hours to fill."

Weekends remain a problem

Weekends present their own set of problems because many services are closed. 

The Coverdale Centre for Women will arrange to open Saturdays but only when the temperature dips below -10 C. 

And the Safe Harbour Youth Centre, which closed for lack of funding nearly a year ago, isn't scheduled to reopen until March.