New drop-in centre for Fredericton homeless prepared to stay open until end of March
The Phoenix Learning Centre has seen more than 1,300 visits since it opened in October
A new drop-in centre for Fredericton's homeless has been extended to stay open another four months.
The Phoenix Learning Centre, which was only expected to be open until Dec. 4, will continue operating until the end of March thanks to an increase in funding.
"It's like a little home for them in the daytime," said Scott Earle, coordinator at the Phoenix Learning Centre.
"It gives them a sense of stability."
And the facility on Woodstock Road has been expanding its efforts.
When you come out of there, your heart's full.- Scott Earle, coordinator at the Phoenix Learning Centre
Earle said the Centre is now open on weekends, meaning it will operate seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Earle said organizers are hopeful to eventually extend hours into the evening.
COVID-19 guidelines, with closures and tightened restrictions around safe places to get out of the elements, forced the homeless community to stay on the streets .
'Staying there forever'
Since opening in October, Earle said the Centre has seen more than 1,300 visits with plenty of room for guests.
"We are working toward the goal of staying there forever," he said.
Thirty-one people are allowed inside the drop-in centre at one time. Some people stay all day, while others come for a meal and leave.
The facility sees about 36 people a day.
They spend the day watching movies, playing games, painting. Some volunteer to clean the facility and the grounds around it throughout the day.
"When you come out of there, your heart's full," Earle said.
COVID-19 causes increase in homelessness
COVID-19 has caused an uptick in people relying on local food programs in New Brunswick's capital.
Cassandra Blackmore, executive director of Fredericton Community Kitchens Inc., said about 100 people rely on its meal program each day.
"It's been partly due to the pandemic," said Blackmore.
She said some people have lost their jobs and services aren't as readily available as they used to be.
"It's hard times."
The program has been delivering 70 meals twice a day to the Phoenix Learning Centre.
Before COVID-19, guests would eat their meals at the Fredericton Community Kitchen, just up the road on Brunswick Street. But the facility didn't have enough room to allow for physical distancing.
"We knew takeout through the winter at -30 C was not a great option."
And before the fall partnership, Blackmore was struggling to find a location where guests could receive meals in a spaced out area.
"It was keeping me up at night."
Now, Blackmore said she's hopeful it will continue throughout the winter.
"It really provided us an option for those guests that really don't have anywhere to go."
'Moving Heaven and Earth'
The Fredericton Community Kitchen has also seen a huge influx in volunteers. Before the pandemic hit, there were many seniors in their eighties volunteering. Now, she said university students have filled that void.
"You never know what's going to happen, especially in the charity industry," Blackmore said. "We will move heaven and earth.
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