The Portage la Prairie Bear Clan Patrol is expanding its services, while pitching in to fill part of the void left by the loss of local community service.

Funding of the community shelter in Portage la Priaire was not renewed and its downtown doors closed at the end of August. The local Bear Clan organization, in partnership with the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network, has since opened a two-bedroom apartment in the northeast end of the city that includes a shower, washer and dryer that less-fortunate members of the community will have access to.

"This was a service that was much-needed and much-used in our city, so with it closing we tried to assess what we could do to help step up and fill that gap in," said Manon Timshel, coordinator of the Portage la Prairie Bear Clan.

The southern Manitoba city, which is located about 80 kilometres west of Winnipeg, has been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both its houseless and precariously-house populations have increased, said Timshel.

She said there aren't even any city-operated public washroom facilities to use in the downtown area.

The Portage la Prairie Regional Library is having their washrooms renovated and at times local businesses have restricted washroom access to the public.

Timshel, who is also a paramedic, says she appreciated there was somewhere other than the Portage District General Hospital's ER where people could go to just get a good night's sleep when the shelter was open.

Now that it's closed, and with the threat of a fourth wave of the pandemic on Manitoba's horizon, plus increased drug use in Portage, she is more concerned than ever about the city's less fortunate.

"The truth is that community shelter barely scratched the needs of the surface of Portage. It's no secret that we are seeing huge problems with methamphetamine use and houselessness for quite some time," said Timshel.

"I think COVID-19 has really brought those things to the forefront and Portage Bear Clan has and will continue to try and bring awareness to the people it's impacting most, and offer non-judgmental, non-violent crime-prevention and crime-reduction support."

She says everyone deserves a safe place to receive care and to know that they are cared for, and hopes the Portage Bear Clan will be able to continue to provide that.

And Timshel is thankful for generation donations like the recent $1,500 in hygiene products the Great Canadian Dollar Store recently provided the organization with.

"Offering those other needs and services is something that we're hoping [will] really make a difference and help people get back on their feet," said Timshel.

The Portage Bear Clan will continue to work closely with the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network to best identify the needs of the most vulnerable people in the city, she said.

Drop-in services are currently available on Wednesday and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.