An Orillia homeless shelter that has only served men is looking to expand.
Right now women and families have nowhere to go, but that could soon change. The Lighthouse Christian Ministries run a men's shelter and plan to buy land just outside the downtown to build a much bigger facility.
The plan, dubbed “Building Hope,” includes an emergency shelter for men, women and families. There would be mental health beds monitored 24/7, affordable housing units, counseling for addictions and mental health, and a soup kitchen.
"We want to create a safe place, where people can come find shelter and help those people take that step to wellness," says Linda Goodall of Lighthouse.
Last night, the project got the much needed financial backing from council. The city will loan the Lighthouse $450,000 to buy the land. The loan is interest free and must be re-paid in five years.
“We've identified a number of social issues we have in the community and this is one of those projects that will help alleviate some of those issues we have,” says Orillia Mayor Steve Clark.
The entire project is expected to cost between $4-million and $6-million. The Lighthouse is also reaching out to social services to help offer programs at the new shelter.
"At the moment, we're partnering with Canadian Mental Health for their crisis beds and we are looking at other possibilities to make it a hub model so we can serve so many more people," Goodall says.
Simcoe County has also provided a 35 thousand dollar grant for the project.
