Delton Sylvain, manager of the Meadow Lake Homeplate Shelter Coalition Corp. He is also part of the Meadow Lake Outreach Ministries. (Submitted photo/ Delton Sylvain)

By Kenneth Cheung

WINTER SHELTER

‘It’s a community issue’: Shelter seeks community help to provide year-round support to vulnerable group

Oct 24, 2024 | 6:00 AM

Meadow Lake Homeplate Shelter Coalition Corp. is seeking additional funding and more community volunteers to provide year-round support for vulnerable groups.

“It is a community issue, and not just a shelter problem,” said Delton Sylvain, shelter manager.

A PiT (Point-in-Time) Count on housing and homelessness issues was conducted in the community recently and revealed that quite a number of people are struggling with homelessness.

The operating expenses of the shelter are funded by the City of Meadow Lake, Meadow Lake Tribal Council and local businesses and residents who have donated. The province also contributes funds that will allow the shelter to offer 17 beds for those who need it this winter.

Sylvain emphasized that while the winter season is critical, the need for support persists throughout the year.

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“The shelter is not a chicken coop. It’s more than that. It is not just that because sometimes people can think of a shelter just as a place where people go to sleep. We are talking about human people. We’re talking about people that went through traumas; therefore, they need a special place,” he said.

Sylvain speaks from experience. He said he came from a broken family and at one point was on the streets himself.

“When I was at the orphanage, I remember that I had a structure I had support. I had people willing to listen to me. I had people who, despite my past, loved me. They care for me, so being able to do that now in a shelter to me is like turning into an emotional thing. I cry about it because I feel happy that I can give what I received when I was younger.”

He wants to see more programming available for clients. With stability he said, comes a reduction in crime and addictions.

“It doesn’t matter if you give them $1 million, they need support, they need help because right now our people, our homeless people on the street, are dehumanized.”

“That’s why they eat on the floor. That’s why they don’t care if they have clean clothes because trauma has been punishing them so much that they don’t perceive themselves as humans anymore. They need as much help as possible, and we have to stop this stigmatization.”

Despite the coalition’s dedication, Sylvain said financial constraints are limiting the shelter’s potential. So, while they continue to seek funding and donations, they’re also asking community members to volunteer their time and skills.

“Stop thinking about money, if you know how to teach someone how to read. If you know art, come and let’s have an event for the homeless people.”

“Let’s try to talk to them and pay attention because none of us, like nobody, has the same background. So, once we see it and understand or at least listen to people’s backgrounds, we do have a better understanding of what’s going on, why things are the way they are, and then maybe people will be more willing to help out,” Delton said.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

KC/NN