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Safe Harbour Society says it has only 2 weeks to find new location for temporary homeless shelter

Published

4 years ago

7 minute read

From the Safe Harbour Society

Safe Harbour is committed to building a safe and healthy community.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Safe Harbour Crew, we would like to thank all of you who have reached out to us to express your concern and support in regards to council’s decision on March 29th to not extend our zoning for our temporary shelter.
To all of the families and friends of the people we serve, we want to tell you that we are committed to serving your loved ones and we will continue to do all we can to honour that commitment although our capacity may be severely reduced.
Although council has given us two months to find a new location, in reality we only have two weeks. There are no areas zoned in the city for this type of service and that process generally takes six weeks. Right now we are trying to identify possible locations that will meet the public health and COVID requirements and is inclusive of the needs of the community. We will present our findings to the city for their initial approval as soon as possible.
“For the past 19 years Safe Harbour Society has been helping to build a safe and healthy community. The overwhelming complex health needs of the people we serve, combined with the continual temporary facilities we’ve had to operate from, challenge us tremendously,” said Kath Hoffman, executive director of the Safe Harbour Society.
Our shelter serves the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and sons and daughters of our community who are experiencing homelessness and struggling with addiction. The Mustard Seed welcomes people who are sober and starting their journey of recovery. The two of us work very closely together to ensure we have enough shelter spaces to meet the needs of the community.
“As a physician with over 30 years of experience, I have seen that the people we serve in the shelter have complex medical and mental health needs,” said Dr. Michael Mulholland Physician, lead of Safe Harbour’s Medically Supported Detox Program. “Moving shelter services away from where this population is will not help us to address these complex social and medical issues or make an easy transition to stable housing and recovery.”
During the day our skilled staff operate a drop-inprogram where they connect people with housing, health services, medically supported detox, referrals to addiction treatment, a cultural connection and outreach support. Our guests also have access to bathrooms, showers, storage and laundry space.
Currently the program:
Welcomes 100 to 120 people per day on average for drop-in services. If we are unsuccessful in finding another location the drop-inservice will no longer exist
· On average every day 15 to 20 people utilize the day-sleep program. If we are unsuccessful in our attempts to find a new location this program will no longer exist
· The shelter offers overnight sleep to 50 to 60 people. If we are unsuccessful in our attempt, we may be able to accommodate eight to 10 people in our main building
· Our main building has space that was converted to a detox isolation space during COVID. We would have to send those people to the hospital for that care in order to use the space to shelter eight to 10people.
· The shelter program has a 24-hour two-member Paladin security team that will be lost to the community.
“We understand completely the frustrations of the downtown business community and it is important for us to explain the impact that moving this shelter will have not only on the people we serve but on the general community,” said Buzz Vander Vliet, board chair at Safe Harbour Society.
If we can’t find another location:
· There will be 100 to 120 people a day on average with no where else to be and 50 people on average every night who won’t have a safe place to sleep.
· There will be an increased demand on our critical RCMP and EMS services
· There will be no bathrooms in the area.
· There will be no place for concerned citizens to refer people to that they see in distress.
· There will be no harbour of safety for the people on the street who are in danger or fleeing a violent situation and we can’t reassure families that their loved ones are being watched over and connected to resources and medical support.
“The Central Albertans who use our services and their families remind us daily how much more there is to do. Our local medical professionals and partner agencies are as committed as we are to improving the health and housing outcomes for this highly stigmatized group of people”, said Colleen Markus, program manager of shelter services at Safe Harbour.
In closing, we want to especially thank the teams in the Ministry of Community Social Services, the Ministry of Seniors and Housing, Alberta Health Services, and our local medical professionals. They all have been steadfast in their efforts to ensure support of this shelter service not only for the people we serve at Safe Harbour, but for all Albertans who have loved ones lost in the world of addiction.
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Community

100+ Women Who Care Red Deer celebrates 10th season in 2025 with new leadership

Published on November 27, 2024

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L to R: Cindy Jefferies, Susan Knopp, Lane Tomalty, Bre Fitzpatrick
Photo credit: The SnapHappy Photographer

After a decade of leadership under Cindy Jefferies and Susan Knopp, 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer (100+ WWCRD) is proud to celebrate 10 years of supporting local charities and the announcement of Bre Fitzpatrick and Lane Tomalty as its new co-leaders. This marks an exciting new chapter for the group, which has made a significant impact on not-for-profit organizations in Central Alberta.

Cindy and Susan have led 100+ WWCRD with vision, dedication, and a commitment to empowering women to lead and inspire change. Under their stewardship, the organization has raised over $630,000 for local charities by hosting 4 annual 1-hour meetings. Since 2015, more than 36 local charities have received funding through the group.

Reflecting on their tenure, Cindy and Susan stated:

“Leading 100 Women has been an honour and a privilege. When we began this journey, we didn’t know where it would go – we simply loved the simple, elegant, and fun ‘100 Who Care’ concept and thought it was a great fit for our community. We are grateful to the many women who have stood with us. They are the magic of the organization! We are confident Bre and Lane will steward this leadership role well and we look forward to supporting it – just not from behind the microphone!”

Bre and Lane bring a dynamic energy and fresh perspective to the organization. Both have been involved with the group and have been mentored by Susan and Cindy over the past year. They are eager to continue the collaboration, connection, and local support this team of women have established in Red Deer.

In their joint statement, Bre and Lane shared:

“We are humbled to step into this role and build on the incredible foundation Cindy and Susan have laid. Many needs are at the doorstep of our community and in the hearts and minds of our members. We know a powerful, caring, and united group of individuals can play a huge role in driving change and breaking barriers.

To celebrate this milestone and leadership transition, the 100+ WWCRD hosted the final meeting of 2024 on November 25th at the Red Deer Golf and Country Club. The evening featured reflections from Cindy and Susan, the selection of the Salvation Army as the charity of choice, an opportunity for members to connect with Bre and Lane as they outline their vision for the organization’s next chapter, and a toast to 10 years.

For more information, please visit www.100womenreddeer.ca

About 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer

100+ Women Who Care Red Deer is a network of compassionate, empowered, and dedicated women who make a direct, immediate, and positive impact in Red Deer and area. We support local non-profit and charitable organizations that work every day to make our community a better place to live. 100% of funds donated go to the selected charities – there are no
administration fees, and all costs are covered by the generosity of sponsors. Collectively, we make a difference.

The group meets 4 times annually for 1 hour. Non-profit and charitable organizations are nominated by members. After hearing 3 randomly drawn pitches, the members vote to select their top choice. The group with the highest number of votes receives the members’ donations. Each member or team commits to donating $100 at each meeting. Since 2015, the average raised has been more than $15,000 per meeting.

Membership is open to all women In Red Deer and area. We invite you to join us! The first meeting of 2025 will be on Monday, February 3, 2025.

Founded in February 2015, the organization currently has about 150 members. We are committed to uniting this powerful group of 100+ women who care and lifting the amazing non-profits and charitable groups they support.

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Community

Festival of Trees tickets on sale! Update from the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation

Published on October 28, 2024

By

Festival of Trees tickets are on sale now! Get ’em while they’re hot!
If you want to taste all the flavors at Festival of Wines & Spirits, experience the enchantment of Mistletoe Magic, or treat your family to a morning of fun at Festival Pajama Breakfast, it’s time to buy your tickets!

Learn all about Festival of Trees and purchase your tickets at reddeerfestivaloftrees.ca!

Red Deer Regional Health Foundation Announces Cath Lab Opening 5 Years Ahead of Schedule
The Red Deer Regional Health Foundation, in collaboration with AHS, is proud to announce the fast-tracked opening of a Cardiac Catheterization Lab (Cath Lab) at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre. With a permanent facility scheduled for completion in five years, this critical fixture will allow for care on an accelerated timeline, offering life-saving cardiac care to the residents of Central Alberta.

Manon Therriault, CEO of the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation, emphasized the significance of this development. “In cardiac care, time isn’t just money—it’s muscle. The earlier patients receive treatment, the better their chances of recovery. This Cath Lab, coming approximately five years earlier than expected, could save up to 160 lives.”

The Cath Lab, which will be housed in a retrofitted space within the current hospital, will allow local cardiac patients to receive urgent care in Red Deer instead of requiring transfers to hospitals in Calgary or Edmonton. In the future, the lab will be transformed into a cutting-edge Vascular and Neurology Lab, going above and beyond the broader Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre Redevelopment Project, which represents a $1.8 billion investment—the largest hospital expansion in Alberta’s history. The ability to support projects of this importance would not be possible without our donors.

The Red Deer Regional Health Foundation is providing financial support for the essential architectural, mechanical, and electrical upgrades. “This Cath Lab represents an immediate leap forward in improving local healthcare. We’re not waiting to make a difference in the lives of Central Albertans,” said Therriault.

“Through this Memorandum of Understanding with our Foundation partners, we’re underscoring our commitment to enhancing the cardiac care available at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre,” says Karen Foudy, AHS Senior Operating Officer for Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre. “By establishing an interim catheterization laboratory, we will be able to provide a new service to patient’s years ahead of the completion of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre Redevelopment Project which will help reduce the need for cardiac patients to travel to other facilities.

This will also support our efforts to recruit and retain the talented healthcare professionals needed to provide care every day to our patients.”

Women Leading Philanthropy Event Supports Mothers Through the EMBRACE Program
On October 9th, Women Leading Philanthropy (WLP) hosted an invigorating gathering of 60

attendees, all coming together for a meaningful evening in support of the EMBRACE program.

The event highlighted WLP’s dedication to empowering women and making a difference in the

lives of those who need it most.

The EMBRACE program is a vital initiative aimed at supporting women with a history of

substance use during pregnancy. EMBRACE stands for Empowering Mothers and Families,

Mentorship, Building Healthy Relationships, Respect, Actively Listening and Learning,

Collaboration, and Engagement. At the heart of the program is a collaborative care approach,

ensuring that mothers receive comprehensive support throughout pregnancy and into the

postpartum period. The ultimate goal is to empower these mothers to be the primary caregivers

for their babies, equipping them with the tools and confidence they need to thrive.

During the evening, a guest speaker moved the audience with personal stories of her own

journey and that of another mother’s experience with EMBRACE. She shared how the program

had been a source of strength and guidance during some of the most difficult moments in their

lives, underscoring the powerful impact of community support.

As part of the fundraising efforts, EMBRACE totes—special bags given to mothers during their

stay in the hospital—were auctioned off. Each tote is filled with approximately $100 worth of

essential items for both mother and baby, including personal hygiene and comfort items, snacks,

things to pass the time in the hospital, and baby necessities like sleepers, sleep sacks, and

soothers.

Looking ahead, WLP is excited to grow its membership and continue selecting impactful causes

to support. The energy and passion shared at events like this are a testament to the power of

collective philanthropy.

Reflecting on the event, WLP member Sara Gerrard shared, “Being part of a group that

empowers women through philanthropy is incredibly rewarding. Events like ‘Connect for a

Cause’ in support of the EMBRACE program not only showcase the collective impact we can

have but also inspire us to strive for even greater change. Together, we’re making a difference,

one initiative at a time.”

With such a strong start, WLP is eager to see what the future holds as they continue to engage

in meaningful causes and strengthen their impact on the community.

VIEW OUR IMPACT REPORT

Red Deer Regional Health Foundation raises and disburses funds for programs, services, and the purchase of medical equipment for the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre and other health centres in Central Alberta.

Click here to view a list of some of the equipment recently funded by our generous donors.
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