Miwasin Kikinow Shelter receives a $7,500 donation from the Battlefords Regional Community Coalition. (Austin Mattes/BattlefordsNOW Staff)

By Austin Mattes

Miwasin Kikinow Shelter

Local shelter gets big donation from BRCC

Sep 27, 2024 | 10:47 AM

According to Statistics Canada, more than 80 people die each year from exposure and hypothermia. It’s a stark reminder of why donations are so important to the Miwasin Kikinow Shelter in North Battleford that houses about 15 clients per night.

“Those numbers are going to be increasing,” said Pearl Little, the shelter’s assistant coordinator. “We can house 15 in men’s dorm, nine in the women’s dorm and we can accommodate more in the common. We are in desperate need of blankets, personal items, hygiene products, winter clothes, winter boots.”

A recent donation of $7,500 by the Battlefords Regional Community Coalition (BRCC) will go directly towards supporting those shelter needs.

“We’re basically running on funding and donations. We need funding just for everything. So, it’s good to finally see Miwasin Kikinow getting some support from anywhere. We appreciate anything that we can get,” said Little.

The BRCC was started six years ago as a partnership of Indigenous and municipal governments working together on various initiatives, projects, and programs to promote cultural awareness, social development, and economic growth.

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North Battleford Mayor David Gillan said since it started, the BRCC has been an important organization for the community.

“It’s been going on now six years and it’s a great organization. It’s leaders coming together and sharing ideas about how to make it a better place as a region, improve the region, come together, share experiences and make it available to live… it’s really important,” Gillan said.

The funds for the shelter donation were raised from the first ever BRCC golf tournament that was held in August. BRCC executive, Brad Swiftwolfe said the shelter was the obvious choice as a recipient due to need for it in the community.

“We were looking for any type of organization that needs support and of course the Battlefords Miwasin Kikinow Shelter, we very well knew that it’s in dire need of renovation, staffing, all the above, like it’s just underfunded, and we have a lot of people that utilize the facility. So, when we did come up with the idea of doing some type of fundraiser and making a contribution to a charity, I think it is probably the most important one that everybody decided to put their resources towards.”

The BRCC hopes to continue to do more fundraisers in the coming years to give back to the community, Swiftwolfe said.

In the meantime, the shelter, operated by the Battlefords Agency Tribal Council, is preparing to be fully staffed and open 24/7 as of Oct. 1. In addition to providing shelter, Miwasin Kikinow also acts as a warm-up site during the winter months and provides meals for anyone in need.

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austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes