Scattered Site has providing services to the homeless for many years. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Homelessness

Scattered Site Outreach Program to temporarily close

Jun 30, 2020 | 2:29 PM

Scattered Site Outreach Program, an essential service for a vulnerable population in tri-communities, is temporarily closing.

That’s according to Kikinahk Friendship Centre Executive Director Ron Woytowich, who said there’s a number of reasons for the closure like a lack of funds to continue operating. With the coronavirus being declared a pandemic in March, the Extended Hours Program – which typically runs from November to the end of March ever year – continued until the end of May.

“This year we used our funds to pay for shelter operations for a sleeping area for April and May because of the COVID crisis and it was still cold,” he said. “The homeless people needed a place, so we just couldn’t shut it down at the end of March.”

The overnight shelter employed 16 people when it was winded down last month. At the time of the closure of Scattered Site June 29, there were two full-time staff, as well as two part-time.

Woytowich noted other reasons for the closure include the difficulty in keeping staff, ensuring staff are safe from the coronavirus and the lack of clients during the summer months. During the winter, he said the facility could have 80 people seek services plus more than a dozen spending the night, while in the summer two or three people might show up for lunch.

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“This was a perfect time to restructure the way we do things, and close the place and keep the staff safe,” Woytowich said. “I want to stress we are not shutting the doors permanently. All these circumstances coming together means we’re closing it for July and maybe for August.”

Mental health and addictions services at Scattered Sites is funded through the Saskatchewan Health Authority, while the Extended Hours Program is funded by the Provincial Métis Housing Corporation. The Community Initiatives Fund also provides assistance to Scattered Sites.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno