Meeting to explore homelessness in the Southeast

Proponents of The INN (Initiative for Neighbourly Nights), Steinbach’s first low-barrier transitional housing facility are hosting a special event to answer questions and offer education on homelessness.

Titled, “Homelessness in the Southeast”, the event is billed as “an evening of learning about the issue of homelessness and how we can help.”

It will be held on March 24 at the Steinbach EMC Church and will feature Paul Loewen from Siloam Mission as a special guest and offer question and answer time with The INN.

Board chair Leona Doerksen said they’ve offered information before but have focussed their efforts on the immediate neighbourhood of the proposed facility at 447 Main Street.

“This time we decided to broaden that reach a little bit and offer something for the entire city or actually the entire region because homelessness affects people outside of Steinbach as well in the Southeast,” she said.

Paul Loewen will help educate, offering background, history and best strategies for dealing with homelessness.

Doerksen said they wanted to make sure all stakeholders could attend.

“We personally invited City of Steinbach council, the ministerial association of this area as well as police and fire and other non-profit organizations,” she said. “We want to extend everyone in the community that might still have some questions about what we’re hoping to build here in Steinbach.”

Doerksen said they understand their proposed facility has raised concerns and questions.

“There’s questions that people have, and we just want to make sure we’re providing an opportunity for absolutely anyone who has questions to be able to come and have these questions answered,” she added.

The INN will house up to 30 guests, will be staffed 24/7 and will direct people to the help they need including addictions recovery support when needed.

“We’re not an outreach service,” Doerksen said. “That service is already being provided in our community. We are not overlapping services.”

“We are only providing care to the 12 to 30 people that will be residents of The INN so we won’t have lineups of people at the door.”

The evening will run from 7 to 9 p.m. on March 24 at Steinbach EMC Church at 422 Main Street in Steinbach.