Dennis Chippa says couch surfing has become a popular way for the homeless to get out of the cold this winter.
Chippa, who is the executive director of the North Bay Gathering Place soup kitchen, says without a traditional warming centre in North Bay since 2020 along with the January COVID-19 lockdown, his clients are trying to do what they can to stay out of the cold.
"We are letting them in for a short period of time. It can't be two or three hours at a time," said Chippa, noting they are providing warm drinks, hot pockets and chicken broth for those who need it.
"We are letting them in for a few minutes and then they can head back out and that is really the best we can do. some of them are just holding up wherever they can find a place to stay, so during the night they are just staying there,"
With the Gathering Place allowing guests to take more than one meal, Chippa says their homeless clients are actually grabbing that extra food to give to their temporary tenant in exchange for a warm place to sleep.
"Whether it is staying at someone's house; we are seeing a lot of that where people are coming in and they will get a meal and ask for an extra meal because they are staying at somebody's house and that is the deal, 'I will bring you a meal and you can stay at my place.' I think there is a lot of couch surfing going on in an emergency," noted Chippa.
The Low Barrier Shelter is helping with the cold too as they have extended their hours to noon on cold days to allow the homeless to stay warm. Traditionally the facility on Chippewa Street closes up during the day and re-opens in the evening.
As for the Gathering Place itself, Chippa says they are working about 4 or 5 per cent above normal for this time of the year.
"Like it always is in January, it is pretty slow," admitted Chippa.
"The first week was slow but it has picked up steadily lately, it has been busy.
"These folks get government support and a lot of that came in December - much earlier than normal. So by this time of the month in January they don't have any money left so they are coming in."
Chippa notes that one of the signs of the lockdown is the increase in family guests.
"We are seeing more families coming in, especially in the evening and that is a side effect of part-time work cut down due to the lockdown," said Chippa.
