A new group has been founded in West Nipissing to address ‘a serious problem’ of homelessness within the area. Joanne Blais launched the group’s Facebook page on February 14, during a bitter cold snap that had many people thinking more about the safety of those unsheltered.
The group is called No More Tears West Nipissing and provides a place for residents to come together to think about ways to help those in need. “Let’s discuss and see where we go and what we can do,” the group notes on its page. “No loved one should shed tears watching their loved ones go without help or hope,” which is why the group is called No More Tears.
Blais mentioned that few services exist to help the homeless within Sturgeon Falls and West Nipissing. To help someone out on a cold night, you’ll have to drive them to North Bay and hope there is space at one of the city’s shelters. However, there usually isn’t any space available, especially when the mercury hits -30.
See: Homeless see extended services during extreme cold weather
She admits it would be nice to create a shelter of some kind in West Nipissing, but realizes “that’s way in the future” given the resources it would require. However, “it is something to aim for” and in the meantime, group members will do what they can to help.
This could be providing supplies to people, putting those in need in touch with various social services, or sharing information about where people may be so a member can bring them some food and water. It’s a grass-roots group, and members are keen to take action to help their community.
“For a small community, we have a lot of homeless,” she explained, so the group’s efforts will certainly be needed. It doesn’t take much for a person or family to become homeless these days, she noted. An eviction or a fire can put a person out on the streets and with the rental and housing market so tight, it’s often near-impossible to find a new home on short notice.
Plus, there are those battling addictions and dealing with mental illnesses who find themselves on the street, which creates more challenges for a community.
“It’s less visible in the summer,” Blais added. People are often hiding in the woods camping or living in the larger centres like Sudbury or North Bay. But in winter she’s seen more homeless people around Sturgeon Falls, and No More Tears was formed to help.
“We want to work with other social service providers,” in the region, she noted, adding the group recently met with workers at the West Nipissing Food Bank. “We also want to work with council to bring new ideas” or “even to give them the story of these people” who find themselves without a place to call home.
See: Shelves getting a little bare at West Nipissing’s food bank
Indeed, the group emphasizes the importance of treating homeless people as individuals, as people who need help as opposed to statistics to file away or fear. Blais suggested a military style tent could be used to house people temporarily, or perhaps funds could be raised to secure a motel room for people on icy nights.
Nothing is set in stone, and money is always an issue, but the group’s wheels are turning. Together members plan to continue working on ways to help people in their community, with long-term solutions the ultimate goal, combined with short term, immediate aid in the meantime.
“We just want to think of fresh ideas and new ways we can help,” Blais said. “It’s not going to be a fast process, but we’ll see a permanent solution eventually.”
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
