By rdnewsNOW staff

Mustard Seed takes over People’s Place from Safe Harbour

Oct 10, 2018 | 1:42 PM

People’s Place is staying around in Red Deer.

On December 1, The Mustard Seed will assume operations of the overnight shelter from Safe Harbour Society, which has been providing the service for homeless individuals experiencing sobriety since 1998.

The shelter currently accommodates up to 46 adults during the winter months, and 35 adults for the remainder of the year.

“Safe Harbour knows this is the right thing to do for our sober guests accessing People’s Place,” says Kath Hoffman, Executive Director, Safe Harbour Society. “The Mustard Seed has more capacity than we do to enhance services. They are committed to working closely with us and the broader community to ensure appropriate support systems are in place for our most vulnerable citizens.”

Officials say the transition of People’s Place to The Mustard Seed allows Safe Harbour to focus their services on those who are not sober and still in need of shelter.

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“The opioid crisis our community is experiencing demands emergency shelter and health care supports,” adds Hoffman. “Safe Harbour will be concentrating on enhancing its services, including – shelter support, Medically Supported Detox, referrals to residential treatment, housing, outreach, and Indigenous connections – for people who are actively using in our community. We will continue to provide the daytime Warming Centre at Safe Harbour and continue working towards enhancing services in the community.”

With The Mustard Seed’s addition of People’s Place, officials note individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty now have access to shelter, food, clothing, health and wellness support, and spiritual care in one centralized location.

“We are excited for the opportunity to increase our services and provide additional care for Red Deer’s most vulnerable citizens. The overnight shelter will allow us to care for those experiencing poverty and homelessness at a deeper level. Our guests often experience several barriers in their lives, and having all of our services and support systems in one building will reduce the obstacles our guests face every day,” says Byron Bradley, Managing Director of Central Alberta, The Mustard Seed. “The Mustard Seed is committed to providing a safe and secure environment; the increase of our staff will continue the positive, community-focused atmosphere for our guests and the surrounding area.”

Safe Harbour and The Mustard Seed will continue to work collaboratively towards a smooth transition of services. Safe Harbour will continue operations of People’s Place shelter until November 30.

(With file from media release)