Lethbridge Shelters Ready For The Cold Snap In The Middle Of The Holiday Season – Lethbridge | The Canadian News

The weather outside will be dire this Christmas, with Environment Canada forecasting daily highs of minus 20 degrees over the weekend and lows below minus 30 degrees over the next week.

The cold snap has employees at local shelters like Alpha House communications manager Shaundra Bruvall in overdrive to ensure the city’s homeless population has a place to keep warm.

“It certainly makes our staff more vigilant and we work hard to connect with clients to get them to the shelter as much as possible, even if that’s just for a short period of time,” Bruvall said.

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Dealing with the colder weather also becomes more difficult with the holiday season, as many places that would normally be available to provide a break from the elements will have shorter hours or will be closed entirely.

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“Taking a break in a Tim Hortons lobby or something for even an hour … makes a huge difference when we talk about these temperatures, so it certainly adds a little more tension for the people we serve,” he said Bruvall.


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And with people spending more time at home with family, Streets Alive Mission’s chief operating officer Cameron Kissick said there is an increased risk of people in distress escaping.

“There aren’t that many people on the streets, so it’s often easy for people to go unnoticed,” Kissick said.

“It is important that the community as a whole remember everything that is happening and monitor the safety of those people.”

The work doesn’t stop once people leave a shelter, with Alpha House and Streets Alive Mission trying to provide adequate protection for anyone spending time outdoors.

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“We desperately need warm and good boots and shoes. Gloves, touches, jackets, ”Kissick said. “Layered clothing and waterproof clothing are very important because it’s more than just giving them a warm place to go, it’s keeping them warm when they’re outside.”

If you see someone in trouble, the Diversion Outreach Team can be contacted to transport them to Alpha House, which will continue to be open 24 hours during the holidays.

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