Several organizations have stepped in to fill the gaps created by the withdrawal of Soul’s Harbour meal services in the wake of Riverside Mission’s closure in August.
That is set to change with the formation of “Hope Ministries”, a new Moose Jaw based non-profit that will provide a single, permanent meal program in place of the temporary services being offered in the interim.
The temporary meal program that Square One has been coordinating was obviously temporary, and we've been looking for a more permanent solution.” explained Rachel Mullens, Acting Executive Director of Hope Ministries.
“A number of interested individuals and myself came together and we created a board and a new nonprofit for here in Moose Jaw that will be the permanent solution for the meal program as well as we're looking to be able to have day space for unhoused individuals.”
The organizers say that offering a single program is more efficient, allowing for meal services and resources to be offered in one location with predictable services for vulnerable individuals, seniors and families that rely on these supports.
Hope Ministries will also be operating a “day space” alongside the meal programs on offer, providing a comfortable indoor space for clients during hot, cold or inclement weather explained Mullens.
“It will be a warming space in the winter, in the summer it will be a cooling place. If there's inclement weather, rain in the summer or whatever, it will be a space that will be open for those that have nowhere else to go.
(We want) to help people to get off the street, to have a warm, safe place to stay, and we're hoping that in that time they will be able to create relationships and help people possibly get help from other organizations and point them in the right direction, help them where we can to get in contact other organizations that might be helpful to them.”
Mullens laid out the plan for how funding will be secured for the new non-profit.
“We will be doing a combination of both looking for donations in the community as well as grants and government funding. We're just in the very early stages of getting incorporation and then applying for charity status. While we're in the interim, Square One will continue to receive donations on our behalf and give out tax receipts.”
Square One Community Inc. Will continue to steward and receive donations for both the temporary meal program and the new permanent program while Hope Ministries continues to formally establish.
“We don't have any timeline as of yet because we need to wait obviously for our charity status, but we will be eventually looking for a permanent space, a building to house our feeding program and our day space in."
"That will be something we'll be looking at going forward, but in the interim, we'll just continue to feed people from the Salvation Army and Saint Aiden’s Church.”
Those who wish to submit tax refundable donations can make contributions to communitysquareone@gmail.com, marked ‘Hope Ministries’