The Rotary Club of Grande Prairie is allocating $1 million in funding towards a new daytime homeless shelter in Grande Prairie in partnership with the City of Grande Prairie.

The creation of a new daytime shelter is providing an important resource for the community. Benefits of this shelter include connecting people experiencing homelessness with shelter and essential services during the day, reducing their interactions with law enforcement and emergency medical services, providing them access to a centralised program intake and access to support services.

A daytime shelter also provides an option for emergency shelter space if the primary overnight facility were beyond capacity.

“The Rotary Club of Grande Prairie is pleased to offer a hand to assist in a positive direction those in our community who need this facility and the wrap around services that come with it,” says Steve Madden, President of the Rotary Club of Grande Prairie.

“The generosity of local and regional citizens by participating in the club's fundraisers shows that we are all connected to do great things.”

“The last six months, where we were without daytime shelter space, has demonstrated just how integral this function is in addressing our community's housing challenges," says Mayor Bill Given.

“The Rotary Club of Grande Prairie’s support for re-establishing this space means that more people will be able to connect with the services that can assist them in moving forward with their lives."

The partnership involves Rotary funding the purchase, renovation and landscaping of the building and the City providing utilities, building maintenance, operating assistance and contract oversight. A Request for Proposal is being issued by the City in the near future to identify a community organisation to provide the daily operations of the shelter.

A location for the shelter is to be determined but it is anticipated to be operational by winter.