SUDBURY -- The vulnerable population has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recently, the Samaritan Centre in Sudbury received funding to open as a warming centre and to create a new position to offer help to people struggling with mental health and substance abuse disorders.
The Samaritan Centre is the third city-sanctioned warming centre. It's now open from 8-11 a.m. Monday to Friday and serves a light breakfast.
"We have had … a great big long stretch of over two weeks now of consistent cold weather alerts," said Lisa Long, the executive director of The Samaritan Centre.
"And so it's really, really important that our clients, the vulnerable citizens in Sudbury, have an opportunity to come indoors and warm up. It's essential."
The centre is also adding a new position thanks to provincial and municipal funding to hire a mental health and addictions worker.
Need has never been greater
"With COVID -- no end in sight really -- there has definitely been a noticeable effect (on) our clients," said Long. "Issues of mental health and addictions are on the rise. And so there needs to be support and services that are rising to meet the increasing needs."
Officials at the centre stress the need has never been greater with vulnerable people also living with increased isolation and loneliness.
"All of us are missing an awful lot of those positive outlets that we have always had," said Robin Dunsford an outreach worker at the centre.
"And that's what we are hearing also from our clients, is that they missing that piece, they have no place that they can go to have a positive outlet."
The pandemic has also put a strain on fundraising efforts, which the centre relies heavily on to operate.
"Mental-health issues are on the rise, so we continue to want to serve in some small way this need for community for connection with our clients as we endure these lockdowns," said Long.
The Coldest Night of the Year is the centre's biggest fundraiser and it's going virtual this year on Feb. 20. People are encouraged to register a team and go for a walk to help people struggling to survive the winter and the pandemic.
