WINNIPEG – Starting December 5th, West End 24 Hour Safe Space will be open 7 nights a week from 11 pm to 7 am to ensure no youth are left on the streets in the cold.
To accomplish this goal, the West End 24 Hour Safe Space (WE24) will be expanding its hours of operation to 7 nights per week. The Safe Space which is operated by the Spence Neighbourhood Association at 430 Langside Street out of the Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre will be open from December 5th, 2018 to March 31st, 2019, seven nights per week from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am for youth ages 13-26.
The West End Safe Space will also be providing street outreach van on all nights where the temperature drops below -20c.
With temperatures dropping this week too -24 degrees the team is determined to not have anyone in Winnipeg freeze to death in our community.
Last year we expanded hours for February and March when funding was made available after the tragic passing of Windy Sinclair. This year we are determined to ensure no one in Winnipeg is left on the streets to freeze.
We have secured funding from End Homelessness Winnipeg and The Winnipeg Foundation to be able to expand hours, along with continued in-kind operating space from the City of Winnipeg.
“End Homelessness Winnipeg is delighted that this supplementary funding can assist WE24 to provide staffing and a warm space for youth to access and receive services. We appreciate the efforts of WE24 in addressing the needs of the youth population.”
Due to the enormity of the need to open 7 nights a week this winter, WE24 is moving to expand operations immediately, however, the space has not received all the funds needed to stay open all winter.
WE24 are hoping for confirmation from Mayor Brian Bowman’s office by the end of this week for the final portion the of funding needed.
WE24 would also like to put a call out for donations of warm clothing, winter coats, mitts, toques, and warm socks to be handed out at the safe space and while driving around the West End, West Broadway and Osborne neighbourhoods for outreach.
For more information visit WE24 on Facebook.