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November 19, 2018 - 5:00 PM
KAMLOOPS - Staff from the Canadian Mental Health Association is working on the finishing touches for the opening of more additional shelter spaces later this week.
Canadian Mental Health Association executive director Christa Mullaly says her staff are in their last 48-hours of cleaning and preparing the shelter located at 185 Royal Ave.
The province announced funding at the beginning of October for the additional 30 short-term beds. The mental health association will operate the building and provide residents with full-time support to help them transition into more permanent housing.
"We had a crew painting the place over the weekend... we gave a really good clean to the place, so we are anticipating (an opening) mid-week," Mullaly said today, Nov. 19.
The new shelter will be located at the North Shore's former drop-in soup kitchen, JUMP Kamloops. The not-for-profit organization said in a Facebook post on Oct. 15 they had handed the lease over to B.C. Housing and the Canadian Mental Health Association.
"We are working on finding a new location and partners to bring back the 15 meals we do each week for those members of our community most in need of food security," the post reads.
Mullaly says tenants have been selected and notified about moving into the shelter.
"We have got a million little things to do, but certainly the majority of the heavy lifting has been all completed," she says.
A smudging ceremony will take place prior to tenants moving in.
Mullaly says information will be released later this week once the details are finalized.
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