A Warm Welcome in Cold Weather

Coast drop-in locations open seven days a week to offer daytime shelter to those in need during the cold weather.

“No-one should be out in the cold in this weather.”

As the weather gets colder and snow covers the Lower Mainland, many people are staying warm inside their homes. But for those who don’t have a safe place to go, winter can be dangerous.

Thanks to the support of our partners and donors, Coast Mental Health is here to help. Our teams continue to provide warm spaces, food, and support for people who are homeless or at risk of losing their housing. And, we will be extending our open days to address the need.

Warm Spaces and Support

Our Resource Centre in Downtown Vancouver and our Clubhouse in Mount Pleasant remain open during the day. People can come in to warm up, take a shower, have a meal, and get support.

“It’s really important to have a safe place to go, especially for people who are sleeping outside in these freezing temperatures.” says Justin Hachlaf, Acting Program Director.

In Maple Ridge, The HUB is a lifeline for many. “We’re open from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM, offering a warm place to rest. We give out jackets, sweaters, gloves, socks, dry shoes, and blankets. These things can save lives,” says Casey Andrew, Acting Program Manager. “We also serve hot meals, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. And we continue to offer washrooms and showers.”

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Daytime Drop-In Centres Are Essential

At times like this, Coast’s Resource Centre is more important than ever.

“People are lining up for half an hour before we open, just to get out of the cold,” says Justin. “We’ve seen more people coming in, and meal times are busier than ever. Our Better Together Peer Support Stewards are also out in the community, checking on people, handing out hot drinks, socks, and hand warmers, and making sure folks know we care.”

“The Resource Centre is regularly open Tuesday to Saturday, offering warm showers, laundry, and affordable meals. But this past week, with the anticipated snowfall we opened for two extra days and served three meals a day to meet the growing need. We will continue to open on additional days when needed throughout the winter.”

Daytime drop-in centres like ours are critical in winter. But at Coast, we believe people should always have a safe place to go, no matter the weather.

“I’m incredibly proud of our teams for work they are doing and to all of those that came in to support the extra hours of operation to ensure people could come in out of the snow and access a warm meal, but it’s not enough,” says Keir Macdonald, CEO of Coast Mental Health.

“As a direct response to the cold weather, we will continue to open our Resource Centre and Clubhouse seven days a week when temperatures drop to extreme levels. But we need more services like these across BC and more permanent supportive housing.”

        “No one should have to sleep outside in this weather.”

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