Northern Huron Connection Centre Opens in Wingham

by Bob Montgomery

Northern Huron's new Connection was officially opened on Friday.

The new Connection Centre is located in the lower part of St Paul's-Trinity Anglican Church on John Street East in Wingham. Canadian Mental Health Association - Huron Perth Addiction and Mental Health Services CEO Catherine Hardman says the Connection Centre is a centre for people who are homeless or perilously housed who could be couch surfing or living with relatives or living on the street. She says the centre is a place for them to come and get something to eat, have a shower, do their laundry, get some support and be able to connect with some of the services they need. Hardman says that could be people from the legal clinic, primary care or Ontario works. She says they would also explain to them what some of their housing options might be and then help them get their ID together so they can apply for housing.

Hardman says housing is obviously the priority for someone who is homeless, but they also often have mental health or addiction issues and they need support for those as well. She says people who have been living on the street for some time need help in just learning how to live in an apartment, or how to keep the apartment clean or how to do a budget. She points out getting them housed is just a first step towards keeping them housed.

Hardman says the centre is open from twelve until five and so people don't stay there overnight. So far they've seen 49 people and that amounts to about eight people a day and she says sometimes the same people come back and sometimes it's new people, depending on what their needs are. Hardman says the county is operating the shelter in Goderich again this winter and they do try to help people find a place to spend the night and make sure they have everything they need to stay warm.

Email bob@huroncountynews.ca if you would like to see your ad here.