Vaccinations begin today at the Temporary Emergency Shelter at the Aquatic Centre for persons experiencing homelessness.
“It’s difficult to adhere to a ‘stay at home’ order, when you don’t have a home”, says Mayor Drew Dilkens. “We are grateful that our residents who face additional challenges from COVID-19 are able to access the vaccine. We would especially like to thank EMS, the Health Unit, and CRST Medical Teams for their help in vaccinating residents”.
Several non-profit agencies serving persons experiencing homelessness continue to help serve residents in need.
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The Welcome Centre Shelter for Women and Families have continued to provide emergency shelter for women and families, in addition to leading operations at the City’s Isolation and Recovery Centre for the past year.
WINDSOR, ONT. Some guests staying at the city’s emergency shelter were able to roll-up their sleeves Wednesday to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Province of Ontario prioritized vaccinations for those experiencing homelessness. City of Windsor staff is assisting the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit and Essex-Windsor EMS with vaccinations at the Temporary Emergency Shelter at the Aquatic Centre (TESAC). “It’s difficult to adhere to a ‘stay at home’ order, when you don’t have a home”, Mayor Drew Dilkens said in a news release. “We are grateful that our residents who face additional challenges from COVID-19 are able to access the vaccine.”
WINDSOR, ONT. City of Windsor officials say 35 people received shelter at the Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre since it opened as a temporary emergency shelter last week. On Friday, city and frontline Downtown Mission staff, along with community partners, helped relocate residents of the mission to the temporary shelter or one of two Isolation and Recovery Centres (IRC). The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit issued an order on Feb. 19 to the Downtown Mission restricting access to new clients, city staff, support agency workers due to a COVID-19 outbreak. On Feb. 25, WECHU said there were 81 cases of the virus linked to the mission and 34 cases connected to the Salvation Army.
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After an “unprecedented amount of work” to convert the downtown aquatic centre into a temporary emergency shelter in a matter of days, displaced homeless people began moving in on Thursday.
“This has been an incredible undertaking by all involved, and I want to congratulate everyone on the work done,” Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said of the quick reaction following COVID-19 outbreaks at the Downtown Mission and Salvation Army and a resulting order issued by the medical officer of health severely restricting the mission’s Victoria Avenue operation.
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A temporary emergency shelter at the downtown pool is now open.
Within five days of an order issued by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit to the Downtown Mission restricting access to new clients, City staff, support agency workers, and a team of carpenters have transformed the Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre into a temporary emergency shelter.
The temporary emergency shelter will provide individuals experiencing homelessness with a safe, well-controlled place to stay. It will allow the Mission to focus on its operations and comply with the conditions of the health unit’s order so it may be lifted and they can safely and effectively resume operations.