Avondale runs warming centre pilot for unhoused

Oliver Gauld, left, and Chris Buchner of Avondale United Church stand in the space where the Avondale Warming Centre has been offering the unhoused respite, warmth, and food since the trial began March 1. If everything is in place, the program will operate next year for the entire winter. (Jeff Helsdon photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Another option is being tried to deal with the unhoused in Tillsonburg.

The Avondale Warming Centre is a trial program running from March 2 to April 30, which is endorsed, supported, and funded by the Avondale United Church congregation. Avondale has partnered with Operation Sharing – Woodstock to offer overnight shelter during the winter months since November 2023. The new program is different in it operates during the day.

The Avondale Warming Centre offers respite, safety, community fellowship, warmth, and food. Hot meals are offered during the program, which runs Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is operated by volunteers from Avondale United Church.

The Salvation Army ran its day program in the downtown, but it moved to the church on Concession Street West. Avondale Warming Centre facilitator Oliver Gauld believes part of the reason for the move was complaints from neighbours. While the Salvation Army program is working on Concession Street, he sees a need for a program downtown where people congregate.

“We don’t have any neighbours,” he said.

Church volunteers decided to try the day program on a trial basis.

“Part of the reason for the trial was the number of people involved and the cost,” said program coordinator Chris Buchner. “We’re a small congregation, so we don’t have a lot of volunteers.”

“Part of the trial is to see if there is a need,” Gauld added. “The trial is to gather data for the community, and better define the need, if there is one.”

The first week saw 48 visits from 21 individuals who took advantage of the program. That number increased to 104 visits from 41 people in the fourth week.

Statistics also break down visitors into housed and unhoused. Unhoused are defined as those who are using the Out of the Cold Avondale night shelter, living rough, and living in their vehicles. Housed are people who are couch surfers and have an apartment or room. Use the first week was by 95 per cent unhoused. That number gradually decreased to 72 per cent by week four.

“We were expecting most of the people who were unhoused,” Gauld said. “To start, most of the people were from Out of the Cold.”

As the program has continued, inroads have been made into attracting some of the people who live rough and in their vehicles. An increase has also been seen in the housed, Gauld and Buchner, who figure this is because people can’t afford food.

It was emphasized the Avondale Warming Centre is not meant to compete with the Salvation Army’s Hub, but is another option. In fact, organizers work closely with the Salvation Army, appreciate their support and sharing of resources.

With an upward trend in use, organizers are seeing this as an early indication that there is a need.

“We identified there is a need in Tillsonburg for a day program,” Buchner said. “We have some other churches willing to help, we just need to get those in place.”

If everything comes together, the plan is to operate the program from November to April next year.