Thursday, November 7, 2019
VOLUME 2 I ISSUE 19
MERIDIANSOURCE.CA
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Interval Home Bridging the Gap
Taylor Weaver Meridian Source TAYLOR WEAVER
EDITOR
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It was no ordinary Tuesday morning for the Lloydminster Interval Home Society as they made the exciting announcement they will be going the e x tra m i l e t o “ B ri dg e the Gap” in Lloydminster, and what a perfect time for the announcement as it lined up with Family Violence Prevention Month. The Bridging the Gap campaign is the non-profit’s new capital campaign which will see their Emergency Shelter Space capacity go from 21 to 33 beds. With the current 21 beds, the shelter finds itself at 94 per cent capacity throughout the entire year, and increasing this space to
33 beds will help protect women and children in dangerous situations. In 2018 alone a staggering 2,000 women were turned away from the shelter due to a lack of space. “We have seen an unprecedented increase in demand for our services that cannot be ignored,” said Angela Rooks-Trotzuk, CEO of the Lloydminster Interval Home Society. “Knowing that more than five women and children are unable to access safety per day because our Emergency Shelter is full is heart wrenching. “The long-term goal of building a new shelter remains in the plans, but this provides an interim solution to the need that exists right now.”
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Knowing that more than five women and children are unable to access safety per day because our Emergency Shelter is full is heart wrenching.
Th e p r o j e c t ’s m o n e t a ry goal is $415,000, and to date, 35 per cent of that goal has been reached, especially through support from community partners such as Synergy Credit Union and their recent donation of $55,000. “What that really means is we’re able to make an immediate impact on the number of people we’re turning
away, and ultimately we’ll be able to reduce the number of turn aways in our shelter, and we’re really excited to be able to come to the community to talk about a solution,” said Rooks-Trotzuk. “We’ve been talking about a solution for quite a while and now we have an immediate goal we can implement.” On hand at the announcement was Synergy branch manager Gord Theil, who shared his enthusiasm for the project with Rooks-Trotzuk. “We are proud to be able to make this contribution to the Interval Home on a day when they are launching such an important initiative,” he said. “Their role in our community cannot be understated and it’s an honour to assist
with our support today.” In recognition of their support, Synergy will be recognized in the “Welcome Area” of the shelter. The name bridging the gap was nothing but fitting, as Rooks-Trotzuk explained this expansion is a short-term fix for their long-term goal of building a new shelter. “We’re building the bridge from where we are now, which is turning away six people a day, to where we want to be, which is ultimately a new shelter facility,” she said. “The building we’re in now is approaching the end of its useful life for what it’s intended for, which is sheltering.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 6