Salvation Army Ottawa Booth Centre’s Outreach Services Serving the Most Vulnerable During Heat Wave

The Salvation Army Outreach Services Team at the Ottawa Booth Centre is out in full force serving those in need on the streets of Ottawa. The branded Salvation Army Outreach vans bring clothing, water, sunscreen, snacks and PPE to those who are most vulnerable. The vans also transport individuals to medical facilities and to appropriate shelter and run every day of the year.

This is also an opportunity for Salvation Army staff to help and support those with no place to call home, building the critical trust that can open doors to housing. The Salvation Army’s Outreach Services Coordinator Kristen McDonald says the number of people in need of support has increased exponentially since the start of the global pandemic.

“There were a lot of physical distancing centres which opened during the pandemic that have since closed, creating an increase in requests for food and water,” said Kristen. “This is the first major heat wave of the summer and the longer the extreme heat lasts the harder it is for the clients we serve. Finding places to cool off and access to water has been a challenge.”

Kristen says they are doing more wellness checks and making more emergency calls to paramedics due to the heat. “We have been receiving more reports from the public through the 311 dispatch system to check on individuals in the community. We also have more encampments in the city than ever before. Tents and bus shelters where people often seek shelter can create a greenhouse effect, putting people at risk for heat stroke.”

Some extra funding during the pandemic has allowed The Salvation Army’s Outreach Services program to double their staff from 2 to 4 highly trained staff working on each of the two shifts. The program now runs from 6 am to 3 am Monday to Friday. Weekends are still 11 pm to 3 am unless Environment Canada has issued a weather alert.

“Some of the homeless population may also be dealing with health issues and addictions which makes them more vulnerable during the extreme heat,” said Kristen. “When people see our van they know we are there to help and that someone cares.”

If you are concerned about anyone out in the heat, you are asked to please call 311 and our Outreach Team will be dispatched to provide support to individuals in need.

To provide financial support to The Salvation Army, donations can be made online at www.salvationarmy.ca or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY, where donations can also be directed to a specific program or location.

By: Caroline Franks