By Cecilia Nasmith
Cobourg Councillor Nicole Beatty updated council at this week's meeting on her liaison role with Transition House.
Following her meeting with Executive Director Anne Newman, she has learned that their pre-COVID-19 staff of 11 has grown to 23 with the help of Northumberland County.
“The question for them, moving into this year and after, is how does the partnership continue to sustain outreach for homelessness and emergency response as the pandemic becomes the norm – or post-pandemic, should we be entering that phase in the coming year or so,” Beatty said.
Following several months early in the pandemic when they had space at the Cobourg Collegiate Institute cafeteria to accommodate more homeless residents with appropriate social-distancing space, they are back at their house on Chapel Street with far less capacity. Their Next Step initiative seeks to move these residents into transitional housing and, meanwhile, there is some motel space for overcapacity situations.
“They are working on nursing support and street outreach,” Beatty said.
“It's important to note – and heavy on my heart, as I am sure to so many – the increase in enquiries from youth and couple and families, as folks in the county continue to slide closer to poverty.”
There is no youth shelter in Northumberland, so they have set up a reciprocal arrangement with a Peterborough shelter.
Couples are accommodated in motels, Beatty continued, and they work with families on a case-by-case basis.
