Mission looks for funds

Photo: Kate Bouey

Vernon's Upper Room Mission is “actively seeking other sources of funding” after being denied $100,000 in gaming grant funds, according to Rick Lavin, the Mission's executive director.

On Thursday, Lavin and members of other agencies in Vernon met with B.C. Gaming officials.

“It was an informative meeting,” said Lavin.

No promises were made although the officials agreed to take a second look at applications from the Mission and five or six other Vernon agencies denied funding or given reduced funding.

“The guidelines have always been there but we've been told they are now following them,” said Lavin.

The loss of the grant money led to a cutback in the Mission's hours of operation and a reduced drop-in service leaving the area's homeless with one less place to go.

The Mission's doors are expected to reopen during the day due to a Canada Summer Jobs grant that will allow two students to be hired over the summer but it will not help with programming.

“There is quite an impact on the community by not funding us,” said Lavin. “We had a day shelter. We had a place for people to come.”

“Merchants, social services are noticing more people on the streets. At Primary Care (a downtown Interior Health facility), the rest rooms are being inundated with street people. We need more services rather than less.”

During a presentation to Vernon city council last month, the head of the Social Planning Council warned of “serious shifts" in the community.

“We're trying to figure out how we're going to handle this," Annette Sharkey said.