Gospel Mission offers incentives to attract overnight staff at shelter

The Kelowna Gospel Mission is once again asking for help at their Bay Avenue Shelter.

Executive director Carmen Rempel says the shelter is seeking two more people to work an overnight shift.

"Once we fill and train those new staff people we can move up from 50 beds to 60 beds," she said.

The Bay Avenue Shelter opened in October with reduced capacity due to staffing constraints. The Gospel Mission also operates a shelter on Leon Avenue.

Rempel says filling the last two positions is vital to the community. It will allow the shelter to take in more people off the streets.

"For the next three months... for January, February and March if somebody is going to come in and join our night crew we are going to offer a bonus of $500 every month for the next three months," Rempel said.

"There are some people who are going to be good and qualified for this work, but because of their preferences, they would rather work daytime. If it is a simple shift of having a qualified person with a little incentive to move them onto the night shift and work their life around that we are hoping that will give some people the little push they need," she said.

Rempel says those that are able to access shelter services often have success building stability and staying healthy.

"We are seeing people who go from dysregulation, living on the streets, to being in a rhythm, a routine. We have a pharmacy that comes out every day so people who are on medication and on different programs can stay consistent with that medication and we see that changing lives."

For more information on supporting the gospel Mission, click here.