SOWINS looking for community donations of warm blankets for unhoused community members

Photo: Pixabay

The South Okanagan Women in Need Society is hoping the community will help keep everyone warm as temperatures are expected to drop down next week.

SOWINS posted on Facebook they are looking for new or gently used warm blankets for unhoused community members.

The province sent out a warning for cold temperatures on Friday, with numbers heading into the low double digits expected to reach the Interior starting on Saturday evening and remaining for much of the week. Daytime highs are expected between -10C and -14C throughout much of next week.

Snow is also forecast through most of the weekend with more on the way mid-week.

Since temperatures have dropped, 100 More Homes Penticton has been working in partnership with BC Housing and a network of local community agencies to provide an Emergency Weather Response (EWR) shelter to unhoused members of the community during periods of extreme cold.

An EWR shelter has opened on some days throughout November and 100 More Homes previously stated this was a temporary location and there is no confirmed location moving forward.

"The trigger to open these shelters is determined by individual communities and operating partners. 100 More Homes, in partnership with BC Housing and the City of Penticton, has determined that EWRs in Penticton, will be activated when available at -7 degrees Celsius."

Penticton Area Overdose Prevention Society (P+OPS) announced last weekend that they were searching for new space for emergency shelter. The 7th Day Adventist Church can no longer be used as a space for a winter shelter.

Those who have a warm blanket to donate can do so by dropping it off before Wednesday, Dec. 21 at the SOWINS administration office located at 102-1027 Westminster Ave W between the hours of 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.