Less Lloydminster residents may be turned away from getting the support they need as the Lloydminster Interval Home looks to improve turn away rates for 2019. Executive Director Angela Rooks-Trotzuk says the organization has adapted sheltering programs in order for more people to receive services.
“Our emergency shelter turns away about four and a half people per day due to lack of space,” Although challenging, Rooks-Trotzuk says something needed to be done immediately about residential programming ” To be able to follow people out into the community or filter people through our community outreach just because we aren’t able to provide residential services to everybody.”
Rooks Trotzuk believes the interval Home has been able to continue being agile throughout the years.
“There is always challenges anytime you’re adopting or doing learning something new. It has been able to meet the needs of the community and the people in it, to me that’s a success.”
The Interval Home aims to have fewer victims of domestic violence or homelessness turned away in the future. Rooks-Trotzuk says the Interval board is leading the charge in finding an immediate solution for shelter capacity in 2019.
“When we’re are turning away more then four people per day from our shelter doors, that’s not okay. That’s every day in the community of Lloydminster that our people aren’t able to access safe shelter.”
In November, the Interval Home kicked off their Leading Change initiative in order to get the male voice included in the conversation on the prevention and reduction of gender-based violence. From the event, the organization has partnered with some men to help co-facilitate the initiative in order to use the male perspective to continue the conversation.
“I really want to thank the community for continuing to support us through donations to the store, through donations to our programs directly, but also to engaging to our events and welcoming us when we come and want to share on how we reduce and stop domestic violence.”