By Spencer Sterritt

Nanaimo’s extreme weather shelter gathering winter coats for the homeless

Oct 6, 2017 | 5:40 PM

NANAIMO — Nanaimo’s only extreme weather shelter wants to do more than provide a warm bed for the homeless.

The Unitarian Shelter is hosting their second coat drive on Saturday, Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their site on Townsite Rd.

Shelter coordinator Kevan Griffith said having warm clothing for Nanaimo’s homeless helps stave off hypothermia and other afflictions during the damp winters, which in turn helps keep them healthy and active.

“It’s really nice when they can come in wet and get a warm pair of clothes, some food and a warm sleep. That’s paramount and if we can send them off in the morning with socks without holes in them, some gloves for when it’s that cold, then all the better.”

Any coats, gloves, sweatpants, socks or scarves won’t just stay at the shelter.

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Griffith said he’s talked to organizations around Nanaimo, such as Island Health and the Salvation Army, offering whatever clothing they get.

“It’s really a community coat drive,” Griffith said. “We use a lot of it at the shelter but it’s available to any social agency. The kid stuff I usually pass on to one of the inner city schools.”

The Unitarian Shelter opens Nov. 1 and offers 30 beds for Nanaimo’s homeless.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit