The Community Outreach Centre will move to its new home at 241 Euston Street in Charlottetown tomorrow.
Brad Trivers, Minister of Social Development and Housing with Donna Keenan, Reaching Home Coordinator for the John Howard Society
The centre will continue to be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and offer support to people seeking financial assistance, counselling, employment, food and housing. Islanders can also access washrooms, laundry facilities, telephone and computers as well as connections to community and government organizations and services.
“We are delighted to have a new location for the Community Outreach Centre that offers more indoor and outdoor space. The centre is a vital hub for Islanders in need and it will have space for staff and community partners under one roof to provide people with critical social services and supports.”
– Social Development and Housing Minister Brad Trivers
“The new location for the Community Outreach Centre will provide clients with better access to the services they need,” says Councillor Mike Duffy, Chair of Planning and Heritage. “As chair of the Planning and Heritage committee, I look forward to seeing the centre operating in a larger, safer venue to support the growing city population.”
Oversight of the centre is provided by a working group that includes Blooming House; Canadian Mental Health Association; City of Charlottetown – Police Services; Community Information Legal Association; Department of Social Development and Housing; Health PEI Mental Health and Addictions; John Howard Society; Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island; Native Council of Prince Edward Island; PEERS Alliance; PEI Council of People with Disabilities; Salvation Army; The Adventure Group, and the Upper Room Food Bank.
“This is a really positive step in the right direction for the Community Outreach Centre,” says Donna Keenan, Reaching Home Coordinator at the John Howard Society and member of the working group. “The move not only provides additional space for clients, partners and staff, but also opens the door for the expansion of services, down the road.”
The centre opened as a pilot January 15, 2020 at 211 Euston Street, moved to Birchwood School in March 2020 for several months due to Covid-19, then moved to Smith Lodge at 35 Weymouth Street where it is currently located. Smith Lodge will continue to operate as a transitional housing complex for people in need of that service after the centre moves to its new location.
Click to read this news release at the PEI Government website.