Several months after Hastings County agreed to begin planning a warming centre in Bancroft, North Hastings Community Cupboard has started work on the project. The Bancroft-based nonprofit organization runs fundraisers, food drives and other local initiatives to help struggling families in the community.
Community Cupboard Director Monica Piercey says the team is currently looking for a space for the warming centre. “The needs are simple,” Piercey says. “One large, open space, a retail space, or a community space, or a very wide, open community room in a church or something like that.”
Piercey says the main reason the space needs to be open-concept is to make sure security staff always have line of sight throughout the warming centre. “We are intending to have two security guards on staff at all times,” she says, “who are trained in mental health and addictions, and de-escalation, so we’ve been looking at that.” She says security has been an issue at other warming centres locally in the past, which is why it’s a key part of her organisation’s planning.
If you have a space that you’d be willing to rent out to the organization, visit the North Hastings Community Cupboard Facebook page for details on how to reach out.