Full and chaotic.
That's how the executive director of the Downtown Mission in Windsor is describing the past few days due to the extreme cold.
"Last night at around 6:30, we did a quick head count just to see how many people were jam-packed in here, we had 101 people," says Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin.
She told AM800's Mornings with Mike and Meg, the mission has not turned anyone away.
"We've had extra spaces found, extra tables put up in the dining hall, extra chairs found to bring down into the dining hall to fill up extra space and also in our hallway," she says. "We just want to try and get as many people in as possible from out of the cold."
Ponniah-Goulin says they have also opened up extra space on the second floor and is ready to bring more people if needed.
"We haven't turned anyone away because we just don't do that, again like I said we find spaces to put a chair," says Ponniah-Goulin. "We had lots of people standing in our hallway yesterday, like it happens. We're not going to turn people away in this bitter cold."
She says the mission continues to collect and receive winter gear donations.
"We do have lots of donations coming in as well and we're putting the word out because we're going through those toques and mittens as quickly as we're getting them right," she says. "If anyone has extras lying around please consider dropping them off either at the downtown mission or any of the shelters really. All of us need them at this time."
Ponniah-Goulin says the mission has doctors and nurses on site Monday to Friday through its shelter health program.
The Downtown Mission is located on Ouellette Avenue between Erie and Elliott.
