Windsor's Downtown Mission is in desperate need of donations as demand for its services hits an all-time high.
Sandor Kapasi, Vice Chair of the Downtown Mission Board of Directors, says the shelter has been at capacity every night over the past few weeks, with 80 beds available, down from the usual 103 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
"As far as our availability as beds go, we are tapped out and its not even that cold yet," he says.
The shelter is open at 875 Ouellette Ave. from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on a first come-first served basis.
Kapasi says the mission is solely dependant upon donations, and if they don't get certain donations then it will come down to services being cut.
"Our dependency is not on the large donors who might give $1,000 or more at a time, our dependency is on those that can give $5, $10 a week, a month. Those small donations go a long way," he says.
Kapasi says they've already had discussions about trying to figure out what they do next when it comes to providing service.
"There's going to be some collaboration with our partners to ensure that people aren't left out in the cold. But year, the demand is very high in terms of people seeking shelter and us seeking donations to ensure that all of our programs continue to exist.," he adds.
According to a release from the Downtown Mission, its Service Support team members have responded to 115 drug overdose emergencies in 2021 and have not lost a single soul because of their training and skills.
The Housing First Program has helped 83 people find a new place to live.
The Food Bank has helped feed 13,484 individuals and 6,831 households.
Click here to find more details on how to donate.