Group working to open women and children's shelter in Summerside

A group of women in Summerside, P.E.I., istrying to open an overnight shelter for women and children in the area because they say there's a need.

The project is being taken on by Kathleen Terry, Margie Fowler and Susan DesRoche.

Fowler saysthe groupwasprompted to do somethingafter an incidentlast winter where Fowler and Terrytook a woman in off the street near their neighbourhood.

"We actually drove her to Charlottetown and left her in the hands of people at Blooming House," she said.

"We certainly haven't forgotten about her, but it was the incentivethe three of us have been working tirelessly to pursue efforts toward securing a much-needed women's shelter in Summerside."

'We want something that's 24/7'

The group has been developing the project for at least a year, and has metwith community organizations such as The Boys and Girls Club of Summerside.

DesRoche said she'dlike to see the shelter offer various kinds of assistance to families, such as transportation, legal helpandchild care.

"It's just the basic life skills that we need," she said.

"If we can help them with those skills and then help their families, thenI think that Summerside and Prince Edward Island would be a better place."

I personally feel we need to try to get behind groups like this that are trying to make a difference for our city. Coun. Cory Snow

In 2019, the province published a needs assessment on emergency shelters across the Island. In it, transportation is mentioned as abarrierfor those living in Summersidewho aretrying to access shelter services in Charlottetown.

There are only three women's shelters in P.E.I.:Chief Mary Bernard Memorial Shelterin Lennox Island andBlooming House andAnderson House in Charlottetown.

DesRoche and Fowler said it's time for Summerside to offer this resource to those who are vulnerable.

"We just know that there's nothing here in Summerside at this particular time for women and their children," Fowler said.

"We just felt that given the lack of apparent services we want something that's 24/7."

The women plan to name the shelter LifeHouse and saidthe challenge right now is findinga location for the proposed shelter in order to secure government funding.

Fowler said they have a couple of places in mind, butwon't be able to move forward until the pandemic has subsided.

"COVID-19 has changed everything, but we're determined to have this happen," she said.

"We know we have people behind us."

Letterto province

Summerside Coun. Cory Snow said the groupapproached the city in January about the idea.

He saidthe city is sending a letter to the province, asking for its support.

"Realistically, the province has the biggest role to play in this," he said.

"I personally feel we need to try to get behind groups like this that are trying to make a difference for our city."

In an email to CBC, the province said it's been in contact with LifeHouse about the interest for the shelter, andsaid itlooks "forward to continuing this process once COVID measures are eased."

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