Now-closed women's shelter was a place where 'we all uplifted each other', says Saskatoon woman

Mumford House was there for Courtney Cameron when she and her three children had nowhere else to go.

"I'm pretty sad they actually closed," she said, reacting to news about the shuttering of the 36-bed women's shelter in Saskatoon. "I know a lot of people right now that would benefit with the help that I got from them."

Cameron stayed at Mumford House earlier this year, after she took custody of her three kids from her ex.

"At that time, when I didn't have a place, I didn't know where to go, I had so much anxiety, where I would just break down at any given moment," she said.

Justfinding out she could stay at Mumford House was a relief, but she also ended up getting more help than she expected. The staff gave her applications for housing and checked-in regularly with her to see how she was managing. Whenever women and their children found housing, it was a cause for celebration, said Cameron.

"We all uplifted each other. It was a great environment to be in."

Cameron has now found a home through the Saskatchewan Housing Authorityand has a part-time job, but she's still thinking about other women with children, who might not be suffering from abuse but could still use housing help while they try to find work or get off welfare.

"They don't have that support anymore."

• 36-bed women's shelter in Saskatoon closed, funding shortfalls blamed

Long-time funding issues

The Salvation Army, which ran the facility on Avenue T South, has not specified the exact reasons for the closure. It has said the decision to close the shelter has been underway for more than a yearand that it is working with the government to "create a more viable program model."

Funding shortfalls have long been an issue for Mumford House, according to Lorraine Scott, a past executive director.

We're keeping children safe in what world don't we want to keep children safe?- Lorraine Scott, past executive director

"It was constantly on the verge of the Salvation Army closing it down," she said.

"It's just a real shame to lose a program like that that housed such a huge amount of people, women and children, and kept them safe in the community and kept the families together."

She expressed concern about women and children having to stay in hotels instead, which she is concerned isn't a safe option.

Scott said she'd ideally like to see the Salvation Army sell the current building and move Mumford House to a safer location where crime and gang activity doesn't pose additional headaches.

"I hate the thought of it disappearing forever," she said.

The real imperative is that the location is one of the only places in Saskatoon that provide housing for women and children to stay together, said Scott.

"We're keeping children safe in what world don't we want to keep children safe?"