Homeless shelter expansion planned for Downtown Mission

Linda Fengler wakes up every morning on a matin the corner of a basement floor, inches away from a handful of other women who have no place to call home.

She admitsthe sleeping conditions at the Downtown Mission in Windsor, Ont. aren't the best. The mats, which are a few inches thick, get laid out only after the cafeteria tables are packed up and put away for the night.

Awall of stacked black chairs are all that separates the women from dozens of homeless men.

But the system is about to change, says the Mission's executive Director Ron Dunn. To provide guests with more hospitable accommodations, his organization is building dorm rooms with enough beds to sleep up to 70 people.

Fengler, who is now in her 50s, says this would be a lot more comfortable.

"That would be quieter and safer," she told CBC News. "Nowthe men all sleep on that side and the women all sleep on that side."

No one complains, though. These guests arejust happy to have a place to sleep. And the number of people who need amaton the floor has increased quickly.

On a typical night - even just a year ago - the Mission would averageabout 20 guests. Lately, that figure has climbed to about 50 guests, according Dunn. There's no question in his mind, he needs to build the dorm as quickly as he can.

"This isn't the most ideal setting," hesaid, as his staff and guests rearrangedthe soup kitchen to make way for the overnight sleeping arrangements. "These folks are going to sleep twelve inches away from the next person, on the floor. I need a bed for everybody, and that's the goal."

Design plans for the new digs are being drawn up, with construction expected to start in the spring. At that point, an emptyportion of the old church on Victoria Avenuewill be gutted and renovated.

Dunn doesn't know the cost just yet. He says the Mission has socked away cash for years and he hopes the savings will be enough to foot the bill.

Without the shelter, people like Fengler would be out on the streets. The last job she had was at a fast food restaurant in Toronto. But she injured her back and hasn't been able to work since.

After moving to Windsor, she eventually had no place to live, and she's been sleeping at the Mission every night for about five months.

"I ended up not having a place to live, so I came here so I can have a roof over my head and be warm and have meals here," she said.

Like many others, Fengler wakes up just after 6 a.m. to have breakfast. Then she turns to her volunteer work, which includes doing laundry.Every day, she rounds up the linen andruns them through the washsothat every guest has clean blankets and pillow cases when they return at night.