Calgary Mustard Seed nears capacity, cold weather hits most vulnerable

Calgary’s most vulnerable are facing challenges with this winter season as shelters like the Mustard Seed are close to capacity.

During warmer months. clients of the Mustard Seed are expected to leave the shelter for the day, but with temperatures dropping and the city’s first major snowfall, the shelter is making some changes.

According to Andrew Miller with the Calgary Mustard Seed, they’re adapting operations to keep Calgary’s most vulnerable, warm and safe as the weather gets colder.

“The weather gets cold, [and] there are certain thresholds and we allow the guests to stay in as an option to stay out of the cold. I mean, we’ve already discussed that next week. That is definitely going to be something we’re going to be doing.,” Miller said.

The shelter typically sees an uptick of people staying there during the colder winter months. Miller says demand started earlier this year.

“We’re back to where we were before the pandemic at this point. So that’s a concern as we’re heading into winter,”

The shelter can accommodate 370 people, and Miller says they are “nearing capacity.”

Miller says with COVID numbers up in the province, Mustard Seed has had to isolate many clients, which is creating additional challenges for space.

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Mike Schachter is the vice president of administration with the Project Warm Society of Alberta, a nonprofit with a mission to keep vulnerable Calgarians warm throughout the winter.

Project Warm works with different groups of people from students to newcomers to the country. Schacter says they provide clothing for vulnerable groups, like coats and jackets, the “whole sh-bang.”

“A lot of people are very close to running out of money. And when wintertime comes, they may have to make a choice of maybe skipping meals or not paying rent because they don’t have winter clothing for their kids. We fill that gap.,” Schachter said.

Both the Mustard Seed and Project Warm heavily rely on clothing and monetary donations to better support vulnerable people and families. Donations for the Mustard Seed can be brought to the shelter and Calgary fire stations have drop-off boxes for new and used clothing donations for Project Warm.

Clothing donations for Project Warm can be dropped off at your nearest fire station.

Donations for the Mustard Seed, as well as grocery store gift cards can be dropped off at the shelter and monetary donations can be made online.