(The Mustard Seed)

By David Opinko

Mustard Seeds plans sober shelter and supportive housing in Lethbridge

Dec 1, 2020 | 2:27 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge could soon be home to two new facilities aiming to help those struggling with addictions and other matters.

The Christian non-profit’s vision is to “eliminate homelessness and reduce poverty where we serve.”

Mustard Seed Managing Director Byron Bradley says they are looking to add Lethbridge to their existing network of locations in Medicine Hat, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton, and Kamloops.

This will be done through the creation of a sober shelter and permanent supportive housing. Locations have yet to be finalized for either of these.

Between their current facilities, the organization says they provided 503,000 meals per month, 486 shelter mats, and 60,600 health and wellness services in 2019.

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The Mustard Seed is looking for volunteers in Lethbridge. Those interested can send an email to infolethbridge@theseed.ca.

There are also job postings for support workers.

Sober Shelter:

Bradley says the sober shelter would be important for those who are fighting for sobriety.

“It’s important to have space for people to go, both if they’re under the influence of drugs and alcohol, which, that option is available here in Lethbridge. It’s also important to have a space that is sober and supportive for people as well for people who are choosing not to use substances that particular day.”

A team of workers and volunteers will be on staff to ensure those accessing this facility are safe and get the support they need.

The sober shelter will be the more immediate of the two. Bradley tells LNN they hope to open it this winter.

Permanent Supportive Housing:

This will be a shelter that would provide at-risk individuals with a permanent place to call home.

“Doing housing-first is very very important and getting someone into a home is critical, but also providing them supports on-site, so we’ll be looking to provide advocacy services and counselling services for the residents that live in that building.”

Bradley hopes to have a site finalized and to potentially open the housing complex in 2021.

Once they know where it will be located, he says they will then know what capacity it will have and how many supports it can offer.