(County of Renfrew photo)
The County of Renfrew, in partnership with Carefor, is launching a new initiative that should help some of the most vulnerable in our community.
‘Bridge housing’ is a short-term, continuous stay accommodation that helps people ‘bridge’ the gap from homelessness to permanent housing.
The county has signed a three-year lease with Carefor, a non-profit organization renowned for its holistic care and support services for residents, for a new program that will provide supportive bridge housing at their Pembroke facility at 700 Mackay St. in Pembroke.
This lease is for a separate area within the building that is currently vacant and officials say renovations of the space are expected to start later this month to create rooms for up to 14 residents with an occupancy target of late fall 2024.
As part of this collaborative approach to providing compassionate care, the County is exploring opportunities to partner with other service providers within the community to provide necessary staffing and innovative programming for residents.
This new initiative is part of the county’s recently introduced Mesa initiative, a comprehensive plan to better support individuals struggling with mental health, addictions, and homelessness. The goal, say officials, is to provide wraparound support services to individuals to enhance their housing stability and overall health.
Addressing these needs is part of the County of Renfrew’s strategic plan goal of Community Wellness and Health Care. While individual departments and organizations have been providing services in these areas, this initiative provides an opportunity to move beyond the silos and align existing efforts to offer wraparound care for all community members to thrive. Mesa also addresses gaps identified through the Housing and Homelessness Strategy.
Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon said the County of Renfrew is excited to partner with Carefor to bring much-needed bridge housing to our community.
“This initiative, combined with our ongoing collaborative efforts through the Mesa program, underscores our commitment to working with community partners to better support individuals struggling with homelessness, mental health, and addictions challenges,” said Emon. “Success for all in our area starts with the community providing stabile housing and supports through various linked and coordinated programs.”
READ MORE: Renfrew County to host public consultations, online survey on housing, homelessness
(Written by: Sherry Haaima)