Qualico Donation Helps Keep Main Street Project Warming Centre Open

Winnipeg, MB – A recent donation from Qualico is helping Main Street Project (MSP) in Winnipeg provide a comfortable drop-in warming centre for those who are experiencing homelessness.

Qualico provided $10,000 to help keep the warming centre open for eight hours overnight over a 50-day period this winter. MSP is hoping Qualico’s donation will encourage others to donate so the centre can be open 24 hours a day during cold weather.

Main Street Project warming centre has couches, tables and television providing a place for people experiencing homelessness to stop in and warm up. Photo courtesy of Winnipeg Sun.

Kevin Van, President & CEO, Qualico, said the donation was made to help MSP continue its important work.

“We believe whole-heartedly in the life-saving work that Main Street Project does in the community,” he said. “We offered this donation to Main Street Project to help leverage support from the government and the public to ensure the warming centre, a much-needed space in downtown Winnipeg, opens.”

The warming centre, which officially opened last February at the former Mitchell Fabrics building on the corner of Main Street and Logan Avenue, has couches, tables, and chairs for around 50 people and provides an alternative for those who do not feel comfortable going to a shelter.

The more casual atmosphere allows people to stop in and leave when they are ready, rather than have to stay the entire night once they’re there.

The centre opened a couple of weeks ago for the first time this winter at the request of the city and End Homelessness Winnipeg. Rick Lees, MSP’s executive director, said the organization was grateful for the support of Qualico, as well as that of United Way Winnipeg, which donated $3,000.

“With the recent cold snap and the heavy snowfall that hit Winnipeg, it is imperative that we have this space open to provide respite to individuals experiencing homelessness,” he said. “We will continue seeking additional emergency funding support required to keep people safe in extreme weather.”

MSP is still accepting donations at mainstreetproject.ca, and will be hosting a peer-to-peer fundraising walk on Feb. 22 called "Coldest Night of the Year."