Safe space, judgment-free

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This article was published 28/03/2022 (1039 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A place of refuge, free of judgment.

Velma’s House in the West End is a unique, low-barrier drop-in centre for women and LGBTTQ+ people who are exploited, have an addiction, been subjected to violence or are living on the street, to find so many things others take for granted: a nutritious meal, place to rest, shower and do laundry.

A year ago this month, Velma’s House opened. No one knew what to expect. After 300 people sought help in the first month, the need was apparent.

“There aren’t a lot of safe spaces for women in the West Broadway, West End area,” program co-ordinator Isabel Daniels said.

“It was a need that that community needed for many, many years.”

Women can walk into the unassuming building at 154 Sherbrook St. seven days a week, and get three meals — if that’s all they want.

However, there’s a long list of services: showers, clothing, laundry machines, hygiene products, phones, computers, cultural support from elders, help with employment assistance and CFS casework. Those without a fixed address can get their mail sent to Velma’s House, and when they do get their own address, Velma’s House offers start-up packages with small appliances and helps to pay for delivery fees. There are programs on arts and crafts, maintaining sobriety, writing resumes, and filing tax returns.

“Whatever’s going to make those gaps a little bit smaller for them when they’re restarting their life and getting out of exploitation and homelessness,” Daniels says.

It was a decades-long dream, Daniels explained, but a resurgence of interest came during the pandemic, when front-line community supports were forced to close. Led by Ka Ni Kanichihk, Velma’s House became a reality in March 2021. It was inspired by the late Velma Orvis, the Ojibwa and Cree elder after which the home was named.

In its first year, Velma’s House had 9,000 visitors and served thousands of meals. As many as 75 people are helped each day.

“We’re constantly busy, but the good thing is that we’ve seen some of our women get sober,” Daniels says. “We’ve transitioned women from homelessness to housed, to out of addiction, who now are working full time in the community, and volunteering back at Velma’s House.

Cherie Henderson is one of those women. She’s been using Velma’s House since it opened. She would take a shower, eat and get clean clothes while she was lived on the street.

“I really sought solace here, because of the lived experience that the workers have,” Henderson, 39, says. “There was more of a connection that way.”

She felt comforted and inspired by the experiences of some of the staff members who helped her out. She would try to be sober when she visited, then decided that she wanted to get sober full-time. The journey was long and difficult – she was supporting herself through sex work, struggling with an alcohol addiction, and mental health issues resulted in her being sent to the Health Sciences Centre crisis response unit.

On Nov. 26 of last year, she stopped drinking.

“I feel like my life has taken a turn positively,” she says. “So, that’s why I came to give back by volunteering.”

After spending three years unhoused, Henderson now lives in a safe house and goes to Alcoholics Anonymous every day. She helps clean up at Velma’s House, greets people and hands out lunch.

“I’ve seen girls come in doing the same things, inquiring about some of the things that they can help with, to help them to help their own lives,” she says.

Daniels says they were surprised by the severe effects of addiction on their clients. They had learn about responding to an overdose and working with people who are in psychosis.

“When we opened up, we knew that people would be using on the property, but… the level of addiction that we see on a day-to-day basis kind of threw us for a loop,” Daniels says.

It’s resulted in Daniels and other staff advocating for safe injection sites in the city.

“That’s the big issue: how do we safely monitor and support people in active addiction? How do we keep our staff safe from people in psychosis? And how do we keep our other community members… safe?” she says. “Because we’re a low-barrier safe space, juggling all that been a bit of a challenge.”

Henderson says she heard about Velma’s House from people on the street and learned quickly that it was a safe non-judgmental place.

“No judgment, that’s the No. 1 thing, because most of the girls that do come in from off the street, we don’t need to be judged or anything like that. We’re seeking places to go to that are not like that,” says Henderson, who wants to take classes in crisis support.

Velma’s House wants to add staff and programs, and eventually stay open 24/7.

Daniels says they would like to have transitional beds for women who get out of rehab or detox programs.

“We’re applying for everything. Every grant, every level of government, we’re applying for it all,” Daniels says.

Velma’s House is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and weekends from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The program accepts donations, and is in need of mittens and gloves, sweatpants, leggings, tank tops, running shoes, flip-flops, hoodies, bras, hygiene supplies and sample-size makeup products.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca