Kokum's House not only gives homeless men and women a place to rest their heads, it gives them a place to call home.
The homeless shelter in Cold Lake takes in all walks of life, and acts as a temporary shelter for those trying to get on their feet, and since opening its doors last year, has averaged four or five people a day.
The house only has room for eight, and although it is not meant to serve women, staff never turns anyone away. This is one of the reasons why Kokum's House is looking to expand, so they can begin officially offering a shelter for women and teens.
Agnes Gendron, executive director for the Cold Lake Native Friendship Centre, said the project is in its early stages, and is fundraising and accepting donations for what could be an expensive endeavor.
The City of Cold Lake has written the centre a letter of support for the expansion, and so far Gendron said, they have only begun the process of applying for government funding through the Alberta Rural Development Network grant, among others.
The project is important for the area, as it will help expand not only the physical building, but also the services the shelter would be able to offer.
The expansion would include a new wing, which would be dedicated strictly to women and teens, keeping the men separate with a shared kitchen and common area.
“It would be better if we had a wing for the men and a wing for the women,” said Zane Thain, caretaker of Kokum's House, adding this helps protect both the men and women by preventing any potential unpleasant incidences.
“Right now, we are in a situation where because we sometimes accept women, that's pretty risky, for not only the caretaker but also other men living there,” said Gendron. “I don't like that kind of situation. We don't want to have to shut down Kokum's House because of any incidences.”
Women are taking drastic measures in order to ensure they have a roof over their head at night, Gendron explained, adding this is just one of the reasons why the expansion is so important, so they can offer them a place to stay.
“Women are falling through the cracks, because they don't have the requirements for the women's shelter,” explained Thain. The shelter he is referring to is meant for women in abusive homes, where Kokum's House is for anyone who just needs a roof over their head.
“A lot of women that are on the streets, don't necessarily come to us, but we do get a few,” he said, adding this may be because the shelter is commonly known as a men's shelter.
Over the past six months, Kokum's House has seen four or five women come into their care by various means. Some women are brought to the shelter by local law enforcement, while others find their own way.
Women are not the only ones left without somewhere to go. Kokum's House will often serve teens looking for a place to stay, whether it's for one night, or more.
“The house is getting smaller as we go, the more well known it gets, the smaller the house is getting,” noted Thain.
It's not only homeless men and women in Cold Lake that are benefitting from the shelter, but also surrounding communities, with people coming from areas such as Pierceland, and Saddle Lake.
“We don't just serve the Cold Lake area, we get people from as far away as Frog Lake, St. Paul, Edmonton, Bonnyville… It's not just the people around here, it's everybody,” explained Thain.
Gendron said if it were up to her, every community would have a shelter of its own for homless men and women to call home.
