ST. PAUL – As winter tightens its icy grip in the province, the Mannawanis Native Friendship Centre (MNFC) in St. Paul offers warmth overnight, protecting those in need against the bitter cold with its mat program.
The mat program has a capacity for eight individuals. The MNFC built a space in their warehouse to house individuals, which is located at the back of Friendship Centre.
The mat program began in October 2022 following the Town of St. Paul’s approval of the project. As of Jan. 12 – when temperatures were expected to feel like -51C during the overnight hours - the program was at full capacity.
Hinano Rosa, director at the MNFC, said the intention behind the mat program is to help people suffering from homelessness, and runs in partnership with the Town and RCMP.
“It’s actually going really well,” he said, noting there are volunteers helping, working from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. when the mat program runs.
The program is funded by the federal initiative Reaching Home, managed by the Alberta Rural Development Network (RDN). RDN provided $15,000 last year to the MNFC, and an additional $15,000 in January to extend the program until April.
There are conditions attached to the funding.
One requirement is that people participating in the mat program must also sign up to some of MNFC’s programming, such as those providing addiction and mental health services.
