First Light adds final touches to new housing facility

A new transitional housing facility is nearly ready to open on the west end of Water Street in St. John's.

The building on the corner of Leslie Street was previously used as the headquarters of First Light, a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing and celebrating Indigenous cultures and languages while also providing social programs and services.

The organization will soon open the doors to the new 10-unit housing facility.

Megan Pottle, a coordinator with First Light, told CBC News they're prioritizing people who are escaping domestic abuse. 

"This is a program with housing, not housing with a program," said Pottle.

Two of the units will be dedicated to housing people of marginalized genders, said Pottle. This means only women, fem, two-spirit, Indigiqueer and gender diverse people.

The facility will be staffed 24 hours a day, along with intensive case management workers on site from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. and overnight support personnel. 

Pottle said the need for housing is unprecedented right now, and it's very difficult for anyone to find a place to live. She said it can be especially difficult for people of marginalized genders and those who come to the city for the first time from very rural towns and reserves.

"It's really easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle here and not know where to go, and where safe spaces are," said Pottle. "We work really hard to try to show up in that way as an organization."

Staff will be approaching and viewing the residents at this new facility through a lens of healing. People working there will be understanding and accepting of the reality that everyone's healing journey looks different, said Pottle. 

Staff will work with residents using spiritual, cultural, and community based techniques, with food playing an important role in creating the feeling of safety and inclusion, Pottle said.

Residents will have meals made available to them. Staff and residents may even work together on food-related tasks such as creating a communal garden, gathering wild food and bottling moose or seal. 

"We're starting from the ground up with folks with … their wellness goals," Pottle said.

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