New Glasgow homeless shelter for adults shuts down

Pictou County's only shelter for adults has closed its doors.

The LifeShelter on Marsh Street in New Glasgow, N.S., offered a warm place for people to stay during winter. It also provided a year-round community breakfast program two days a week.

Shelter helped thousands

The LifeShelter first opened in March 2012. Former pastor Keith Hazzard ran the shelter from the basement of the Pentecostal Life Church, which has also closed.

In its first year, the shelter helped more than 30 people from the Pictou County area, who were facing housing, relationship and mental health issues. 

More than 3,500 breakfasts were served. The final meal will be served Friday morning.

A news release from the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada cited declining church membership, financial pressures and Hazzard's recent resignation as the reasons behind the closures.

According to the release, more than 25 people volunteered at the shelter, including Vania MacMillan.

She called the shelter's closure "very unfortunate" for the people who relied on it.

"Knowing that it's not there anymore makes you wonder where are they going to turn, what are they going to do now? So, it's heartbreaking," she said.

"It could literally be the difference between life or death on a really bad winter's night."

MacMillan said she and other volunteers haven't given up hope.

Fears for when temperatures drop

The United Way of Pictou County was one of the community organizations that provided funding for the shelter. 

Executive director Jessica Smith said it's scrambling to find a way to keep the shelter open.

She's worried about what will happen to people who don't have housing.

"They're forecasting a really cold winter this year. There's a big concern about what those people are going to do," said Smith.

The organization is searching for a solution to either maintain the current shelter or find another suitable location near downtown.