Fake outreach van allegedly offering rides to homeless people in Thunder Bay, Ont., Shelter House says

Thunder Bay's Shelter House is warning people to be aware that someone may be posing as their street outreach staff.

Executive Director Michelle Jordan says they're receiving reports of people claiming to be with the Street Outreach Service (SOS) program and offering rides to homeless people in the city.

Shelter House addressed the concern in a Facebook post this week saying its S.O.S. program is not currently operating as normal, and isn't providing street outreach services.

"We only have one van," she said. "I want people to know that, first of all, the van would always be clearly marked," Jordan said. "[Staff] would have something identifying them to say that they're S.O.S., whether it's a T-shirt, a hat, or a jacket."

The S.O.S. program is designed to provide assistance to homeless, high-risk, or intoxicated people by transporting them to safe, warm locations, but currently its staff and van are helping with the city's COVID-19 response. They're offering triage and transportation services.

Jordan said while the S.O.S. program is providing pandemic-related services, anyone who sees another person in need of assistance should call police or paramedics.