The COVID-19 pandemic has hit many different industries and businesses, including the Stemete7uw’i Friendship Centre, who is now asking for help.
The centre has been serving as a drop-in centre three days a week and is also a place where First Nations arts and culture are promoted, displayed, and taught.
Wendy Hamblin, the secretary of the board for the centre, said that they are hopeful they can reopen in the fall.
“We’ve had a couple of people apply to help fill our grant applications, we’ve had a couple of cash donations already,” she said. “We simply don’t know. We certainly need more than we’ve received. There have been some hopeful signs.”
Hamblin notes that they are looking for help from people in mainly three ways.
“I think the three things would be people who have experience in applying for grants, which would help us with grant applications,” she said. “Anyone who wants to make any kind of cash donation and anyone who has a computer that they are willing to part with.”
Elsie Urquhart, who is with the friendship centre, said that she feels the centre is something that is needed in the area.
“I think it’s something that is really needed because there are no other drop-in centres for people and we get a lot of people that are either homeless or can’t afford to go out for lunch, and we usually get quite a few people to come in, and I think it’s something that really is needed.”
The friendship centre is dependent on grants and donations from locals, as it doesn’t qualify for funding from the government.
Anyone who’s looking to help can email [email protected] or phone 250-395-6142.
Something going on in the Cariboo you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
