Centre 105 begins opening four days per week

Centre 105, in partnership with the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa and Trinity Anglican Church, is expanding its services to run its day program an additional day per week.

Centre 105 had been offering residents of Cornwall, Ont., breakfasts, a safe social space and other services three days a week, but starting on Sept. 12, they began operating four days a week, from Tuesday to Friday.

This increase in service was made possible by a generous grant from the United Way/Centraide of Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry, said Centre 105 executive director Taylor Seguin, thanking the organization for being Centre 105’s strongest financial supporter.

“Centre 105 participants have already let us know how excited they are that 105 will be open for an extra day each week,” Seguin told Perspective. “Along with the meals, folks are happy to be able to have a place to hang out, for an additional morning each week.”

Earlier this year, Centre 105 also added a shower facility to its space. “We are so proud of opening the first public shower program in our community,” said Seguin. “We would have loved to offer these services at an earlier time, but funding was always difficult to obtain. Thankfully, through a capital construction grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, we were able to secure the funds to build the shower program.”

Centre 105 has been running a Sponsor a Shower Tile Fundraising event, inviting individuals and businesses to sponsor a shower tile with a $100 donation. About $4000 has been raised so far to help with costs associated with this new service.

“There continues to be a large amount of need in our community. Food insecurity and homelessness are two very significant social issues in Cornwall,” said Seguin. “We hope that with the addition of a shower program, as well as an additional day of meals / safe social space, Centre 105 will be able to do our part to help our community.”

Centre 105 also provides laundry facilities and hosts a mobile health clinic once a week.

Donor Christopher Leclair surveys the wall of tiles for the shower fundraiser. Photo: Contributed

Community volunteers regularly turn up to help out. Photo: Leigh Anne Williams

Melodie Cousineau is a social support worker at Centre 105. She is managing the laundry and shower programs. Photo: Contributed