The Gathering Place seeing huge increase in those needing help

A centre committed to helping those who have fallen through the cracks is seeing an increase in demand for its services.

Membership numbers at the Gathering Place have leaped from 200 in September 2014 to more than 900 today.

"What's more of a change is our awareness that we have a responsibility to provide services to guests who come here," Sister Elizabeth Davis, the co-chair of the board of directors,says.

"We also have a responsibility to advocate on behalf of guests who come here and others in the city who fallthrough the cracks the way guests do."

The Gathering Place underwent a complete overhaul of its building as part of$7-million dollar renovation back in 2014.

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The upgraded space is one of the reasons demand is at an all time high.

"We certainly haven't done a proper study to see why there is such an increase in numbers," Davis told CBC News.

"What we suspect is, partly, thatneed is increasing with the economic downturn in the province and also the services we are offering are more broad-based now."

Davis said hot meals are the touchstone of the Gathering Place, with numbers reaching up to 250 everyday for lunchA jump from about 120 just two years ago.

Along with daily dishes the centre offers more to its guests.

"We have everything from a computer lab," said Davis.

"We have reading spaces. We have a clothing boutique. We have nurses who come to provided nursing care. We have social workers who come to provide advice, often on housing and now for the first time we also have two family physicians who hold clinics for guests through the week."

Financial struggle

That's along with laundry facilities, volunteers from local salons who offer free hair cuts and hot showers.

But all of it costs the centre money.

"It's an ongoing struggle to finance the operations here, " Davis said.

"It's also an ongoing struggle to make sure we have enough volunteers to provide the services. But its a struggle worth carrying on with."

The Gathering Place needs help with donations of supplies, clothing and volunteer time.

Davis said people can also help by becoming more aware.

"Not one person comes to the Gathering Place that doesn't need our services so it speaks to a great rupture in our community that we have to address."