What is BOOTC?
Staying Warm and Safe in Barrie
A warm place to sleep, safe from the cold winter nights; most of us take this for granted, but for some, it’s almost a luxury they could only hope for.
The circumstances that can put anyone within our community in need of emergency or temporary shelter are numerous. Be it lost, unsecured, or unsuitable housing; fire, water or weather damage; even an accident or illness; the list goes on. Whatever the reason may be, should anyone find themselves in need of shelter during the cold winter months, there is help readily available here in Barrie.
Whether it is for the night, a week, or even for the entire winter season, the Barrie Out Of The Cold program (BOOTC) is able to help with this need. Although this program does not seek to resolve the cause of each individual situation, it is certainly capable of alleviating the panic, fear, and dangers of being left out in the cold.
For local residents who are curious about how the BOOTC program works, or community leaders and partners interested in the necessity and viability of this service, I’m certain you will applaud the efforts of everyone that contributes to its fluid operation. But in particular, if there is anyone in the Barrie area sleeping outside in the cold- or you know of someone who is, I hope this article will help in the decision to come in Out Of The Cold.
What is B.O.O.T.C.?
To truly understand and appreciate the scope and importance of this program, one must experience it from within. So I spent several nights Out Of The Cold as a guest, to see it in its full operation. This article is the result of my experience.
BOOTC, often affectionately pronounced as ‘Bootsie’, is the Barrie Out Of The Cold program. This program, simply described, provides warm overnight shelter for anyone that needs it during the winter season- from November through to April. But for the guests, volunteers, community partners, as well as the community itself, it is much more than just a warm place to stay.
This program, started in 1998 by Mandy Hillyard & Joan Jarvis, is modeled after the Toronto OOTC program. The $20-30,000 seasonal operating cost, which pays for food & beverages, laundry, taxis, and other associated expenses, is funded solely through private and corporate donations from within our community. And, through its partnership with The David Busby Street Centre and 6 local churches, the BOOTC program is able to provide a much needed, but often silent service, to several dozen individuals every night.
How the Program Works
There are 5 churches within the downtown core that donate an area of their facilities for the BOOTC program: Central United, St. Mary’s, St. Andrews, Collier Street United, and Bethel United Church. Each of these churches has a designated day of the week for the entire season. 5 of them can accommodate up to 35 guests, and 1 church has sufficient space for 25.
This program is staffed by an astounding 1,000 community volunteers that make the program run as efficiently and effectively as it does. Each volunteer spends 1 night per month, 6 times per season, at one of the predesignated churches. Each 15 hour night consists of 5 teams, and involves about 30 volunteers to provide the various necessities throughout the evening; ensuring that all guests are comfortable, safe, and well accommodated.
With what may appear to be quite a logistical challenge, is in actuality a well orchestrated and seamless transition of teams, and is coordinated as such:
1. The ‘Meal Maker Team’, with several volunteers that work off-site:
Prepares the evening meals in advance for the guests.
2. The ‘Dinner Team’, with 6-8 volunteers:
Sets up the tables/chairs, welcomes the guests, gets the evening meal ready, serves the evenings dinner, and cleans up for the next team.
3. The ‘After Dinner Team’, with 6:
Keeps the coffee brewing, receives any late arrivals, and settles the guests in for the night.
4. The ‘Overnight Team’, with 4: Keeps watch, and ensures all guests are secure throughout the night.
5. The ‘Breakfast Team’, with another 6-8 volunteers:
This team wakes the guests, prepares and serves the breakfast, then cleans up and puts everything away once the guests have left.
Come in Out Of The Cold!
Sign-in: Anyone in need of shelter can drop-in to the Central Intake office located at 88 Mulcaster Street between 5:00-7:30pm, 7 days a week.
*Guests are asked to sign-in before 7pm to keep with the programs schedule.
Once signed-in, you’ll be given a Referral Slip to take with you to the corresponding church for that evening.
After hours: From 7:30-9:30pm the C.I. staff is onsite at the church, and can be reached by calling them toll free at 1-844-845-8494.
After 9:30pm: guests are asked to call the Barrie Police Dispatch at 705-725-7025, and an officer will bring you to the designated church to sign-in.
A Little, Goes a Long Way
I spoke with many of the volunteers during my stay, often over a coffee in the quiet, calm hours of those long bitterly cold nights. Their backgrounds and professions were diverse; from a paramedic, school teacher, business owner, students, and retirees, to name a few. But, what was consistent throughout was that they were all there because they wanted to help someone else in need; simple, yet commendable.
It was impressive, even after the very first night, how well this program operated. I gained a real appreciation for the time, effort, and resources involved in providing this service within our community; and for the volunteers that help in its operation.
Without the generous donations from local corporations, community groups/organizations, individuals, schools, churches, as well as retirement homes, this program would not be feasible. And, without the valuable contribution of time and effort from the near 1,000 volunteers within this program, it simply would not function.
The BOOTC program, now in its 17th year of operation, is a prime example of how just a few hours a month of volunteering from a collective group of citizens, can have a significant and positive impact on the lives of others. It’s obvious that; ‘a little, goes a long way’, with Bootsie!