Reach Out Chatham-Kent (R.O.C.K.) announced on Monday that their Wallaceburg Drop-In Centre will remain open and their new location will be at 233 Nelson Street in Wallaceburg.
“Our staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to find a new location so that we could continue to serve those in Wallaceburg,” R.O.C.K. officials posted on social media.
“A huge thank you to our generous donors who make it possible to keep the doors of this important space open to our friends.”
R.O.C.K. officials said their final day at their current Dufferin Avenue location will be Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
“We are aiming to be open in mid April, but we will announce our official opening date soon,” ROCK officials added.
As previously reported, R.O.C.K. announced the drop-in centre would close, effective March 31, 2024.
R.O.C.K. officials said at the time the decision stemmed from “unforeseen challenges”, which included the withdrawal of funding from the United Way of Chatham-Kent and the conclusion of the partnership with the 7 Generations Indigenous Cultural Friendship Centre (7GICFC), where the drop in centre is located at 1531 Dufferin Avenue.
R.O.C.K. officials say they have been committed to serving the community of Wallaceburg since 2019, providing street level outreach services distributing food, harm reduction supplies, and hygiene products to those experiencing homelessness or insecure housing.
In 2022 the James St. Drop in Centre was opened in partnership with United Way of Chatham-Kent, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent and Ska:Na Family Learning Centre.
The centre moved into the 7GICFC building in November 2023.
