A Niagara Falls woman says she is closing her small homeless drop-in centre on Victoria Avenue at the end of the month because it can no longer meet demand.

Despite that, Angela Peebles said she will not stop helping people who are homeless or struggling with mental health.

Peebles, who owns The Regal Diner on Main Street with her husband, said the space she opened at the beginning of May is not big enough and having people out front on the sidewalk has caused problems.

Her drop-in centre is located near the corner of Willmott Street.

Peebles said a larger space is needed and she hopes another organization, Niagara Region or City of Niagara Falls can step in and help find a permanent solution.

She said she gathered data on who and how many people have used the centre and the city and the Region are aware of the numbers.

Niagara Region administers homelessness programs in Niagara.

A temporary overnight shelter at St. Andrew's United Church in Niagara Falls - part of a two-year pilot project - ran November through April. It offered cots in the church chapel and was scheduled to close at the end of March, but Peebles - she also prepares meals for some of the city's homeless - urged city council in March to keep the shelter open longer as she worked to find a drop-in space for them. Council agreed to a one-month extension.

During a meeting Aug. 13 - after Peebles explained to local politicians how she has witnessed the "homelessness crisis" in Niagara Falls during the past year - council asked staff to report back on possible places the city's homeless can more comfortably sleep between now and November, when the shelter reopens at St. Andrew's.

When she initially signed her lease with the landlord, Peebles said she anticipated 15 to 30 people would use the space, which she estimates is only 600 to 700 square feet. But more than 200 individuals began coming to the centre.

Peebles said she originally thought the space would be an extension to the breakfast outreach service she was providing out of a park.

"As soon as I opened the doors, I realized that it was going to evolve into something entirely different."

In addition to food, the centre provided a place for people to sleep, essential supplies and information about the soup kitchen, housing opportunities, as well as mental-health and addiction support.

Peebles said the centre was open during the hours she could manage to be there with volunteers.

"As the word got out, more and more people were using the space," she said, adding it became overwhelming and has taken a toll on her own mental health and family.

Peebles said she wanted to thank the community for supporting her since November, when her efforts began by providing breakfast sandwiches in a park.

"Everything from November until the end of August has been floated by donations from the community. The community has really rallied around it."

Raymond.Spiteri@niagaradailies.com

905-225-1645 | @RaySpiteri

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