'We are in crisis mode': Shelters feeling the impact of massive power outage

The widespread power outages following Saturday's severe storm are having a major impact on some of the city of Ottawa’s most vulnerable.

Interval House of Ottawa is a shelter for those fleeing domestic violence, including children. The shelter suffered massive damage to its building and surrounding fences, including uprooted trees, a collapsed gazebo and damaged roof.

"Everyone is safe, everyone has their basic needs met," says Keri Lewis, the executive director of the shelter. "We are going to have a lot of work to clean all this up."

Lewis says, "Our programs are not fully operational because we are just attending to the day-to-day needs, making sure there are meals brought in… that sort of thing."

She says without power, some of the shelter’s services have been impacted. Staff has been working extra hours to make sure residents' needs are met.

"We operate a 24-hour crisis line and a text and chat line, offering folks a discreet way to reach out. Both of those lines are operating, they are a bit patchy. We want to get the word out for those trying to get through to us, we are trying very hard to answer and to be here but because the power is still down, and the communication is patchy, so we are not able to get to every call," Lewis says."

"There are other organizations Chrysalis House, Oshki Kizis Lodge and Maison Amitie, these are all organizations who have crisis lines so if you can’t get through to us, please reach out to other organizations."

She says living without power is also re-traumatizing many of the residents.

"There was a lot of noise and banging and clanging as trees and furniture were flying through the air," says Lewis.  "Seeing the storm go through, and the destruction it has caused, for folks who are experiencing trauma it can be triggering."

The shelter has put a call out on social media asking for donations to help get them through until the power is restored.

"We only have a couple of working outlets," says Lewis.

"People with power who have battery packs, ice and snacks. Those are things we could really use right now but having a hard time getting."

Many power lines in the area have fallen and remain on the ground. We are now on day 3 of no power, making our crisis line and the Unsafe at Home Ottawa text and chat line unreliable for survivors of violence to contact if support is needed. (2/4)

— Interval House of Ottawa (@IntervalOttawa) May 24, 2022

Other social services have seen an increase in demand since the storm hit.

Peter Tilley says at the Ottawa Mission, more people are coming for a hot meal and a place to connect.

The Mission had been working on a generator until Tuesday when power was restored to the shelter.

"We cannot go without power when you are providing emergency services for people in a hospice, health clinic and meals," Tilley said.

"We have seen the demand at Chef Ric’s impacted because this weekend we started getting calls from community housing and residences where people were in need of food."

The Mission is using their mobile food truck to provide hot meals for those without power. Tilley says they are providing 2,500 meals a day, up from their regular 1,000 meals.

He says the meals are "to support many of the Ottawa Community Housing. We didn’t think this was going to be the use for food trucks, but when I said to (Chef Ric), 'Can we handle this?' He said, 'We have no chose the community needs us.'"

The Ottawa Food Bank is also seeing an increase and expects demand for social services to increase.

The Food Bank providing thousands of emergency meals a day since the storm hit.

"When the power comes back on that means that people will be ready to put food back in their fridges, so we think it is going to be even busier next week at the food banks," said Rachael Wilson with the Ottawa Food Bank.