William Greenland, a counsellor at Yellowknife’s on-the-land Indigenous healing camp, says the camp needs $50,000 to extend its hours.
On Sept. 23, he appealed to council for the funds.
According to an annual report prepared by the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation, which runs the camp, staff engaged with over 1,700 people between May 2018 and February 2019.
Counsellors work with a varied group of clients including residential school survivors, those suffering from addictions and everyday people off the street.
The camp offers a number of activities, including counselling and traditional healing. It also provides breakfast and coffee to those in need every morning year-round.
Greenland told council about the many clients who have sought help at the camp and spoke about the efforts of its small staff.
“This program has been working really well,” said Greenland. “We want to help everyone, we want the community to heal.”
“We’ve been working extremely hard to find a way to take care of our people who are struggling on the streets of Yellowknife,” he continued.
The camp employs three people, including a newly hired part-time Inuit counsellor.
Greenland said the camp receives funding from multiple agencies, including the city, and in 2017 it won the $1 million Arctic Inspiration Prize.