PRESS RELEASE
(Kahnawà:ke — June 24, 2021) As of Monday, June 21, 2021, the Kahnawà:ke State of Emergency regarding the COVID-19 pandemic has come to an end. Kahnawà:ke Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services was tasked with providing essential services during a declared emergency and that includes providing emergency food and an emergency isolation shelter along with our Support and Prevention services that provided emergency psycho-social support. In addition, we continued to provide residential care at the Turtle Bay Elder’s Lodge and the Independent Living Center.
Providing shelter during a pandemic can be particularly tricky when lengthy isolation and social distancing are required. Thankfully, Kahnawà:ke businesses stepped up and answered the call to help. In addition to providing an isolation shelter for Kahnawa’kehró:non, we also made the shelter available to community frontline workers that reside outside the community who may have lacked resources to properly isolate in their own areas.
KSCS would like to thank the following community establishments, and their respective owners, for their commitment in helping to get Kahnawà:ke through the pandemic by providing a location to operate an emergency isolation shelter for those in need
- The Host Hotel
- Avery’s Guest and Meeting Facility
- Riverside Inn
As some of us may know, it was not always easy to self-isolate at home if you did not have the space required to do so safely. Providing this shelter afforded some community members one less worry during an already challenging time. We remain optimistic that the most challenging times are behind us, and confident that emergency shelter services are no longer needed at this time. We feel fortunate and proud to see community members and businesses step up and help out in times of need. Niawenhkó:wa!
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For additional information, contact:
Derek Montour, Executive Director
Kahnawake Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services
Tel: 450-632-6880