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Regina Rescue Mission and Souls Harbour merge
Two Regina Christian charities have decided to work together.

They help Regina's most needy and now Souls Harbour and Regina Rescue Mission will work together. The merger comes as the Christian charities expand services in a neighbourhood dubbed Canada's most troubled.

KEN PORTER, REGINA RESCUE MISSION: "Well, I don't think anybody debates that it's troubled but most troubled I think is a bit of a stretch."

Both groups began downtown. Souls Harbour ran a soup kitchen on Broad Street. Regina Rescue Mission operated a homeless shelter behind the Hotel Saskatchewan. Recent demolition of both buildings forced the two organizations under one roof. It worked so well, they've made the arrangement permanent.

DONOVAN CARROLL, SOULS HARBOUR: "And we started working together. We saw the benefits, wow, it's amazing when we share resources and work as one unit, we move a lot quicker and we get a lot more done."

The newly named Soul's Harbour Rescue Mission will expand into North Central Regina where it hopes to change lives in the neighbourhood. It has purchased a former Catholic Church and convent for residential drug and alcohol treatment programs. It's already helped people like Geroge McKenzie overcome his addictions.

GEORGE MCKENZIE: "And once I was through the program after about little over half a year or so, they asked me if I wanted to become an intern and I thought this would be great because I could be part of the solution rather than part of the problem."

The new organization will be able to help even more people from a simple bowl or soup to delving into the long term problems in their lives.