CAMBIE – Vancouver’s oldest mosque has opened its doors as an overnight shelter for the homeless seeking refugee from freezing winter temperatures in the streets.

“If the need is there, we will be open,” Haroon Kahn, president of the Pakistan Canada Association and trustee of the Al Jamia Masjid, told CBC News.

“This year, the emergency was really acute and the interfaith community has been mobilized. We really felt like this was the right thing to do, especially at this time of year,” he said.

The congregation opened the mosque on Dec. 18 when temperatures fell below freezing.

The plan was to close the space, located at Eighth Avenue near Cambie, after a week, but if the demand remains, that deadline is flexible.

Over the past days, the mosque has been hosting 10-15 people per night, including many youth.

Young Muslim youth volunteered to keep their company, including Haroon’s nephew, 22-year-old Abubakar Kahn who mobilized many volunteers.

Abubakar said he “wanted to help because they had been hearing about the homeless crisis and fentanyl deaths.”

“We just started brainstorming and we said, let’s open the mosque for a week and it just started flowing, more and more [volunteers] started joining,” said Abubakar, who has spent nearly every night since then sleeping at the mosque.

The volunteers have been working to deliver meals, blankets and care packages to residents in the Downtown Eastside, as well as sitting and sharing stories at the mosque overnight.

Some people who have sought shelter have cell phones and have remained in touch with the volunteers they connected with at the mosque.

Two volunteers are planning to reconnect with a man they met at the mosque to help him create a resume.

Al Jamia Masjid was founded in 1963 by Haroon’s father, Riasat Ali Khan.

The mosque welcomed those seeking shelter between 7 pm PT and 9 am PT, providing food and clothing.