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Other Housing Stability Programs   |
Housing Stability Programs Funded by the Federal Government
From the Federal Government, the Region has taken on the role of Community Entity for the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) and the role of Community Coordinator for the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS). As the Community Entity, the Region is responsible for facilitating local planning and the administration of HPS funding. As the HIFIS Community Coordinator, the Region champions the implementation and assists with the on-going activities associated with the HIFIS database.
Programs funded through HPS from 2009-2011 include:
Circle of Friends
Circle of Friends is a program operated by the Mennonite Central Committee Ontario. The purpose of the program is to support residents at YWCA-Mary's Place during their transition from homelessness back into the community, and to help them with maintaining their housing. Female volunteers offer informal social support, facilitate access to community resources and/or assist with daily living.
Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS)
Four emergency shelters and one maternity home received funding for training and/or the purchase of computer equipment to support their use of HIFIS. HPS funding also supports the development of accurate, meaningful reports for trend analysis across the region.
Phase II of Project See-Saw
Project See-Saw is a joint social enterprise between Argus Residence for Young People and Reaching Our Outdoor Friends (ROOF). In phase I, a business plan for a thrift store was developed and tee-shirt making equipment was purchased. The tee-shirt making equipment is housed at ROOF, who operates the Street Designs program. Phase II funding will be used for the purchase of material and supplies for Street Designs and initial start-up costs for opening a thrift store.
STEP Home Program Evaluation
The Centre for Community Based Research is conducting a program evaluation for all STEP Home projects – nine programs designed to end and prevent persistent homelessness in the region.
Streets to Housing Stability
The Streets to Housing Stability program is operated by the Working Centre, YWCA Kitchener-Waterloo and the Cambridge Shelter Corporation (beginning April 2010). The goal of the program is to support people who are experiencing persistent homelessness to find and maintain housing.
Waterloo Region Downtown Street Outreach
The Waterloo Region Downtown Street Outreach program is operated by the Working Centre. The purpose of the program is to engage with people in the urban centers of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo who are street-involved and to develop relationships, build trust, meet immediate needs and ultimately connect them with the supports and services of their choice that may assist them with maintaining and/or improving their health and/or quality of life.
Whatever it Takes – Service Resolution for People Experiencing Persistent Homelessness
Whatever it Takes – Service Resolution for People Experiencing Persistent Homelessness is a program operated by Lutherwood. The program brings service providers and people experiencing persistent homelessness together to develop and implement plans that will create conditions for success in transitioning from the use of crisis services to accessing and maintaining secure and stable housing.
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Housing Stability Programs Funded by the Province
From the Province, the Region has been designated the Service System Manager for Homelessness. As such, the Region is responsible for system planning, service delivery, accountability/quality assurance and resource allocation. The Region administers funding for emergency shelters and domiciliary hostels on a cost-shared basis as well as the Consolidated Homelessness Prevention Program, the Rent Bank, the Emergency Energy Fund and the Water Filter Fund at 100% Provincial funds. In addition, the Region receives funding through the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care’s Aging At Home program, which is administered by the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network.
Click here to learn about the four emergency shelters and one maternity home funded through agreements with the Region and to access a copy of the Region’s Emergency Shelter Guidelines.
Click here to learn about the 14 Domiciliary Hostels funded through agreements with the Region and to access a copy of the Region’s Domiciliary Hostel Guidelines.
Click here to learn about the Waterloo Region Energy Assistance Program, which is partially funded by the Province.
Other programs funded through the Province in 2009 include:
Charles Village
The House of Friendship has operated Charles Village since 2005. The program provides 22 units of supportive housing to single males and females.
Cramer House
The House of Friendship has operated Cramer House since 1985. The program provides supportive housing for 9 single men.
Eby Village
The House of Friendship has operated Eby Village since 1990. The program provides supportive housing to 64 single males and females.
Families in Transition
Families in Transition is a program operated by Lutherwood and has been operating since 2003. The program offers intensive support to families with children to find and maintain their housing.
Lincoln Road Apartments
Lincoln Road Apartments is a program that started in 1989 and is operated by the YWCA Kitchener-Waterloo. The program provides 45 units of supportive housing for women and their children who have experienced persistent homelessness or housing challenges.
Rent Bank and Eviction Prevention
The Rent Bank and Eviction Prevention program has been a program operated by Lutherwood since 2002. The program provides information about landlord and tenant relations, eviction processes, and tenant rights and responsibilities. In addition, financial assistance in the form of interest-free loans may be provided to individuals, couples and families with children who are experiencing financial difficulties that otherwise might lead to eviction or difficulty with securing housing.
Street Outreach (for Youth)
ROOF has offered youth outreach across Waterloo Region since 2001. The aim of the program is to support youth between the ages of 12 and 25 years to get off the street by providing resources and education.
Supportive Housing for Youth (SHY)
SHY is a program of Cambridge Kiwanis Village Non-Profit Housing in partnership with Argus Residence for Young People that assists young people exiting Argus to find and maintain housing. The program operates six apartment units dedicated to youth.
Supportive/Transitional Housing
Cambridge Shelter Corporation has operated the Supportive/Transitional Housing program since 2005. The program provides 20 bachelor units for males and females.
Welcome Aboard Drop-In
A program of the Cambridge Shelter Corporation, the Welcome Aboard Drop-In program has operated since 1997. It offers a safe place for people experiencing homelessness to get off the street. Services include daily meals, showers, laundry facilities, a weekly medical clinic, an identification clinic, help in accessing drug and alcohol treatment, job and volunteer placements, help finding and maintaining housing, mailboxes, dedicated phone lines, a message centre as well as assistance with accessing food, clothing and furniture.
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Housing Stability Programs Funded by the Region
Since 2008, the Region has provided funding to assist with implementation of the Homelessness to Housing Stability Strategy. Allocations include enhancements to programs currently funded by the Province’s Consolidated Homelessness Prevention Program, emergency shelter capacity building, research and evaluation activities and support for the following two programs:
Lutherwood – Homelessness and Housing Umbrella Group (HHUG)
Funding is provided to Lutherwood to support the HHUG. The HHUG is Waterloo Region’s central homelessness and housing group and serves to coordinate all other groups working on issues of housing and homelessness in the community. The HHUG undertakes education, advocacy, and action to prevent and reduce homelessness in Waterloo Region
Lutherwood - Safe Haven Shelter
Safe Haven Shelter provides short-term emergency shelter for youth ages 12 to 15 years. The program also provides respite services, skills-based prevention programming, and facilitation of family reunification activities.
Other Regionally funded housing stability programs include:
Housing Counselling
Housing Counselling is a program operated by Lutherwood that assists individuals, couples and families with children to find and maintain housing. Through the program, people can access housing information, referrals, assistance with applying for Community Housing, housing counselling and the resource centre (with free computers, internet, telephones, newspapers, photocopies and fax machines).
Psychiatric Outreach
Psychiatric Outreach is a program operated by the Working Centre and is based out of St. John’s Kitchen in Kitchener. The program operates within a clinic model and provides support to individuals with complex needs who are unable or unwilling to participate in traditional services for mental health care. |
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