Searching for Homeless Shelters

Emergency housing services for adults

Shelter services for individuals experiencing homelessness in Brantford and Brant County

• uses the Housing First Model
• provides shelter services as well as developing programs to assist people in overcoming the root causes of their homelessness

Resource centre focused on housing

Services include:

• diversion and prevention - stabilizes those at imminent risk of homelessness to maintain their housing or find alternative accommodation through access to case management and financial supports
  
• financial management services - acts as homelessness prevention for voluntary and mandatory clients needing support with their finances to maintain housing stability. The service ensures the payment of rent and utilities and access to case management supports
  
• ID clinic - provides financial supports to obtain a birth certificate, health card and other forms of ID. Staff will help complete the applications and may help with the cost of renewal or application fees
  
• rapid rehousing - Immediate access to short-term case management and financial support to avoid or exit emergency accommodations into permanent housing with necessary wrap around supports
  
• Housing Stability Fund - program can help obtain and maintain stable housing by providing utility arrears and deposits, housing related arrears or last month's rent
  
• outreach - community-based support
  
• access to emergency shelter

Service provides meals, community meal program, emergency accommodation, transitional housing, intake, assessment and referral services

• counselling on-site, (group/individual) on a short/long term basis until alternative arrangements can be made for housing or treatment needs - formal/informal, collaboration with community partner organizations and agencies
  
• operates a halfway house (CRF) for men entering parole
  
• articipates in the City of Brantford's Monthly Food Programs - visit http://www.brantford.ca/residents/support_services/Pages/MonthlyFoodCalendar.aspx to view this month's food locations

A 10-bed shelter Program

Shelter Program - provides temporary housing for people who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Offers a safe and supportive co-ed environment for people between 18 and 29 years of age

Services provided:

• single room with a warm bed, nutritious food and supports
• shelter for up to 90 days
• referrals to transitional and supportive housing programs, employment, addictions and mental health services as well as community support and services

An agency working to end interpersonal violence and abuse by supporting individuals and families who have experienced domestic violence, intimate partner violence, or gender-based violence through the provision of crisis intervention, emergency shelter, transitional support, children's programs, and counselling; and by fostering accountability for those who harm through intervention, counselling, public education, and systemic advocacy


Programs and services include:

• Crisis Line and Emergency Shelter - 33 emergency beds for abused and/or homeless women and children. Open 24/7 providing a safe haven, meals, support, and referrals to community resources

• Transitional Housing: Maria House - 8 residential units for longer-term residential stays for women and children in a setting that combines independent living with counselling and support

• Outreach- services for women wanting to make the transition to independent, violence-free living. Includes safety planning, accompaniment (i.e. to court, lawyer's office), home support, referrals and follow-up

• Counselling Services include:
  • Abuse Recovery Groups (for women 18+)
  • Caring Families (for high conflict families and their children)
  • Children Exposed to Domestic Violence (for children ages 6-16)
  • Mothers in Mind (for mothers and their children ages 0-5)
  • Challenge to Change ( PAR for men and women, SCRIBE for men only)

• Family Court Support - provide support and accompaniment for clients to family court, lawyers appointments and assist in navigating the Family Court system

• Violence Prevention and Community Outreach - presentations/seminars delivered to elementary students, secondary students, post-secondary institutions, service clubs, churches, businesses and other groups on such topics as domestic violence, teen dating violence, sexual harassment and healthy relationships

• Partner Assault Response (PAR) 12-week group education and counselling program on domestic violence and non-abusive ways of resolving conflict
• victims/partners of the offender provided with support including safety planning, referrals to community resources, and information on offender's progress

• Volunteer Program - volunteers play a major role in fundraising and assisting staff with programs and services. Positions include Shelter Assistant, Emergency Child care Provider, Volunteer Driver, Housing and Employment Assistant, Tutor, Special Events Volunteer, Receptionist. Skilled volunteers also offer services such as massage therapy, yoga, and hairdressing on a regular basis to residential clients
  
  
  
• Closet Couture Boutique - social enterprise - high end second hand women's clothing

Emergency shelter

• Offers a wide variety of programs and services
  
• Meals
  
• Addiction support and referrals
  
• Drop-in Centre
  
• Medical clinic
  
• Identification clinic
  
• Clean needle exchange program
  

Offers a wide variety of programs and services including shelter services, meals, addiction support and referrals

Provides safe, emergency shelter for all women regardless of age, ancestry, culture, place of origin, or sexual orientation with or without children who are experiencing crisis in their lives due to family violence, homelessness, or conflict with the law.
All meals are included and emergency clothing and personal need items are also available.

Affordable housing for low-income seniors, families, and adults

Services offered:

• rent-geared-to-income housing
• homeownership program
• ontario renovates program
• housing allowance and rental supplements
• emergency assistance
• shelter assistance

A 20-bed emergency shelter for women that includes support programs addressing homelessness, poverty, mental illness, and violence, as well as programs for the children of residents.

A 40-bed emergency shelter for individuals and their children who are homeless and fleeing violence and abuse. Provides safe, short-term accommodation in private family-style units, safety planning and emergency transportation to the shelter, if needed, referrals and advocacy for legal, medical, financial, employment, housing and community services.

An emergency shelter for homeless or transient men. Provides short and long term transitional accommodation, an enhanced hosteling program with case management, Financial Management (HPI funding) and assessment, referral counselling for spiritual, practical and social needs.

Provides emergency shelter services and overnight accommodation for homeless men in Hamilton. Services also include meals and laundry.

A 24 hour emergency crisis shelter for men. Professional staff provide the support and services needed daily by the homeless. A free meal is served on 4th Sunday of each month. Free holiday meals on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Sunday, and Christmas, at 5 pm. Various self-help meetings are available on site.

Drop-in centre offering daily meals and recreation, harm reduction groups, health care services, professional services, housing support, and social engagement programming. Includes onsite health clinic and Ontario Works office.

Provides emergency shelter services and overnight accommodation for homeless women in Hamilton. Services also include meals and laundry.

Provides temporary emergency accommodation for families experiencing homelessness in the form of private, accessible self-contained units.
Services include:

• Access to residential support workers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Individual case management
• Assistance searching for permanent housing
• Connections to post-shelter networks
• Referrals to medical, legal and other community services
• On-site access to support services such as Ontario Works, Public Health etc.
• Specialized services for children and youth landlord/tenant issues, parenting etc.
• Assistance with transportation
• Cultural interpretation services

Inclusive overnight shelter

Important COVID-19 Information:
Domestic Abuse Services Oxford offers programs and services for women, children and adolescents impacted by domestic abuse and/or homelessness. Programs and services include:
* emergency shelter for women, children and adolescents impacted by domestic abuse and/or homelessness. Shelter space is limited and not all requests can be accommodated.
* 24/7 crisis/information/support telephone and text lines
* risk assessments and safety planning

Domestic Abuse Services Oxford has many services to offer. These include:

* Crisis/Help/Support Line
* Community Counseling
* Residential Shelter Services
* Sexual Assault Counselling
* Transitional Resource Program

Believe in Me

Program designed for children/adolescents who come from a home where their mother has been abused * weekly group offers participants the opportunity to talk about their feelings, learn how to express anger appropriately and improve self-esteem * a group for mothers is held concurrently which helps teach them how to support their child/teen * assistance with transportation and child care for siblings may be available * transportation can be coordinated. Free and confidential.

The Housing First based approach aims to provide Indigenous individuals experiencing homelessness direct access to housing regardless of the identifiable barriers of addictions, mental health, trauma, family and cultural breakdown. Provides life skills and cultural programming, housing advocacy and supports.

Emergency shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness whom self-identify as male.

Every situation is different. Staff will talk with individuals to better understand their situation. Then staff will work with individuals to come up with a plan that is right for them. It could be helping to arrange a temporary stay with family or working with the landlord to prevent eviction. Staff can also connect people to agencies for more help to resolve issues with their housing.

If individuals do need a temporary shelter stay, staff can refer them to an agency for service.

Every situation is different. Staff will talk with individuals to better understand their situation. Then staff will work with individuals to come up with a plan that is right for them. It could be helping to arrange a temporary stay with family or working with the landlord to prevent eviction. Staff can also connect people to agencies for more help to resolve issues with their housing.

If individuals do need a temporary shelter stay, staff can refer them to an agency for service.

Every situation is different. Staff will talk with individuals to better understand their situation. Then staff will work with individuals to come up with a plan that is right for them. It could be helping to arrange a temporary stay with family or working with the landlord to prevent eviction. Staff can also connect people to agencies for more help to resolve issues with their housing.

If individuals do need a temporary shelter stay, staff can refer them to an agency for service.