Community Mapping for Effective Referrals

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Community Mapping for Effective Referrals

On June 25^th 2020, housing professionals from across Toronto gathered in a series of Community Conversations to collectively discuss the ways in which the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic has caused significant shifts in the ways agencies are able to provide services for clients who need them, resulting in uncertainties and inconsistencies in the availability of some supports.

Together, housing professionals shared services available at their own agencies, discussed shifts and changes to services for referrals, and identified new services that have emerged since the beginning of the pandemic to provide adapted supports for clients. Gaps in services were highlighted in an effort to share challenges and strategies for addressing them.

The conversations produced a number of resources that can support holistic, client-centered services by offering:

Housing Help
Financial Support
Food and Basic Needs
Employment and Life Skills
Health and Wellness
Social Supports
Specific services that are limited, or needs that continue to be largely unmet, during the COVID-19 pandemic include:
Mental health supports, increasing as people continue to be isolated
Social supports and opportunities for community building
Telephones and internet access as physical spaces continue to be closed
Harm reduction and safe consumption outside of the downtown core
Daycare and parenting support
Eviction prevention, as the LTB opens in July there is an anticipation of high volumes of evictions that have been prohibited
Supports for international students & newcomers who are ineligible for many programs
Service bottlenecks that are inconsistent between media advertising and availability of services, long wait times

Identified Services and Supports

SERVICE SOURCE	SERVICE PROVIDED	SERVICE TYPE	CONTACT INFO
A-Way-Express	Consumer/Survivor led courier company In addition: Food Bank on Wednesdays 1pm until 3pm only Employment Counselling online	Food and basic needs Employment and Life Skills	A-Way Express
Reena	Updated information for organizations and community members on how to maintain safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.	Health and Wellness	Reena Covid-19 Community Resources
Evangel Hall	Take-out Meals, Mondays to Thursdays, 10:30am to 12:30pm (counselling being offered outside) Clothing bank by request only (no donations) Washrooms (allowing people to enter one at a time)	Food and basic needs Clothing Washrooms Spiritual Services	Evangel Hall Mission Evangel Hall Housing Adjusted Drop-in Services (including meals)
John Howard Society	Danforth location: Harm Reduction equipment Other services are over the phone (transitioning to seeing one client at a time in outdoor locations)	Harm Reduction supplies	John Howard Society of Toronto Services
Furniture Bank	Phone ahead of time Home deliveries will resume by July 6^th Accepting corporate donations only at this time May offer virtual tours in future – Still doing some deliveries Can’t go and look at furniture No option for pick-up Flat rate for delivery of furniture Alternative options: Habitat for Humanity has furniture on website YWCA For Women, interest free loans for furniture when moving into a new place	Furniture Income Supports for Women	Accessing Furniture Bank Services
Toronto Public Libraries	Hotspot (internet) and computer lending 17 locations to open on June 29^th Will open for computer use and holds, curbside pick-ups July 20^th rest of TPL locations that can open will open	Computers Libraries Wireless Hotspots	TPL Services TPL Reopening Plan
Mustard Seed	Take-a-lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday	Food and basic needs	Mustard Seed Program
Native Child and Family Services	Youth location: Help Indigenous Youth to find housing By appointment only Online by Zoom and Instagram Food Hamper Services (once per week) For Indigenous community Youth and families Call: 416-979-8510 or 437-217-3278 Mental Health Support Strategic Partnership	Housing Food and basic needs	Youth Services Nativechild.org Mental Health Support Strategy
City of Toronto	930 Subsidy allowances for people on waitlists: Housing Connections (for anyone) For Indigenous People (Wigwamen, Gabriel Dumont, Anishinaabe Homes, Amik)	Income Supports	City of Toronto Covid Service Updates Rent Geared to Income Subsidy Housing Connections
City of Toronto	Cooling Centres Locations mainly downtown Need more around the city Need access to phones, washrooms, and drinking water, Internet and computers	Health and Wellness Basic Needs	List of Cooling Centres
211	Continues to provide service and referral information over the phone and online.	Varied	Ontario 211
Chalmers Bot	Requires a computer. Provides regularly updated services available near you through map, including: Emergency shelter Food Clothing depots Drop-ins open	Varied	Chalmers Bot Website
Redeemers Common Table Drop-In	Updated Listing Locations for: Food Drop-ins Shelter Wifi, phones, hotspots Washrooms, Showers Clothing, Laundry	Varied	Covid-19 Resource Guide Pamphlet Common Table Meal Program Common Table Drop-in
Native Women’s Resource Centre	Offering: Online Counselling Support Line Support Email 8AM-12AM	Health and Wellness	Outreach@nwrtc.ca NWRTC Website
Yonge Street Mission	Now offering: Food Bank Services Mental Health Services	Health and Wellness Food and Basic Needs	YSM Modified Services Directory
Street Health	Offers updated food bank directory	Food and Basic Needs	Food Banks Directory
George Brown College Augmented Education	Offering free employability skills programming with 82% employment rate: Culinary Skills Preparatory (September) Construction Craftworker Foundation	Employment and Life Skills	Augmented Education Program
Rogers	Connected for Success Program: Partnership Agreement for Low-cost internet access	Basic Needs	Connected for Success Info
Ontario Works	Offices allow people to use their phones	Basic Needs Social	OW Office Locations
Choice in Health Clinic	Offering abortion services	Health and Wellness	Choice in Health Covid Contact Information
University Health Network	Changes to service delivery include: Home delivery program Food delivery Virtual Care	Health and Wellness	UHN Covid Updates
Rexdale Community Health Clinic	RCHC is undertaking ongoing advocacy to open more Harm Reduction and Safe Consumption Sites beyond the downtown core of Toronto. Join their advocacy efforts.	Health and Wellness	Rexdale Adapted Healthcare Services Directory

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