
Community Mapping for Effective Referrals
Community Mapping for Effective Referrals
On June 25th 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 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 |
|
Food and basic needs
Clothing Washrooms Spiritual Services |
Evangel Hall Mission |
John Howard Society |
|
Harm Reduction supplies | John Howard Society of Toronto Services |
Furniture Bank |
Alternative options:
YWCA
|
Furniture
Income Supports for Women |
Accessing Furniture Bank Services |
Toronto Public Libraries |
|
Computers
Libraries Wireless Hotspots |
TPL Services |
Mustard Seed | Take-a-lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday | Food and basic needs | Mustard Seed Program |
Native Child and Family Services | Youth location:
Food Hamper Services (once per week)
Mental Health Support Strategic Partnership |
Housing
Food and basic needs |
Youth Services |
City of Toronto | 930 Subsidy allowances for people on waitlists:
|
Income Supports | City of Toronto Covid Service Updates |
City of Toronto | Cooling Centres
|
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:
|
Varied | Chalmers Bot Website |
Redeemers Common Table Drop-In | Updated Listing Locations for:
|
Varied | Covid-19 Resource Guide Pamphlet |
Native Women’s Resource Centre | Offering:
|
Health and Wellness | Outreach@nwrtc.ca NWRTC Website |
Yonge Street Mission | Now offering:
|
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:
|
Employment and Life Skills | Augmented Education Program |
Rogers | Connected for Success Program:
|
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:
|
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 |
Click Here to return back to Community Conversations!