Corner Drop-in and L. L. Odette Place

Corner Drop-in

St. Stephen's Community House Corner Drop-in meets an urgent, immediate need in our community. In Toronto, more and more homeless people are out on the streets and need help to meet their basic needs, get into shelter and ultimately permanent housing. Policy changes governing rental housing and income support programs have also forced many people onto the streets through evictions.

St. Stephen's Community House provides vital services for socially isolated individuals and people living on the streets. On a daily basis, we can have over 200 members visit the Corner Drop-in to receive daytime shelter, nutritious hot meals, information and help in finding affordable housing, counselling on addictions as well as access to financial and primary health care services. Hundreds of homeless men and women each year find housing or enter addiction treatment programs through the Corner Drop-in.

The Corner Drop-in provides:

  • Breakfast and lunch, six days a week
  • Washrooms, shower, laundry, mail registry and telephone services
  • Support in finding and maintaining affordable housing
  • Crisis counselling and linkages to mental health services
  • Addiction and substance abuse counselling
  • Support groups including relapse prevention groups
  • Voluntary financial trusteeship in our Harm Reduction Project
  • Visiting health care services (e.g. community nurse, vaccination clinics)
  • Street outreach services

Thanks to the countless volunteers and landlords who participate in the program, our Corner Drop-in members are able to make a fresh start.

L. L. Odette Place, Supportive Housing Residence

Stable housing is essential to the well-being of homeless people facing mental health difficulties. The City of Toronto Mayor's Task Force on Homelessness called for hundreds of new units of supportive housing to be built to meet the needs of men and women now stuck in the shelter system or facing a revolving door of evictions due to their mental illness. Supportive housing provides safe, stable housing with affordable rent. It also provides one-to-one supports to help tenants stay healthy and maintain housing. Supports range from helping tenants to find a doctor or psychiatrist; to escorting them to community activities; to teaching them to plan and prepare their own meals; to helping them work towards finding a job or getting involved in volunteer work. Through the Corner Drop-in, St. Stephen's Community House has worked with hundreds of men who are in need of supportive housing and have experienced years of life on the streets.

In July 2002, L. L. Odette Place, a supportive housing residence, was opened. This residence provides a home to 13 adult males, who once struggled with chronic homelessness and mental illness. The newly renovated facility has 13 large single units with a modern kitchen/lounge, accessible bathrooms, a rooftop deck and laundry facilities. Residents receive counselling, connection to health care, referrals to other social services and community support. They also access the other services offered in the Augusta Centre. With a place to call home and supports, these men are enjoying a new sense of stability and dignity in their lives.



St. Stephen's Community House
Corner Drop-in and L. L. Odette Place



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