One-Stop Shop for the Homeless: Over 1000 Guests to Get Free Haircuts, Flu Shots, Eye Care, Housing Support, and More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO, October 25, 2019 – Hundreds of people will receive numerous free services at Homeless Connect Toronto’s event on Sunday, October 27 at Mattamy Athletic Centre, Ryerson University.
The one-stop shop event will offer over 100 free services and resources that will help bring relief to those at risk or experiencing homelessness. These onsite services include flu shots, dental examinations and care, vision screening, housing support, legal support, job training and even haircuts and manicures. Alongside social service agencies and healthcare providers, hundreds of volunteers expect to connect over 1000 people at-risk of homelessness to needed services at Homeless Connect Toronto’s annual event. This October’s event will be the largest Homeless Connect Toronto event to date thanks to generous donations from new partnerships across the Greater Toronto Area.
Event Details
Location: Mattamy Athletic Centre, Ryerson University, 50 Carlton Street, Toronto
Date: Sunday, October 27, 2019
Time: 11:00am – 4:00pm
Most services are widely dispersed throughout the city and difficult to access by vulnerable populations, who frequently experience mobility, financial, and health challenges. By bringing as many services under one roof and partnering with community agencies, this event aims to increase access and foster a network of services and supports to help end homelessness in the city of Toronto.
“While Toronto has great services, the people who need the services most often have difficulty accessing them. Sometimes they don’t know about what services exist, have difficulty travelling to them and their experience is uncoordinated. Homeless Connect Toronto brings these services together under one roof so that people can access various services at once – and for free.
Beyond the typical services, we also have ones that play an important role in maintaining our dignity and worth as humans, like haircuts, an identification card, and our own set of personal toiletries – things that many of us take for granted. We hope that our collective efforts will help people to get back on their feet and shine light on the need to address Toronto’s poverty.”
– Melody Li, Executive Director, Homeless Connect Toronto
Last October, at Homeless Connect Toronto’s 6th event, over 1000 individuals accessed 85 free, essential services; 1000 free Citypak backpacks designed for individuals living on the streets packed with comfort kits and toiletries were also distributed. One guest who attended last year’s event said, “I received more than I thought. Thank you. Just keep on doing what you do” and service providers and volunteers reported eye-opening experiences that changed their views on homelessness. These services and more will be offered again this Sunday at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
Watch VIDEO highlights of our 2015 event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeWMwOezpQ0
About Homeless Connect Toronto
Homeless Connect Toronto (HCT) is a completely volunteer-run and charitable organization in Toronto committed to collaborating with social service agencies, business organizations, volunteers, and the greater community to end homelessness. Homeless Connect Toronto coordinates an annual one-day event to bring together essential supports and services under one roof for people at-risk or experiencing homelessness. By facilitating sustainable partnerships, HCT is dedicated to fostering a comprehensive network of services and creating greater access to existing supports and services.
For more information, contact Steven Cho, Media Relations, at steven.cho@hctoronto.org