When Andrew came to our Men’s Shelter, he just needed a few more tools before he could reach housing. Staff came alongside him to help him reach those goals and find his way forward.
When his parents passed away and he lost his job in quick succession, Andrew needed somewhere stable that he could stay while he figured things out. That brought him to our Men’s Shelter.
“The Mission thankfully welcomed me in. I had to have a place to stay, and it was all new to me, but they gave me a roof over my head and three square meals a day.”
With the tool of stability now in hand, Andrew began to seek out the next thing he needed: community.
“In the very beginning, I had a lot of anxiety, because it was a new experience for me, but over time, I adapted. I started talking to people, and instead of just being associates or acquaintances, I became friends with some of the guys. Now there is a group of us who are tight-knit.”
Staff also helped Andrew get his phone reactivated so that he could find housing listings, and connected him with Ontario Works to restore some of his income. With those tools in place, he was connected with a Housing UP worker to aid in his search for a permanent place to live.
“Each day is a new stepping stone. You have to take the first step, but they’re there to support you.”
His “toolbox” now full, Andrew will soon be leaving shelter and moving into housing, shared with three others that he met while in shelter.
“Moving in with these three gentlemen is going to be a big stepping stone, and it’s going to be a step in the right direction. The journey is not over, but I can’t thank the Mission enough for what they’ve done so far.”
