Hours
Monday – Sunday 24 hours per day
Location & Contact
196 Wentworth St N (entrance faces Wentworth St N and is wheelchair accessible).
Phone: 905-528-5100 ext 1200
Willow’s Place is a low-barrier space for all women, trans-, and non-binary people at 196 Wentworth Street North. This space that offers centralized supports is unique and vital to our community, filling a gap in services for marginalized women experiencing homelessness, precarious housing, and social isolation.
Women have access to laundry, shower facilities, a safer place to rest, meals, and harm reduction supplies. Beyond basic needs, Willow’s provides opportunities to build on one’s strengths and creativity through art, games, and other social activities.
Willow’s Place staff includes on-site client advocates who provide feminist, trauma informed compassionate supports for women, including community referrals, assistance with housing applications and other required assessments, a listening and supportive ear, and support de-escalating crises. Many community partners including health, housing, addiction and Indigenous services use Willow’s Place as both a meeting space with their clients and a place for making new connections and engagement with our community members.
Willow’s Place is a key partner within the homelessness serving sector and builds a community for those who have limited supports.
Emma's Place
Working in conjunction with Willow's Place, Emma’s Place offers 15 low-barrier shelter beds to women, trans-, and non-binary people 18 years and older. Beds are available on a first come, first serve basis either by community or self-referral. Emma’s Place offers supplies to meet people’s basic needs, emotional support, community service referrals, and support with re/connecting to housing resources.
During the daytime, Emma’s Place offers the same services as Willow’s Place.
Our Philosophy
We at Willow’s and Emma’s Place strive to create a safer and inclusive space where women, trans-, and non-binary people can come together to empower, create change and enhance their quality of life. We commit to creating this environment by;
- Ensuring that there are limited barriers to accessing services
- Seeking to understand the whole of an individual through a trauma informed lens
- Understanding that each individual will require a unique set of supports and resources
- Ensuring basic needs are met which can assist in positioning each person to focus on their next set of goals
- Taking a harm reduction approach to supporting individuals in keeping themselves and others safe
- Sharing resources, information and access to the tools necessary for individuals to make informed decisions
- Offering a range of engaging activities to encourage creative outlets and opportunities for personal growth
- Providing a compassionate and empathetic ear to listen without judgement
We will do our best to ensure our environment is respectful of diversity and accepting of differences. We hope individuals will build a community of support and empowerment with one another.
Items we always need donated:
- Socks
- Sports bras
- Underwear of all sizes and varieties
- Travel sized body wash
- Travel sized tissue packages
- Travel sized shampoo and conditioner
Email communityrelations@mission-services.com to coordinate a drop-off time.
Willow’s Place was launched in 2014 thanks to a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, as well as donations from the community.
Since its launch, Willow’s Place has relied heavily on donations from individuals and groups to keep its doors open. Without our community donors, Willow’s Place would not be able to operate.
Support for Willow's Place comes from the City of Hamilton, the RBC Foundation, the City of Hamilton City Enrichment Fund, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation and Enabling Accessibility Fund (new laundry and shower room).
The City of Hamilton has committed to providing funding for Emma's Place for two years.