Homelessness Hub opens in Leamington; serving county

On Friday, October 21, The County of Essex and Family Services Windsor-Essex officially opened a Homelessness Hub in Leamington that will provide support and services to residents in Essex County struggling to find accommodations amidst an accelerating housing and homelessness crisis.

The Hub opened its doors on September 12 and has experienced consistent usage by individuals seeking guidance and assistance. Its profile is growing in the community as Family Services Windsor-Essex leverages existing connections with multiple service agencies and faith leaders.

“The Essex County Homelessness Hub will provide vital supports to the residents who need it most, offering them hope and a hand up, and it reflects the reality that the housing and homelessness crisis is not simply a big city problem,” said Warden Gary Mc- Namara. “The County continues to grow and we need support services like this and others to cater to our growing population and ensure no one is left behind.”

McNamara went on to thank Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald and Deputy Mayor Larry Verbeke, whom he said played a pivotal role in getting the hub located here.

The hub is a two-year pilot project between the County of Essex and Family Services Windsor-Essex to open and operate the hub in the South Essex Community Council building at 215 Talbot Street East in Leamington.

The official ribbon cutting for the County Homelessness Hub took place on Friday, October 21. From left are Cindy Epp (MCC Thrift on Mill), Jeannie Diamond Francis (County of Essex), Pastor Sylvia Swiatoschik (St. Paul’s Lutheran Church), Mayor Hilda MacDonald, Deacon John Vezina (St. Michael’s Parish), Gary McNamara (Essex County Warden), Kristina Krahn (Homelessness Hub), Nicole Mastronardi (Homelessness Hub Coordinator), Larry Verbeke (Deputy Mayor Leamington), Barb Iacono (Family Services Windsor-Essex) and Joe Bachetti (Deputy Mayor of Tecumseh).

“Family Services Windsor-Essex is excited to lead this initiative on behalf of the County of Essex. The Essex County Homelessness Hub is a critical connecting point to support those experiencing homelessness to begin their journey to housing,” said FSWE Housing Manager Barb Iacono. “With the support of our partners such as South Essex Community Council we have created a one stop point of access coordinating multiple services throughout Essex County.”

Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald welcomed the opening of the Homelessness Hub in Leamington, which has a larger urban centre than most other local municipalities while being farther away from centralized support services in Windsor.

“Residents of Leamington and every County of Essex municipality deserve to have the safety and security of a roof over their head and this hub will make it easier for them to access the services and supports they need to find a home,” said MacDonald. “The need is just as great in the County as it is in the city and this hub hopefully marks the beginning of what will be additional supports and services for residents in Essex County.”

The hub is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors can access food, restrooms, clothing, quiet spaces for daytime rest as well as computers and phones. The hub will also serve, during operating hours, as a safe and accessible shelter during extreme weather conditions.

Services offered at the Hub include housing search assistance, enrolment in government income support programs such as Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), referrals to other local community agencies, access to harm reduction services, and help for individuals to meet additional basic needs like food security and clothing.

The County of Essex — in cooperation with Family Services Windsor Essex — will also collect data on usage and program uptake to improve services as the pilot project moves forward. Having this structure in place will enable the county to pursue innovative emergency shelter operations to further address a community need should federal or provincial funding become available.