Region of Durham installing Wi-Fi at homeless shelters thanks to donation

Whitby, Ontario – The Regional Municipality of Durham has received a donation of $32,500 through the COVID-19 Community Response Fund for Vulnerable Populations—a collaboration between the CMA Foundation and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

With this funding, homeless shelters in Durham Region—Cornerstone Community Association, Muslim Welfare Home and Durham Youth Services/Joanne’s House—will be adding public Wi-Fi to all of their buildings; and purchasing tablets or computers for clients to use, allowing shelter clients to conduct their own housing searches online and connect with landlords directly.

Additionally, clients can access health supports virtually and stay connected to their families and loved ones. Accessing virtual support will ensure clients can continue to receive services in the community even if when face-to-face meetings are not possible.

A portion of the donation is also being used to support diversion—to try and prevent homelessness. Homeless shelters in Durham Region are participating in the Canadian Shelter Transformation Network (CSTN) through the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) to become fully housing-focused, meaning all shelter programming is related to obtaining permanent housing.

The first step to housing-focused sheltering is to prevent as many people as possible from needing to access the shelter system. The flexibility of this donation enables the Region to provide whatever is needed to support these individuals.

Quick Facts

• The COVID-19 Community Response Fund is a collaboration between the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the CMA Foundation (CMAF). It funds cities and communities to support vulnerable populations struggling with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund complements funding provided through existing federal homelessness programs.
• Durham Region’s housing plan, At Home In Durham, aims to end homelessness by 2024.

Quotes

“I want to thank the CMA Foundation for this donation, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for their support in facilitating this critical initiative. Vulnerable populations have been struggling with the impact of COVID-19 since the very beginning of this pandemic. The COVID-19 Community Response Fund for Vulnerable Populations will enable us to better assist those who need it the most, while bringing the Region one step closer to our goal of ending homelessness in Durham by 2024.”

- John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer

“The impact of this donation on clients in our homeless shelters will be tremendous. Preventing clients from becoming homeless is the first step in housing-focused shelters. This donation will provide them with that support. For clients who are in the shelter system, the use of a computer and access to Wi-Fi is vital. Shelter clients have the power to solve their own homelessness, but they need the tools to do so. This funding will go a long way in helping these clients obtain permanent housing.”

- Stella Danos-Papaconstantinou, Commissioner of Social Services

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For more information, please contact Corporate Communications.