By Ainsley Chapman
As we approach National Housing Day, November 22nd, EHM is thrilled to share our new Vision, Mission, and Values! Since 2019, the EHM Board has been working hard to understand where EHM can have the biggest impact and meet the most community urgent needs. Just as we have responded to social and economic crises throughout two world wars, the Great Depression, multiple recessions, and a global pandemic, we are responding to the Housing Crisis in Toronto.
Vision
Bringing hope and leadership to address housing and financial instability in Toronto.
Mission
Provide and create opportunities for individuals and families to forge meaningful connections and to live in dignity, through collaborative efforts and innovative programs.
Values
• Housing is a human right – every person has the right to safe and dignified housing.
• Spirituality – inclusive and trauma-informed spiritual care can be a helpful path to healing.
• Non-judgmental acceptance– respecting the person, their identity, their beliefs, and their values.
• Honouring commitments – made for and to participants, staff, donors and volunteers.
• Transparency– in applying policies, practices and processes.
• Continuous Learning– being open to learning through opportunities, feedback and self-reflection.
• Collaboration– commitment to problem solving by working together.
• Accountability- understanding the benefits and consequences of your action.
What does this mean for EHM’s current services?
The Drop-In Centre will continue its critical supports for people who are unhoused. This includes:
• Hot meals and sandwiches.
• Showers, laundry facilities, and fresh clothing.
• Spiritual care, and social activities to fight loneliness and isolation.
• Access to community services such as nursing, legal support, and dental care.
The Voluntary Financial Trustee Program is continuing to provide support for budgeting and financial management. This includes:
• Helping clients to budget and stay on track with their bills.
• Preventing eviction due to non-payment of rent.
• Protecting clients from financial abuse and exploitation.
• Helping clients save enough money for food at the end of the month.
The Adelaide St and Portland Place Residences will continue to operate with housing support staff. This includes:
• Over 150 tenants, all formerly unhoused, call EHM their home.
• The buildings are kept clean, pest-free, and well maintained.
• Spiritual care, and social activities such as games, gardening, and crafts provide opportunities for tenants to socialize and build friendships.
• Housing support workers secure outside supports that allow tenants to live independently, such as meals-on-wheels, housekeeping services, personal support workers to help with hygiene and medical care after hospital stays.
What does this mean for EHM’s future?
We will grow the number of buildings and apartments that EHM will be owning and/or operating. This is a strategy that will:
• Create new apartments for people who are currently unhoused.
• Protect apartments built long ago from being torn down or turned into high-rent units
• Access apartments in residential neighbourhoods where stable tenants living in EHM’s downtown residences, including seniors and families, can move out of downtown and closer to safe schools, green parks, and quiet gardens.
• Help build a stronger, more sustainable agency, by diversifying our sources of revenue, and reducing costs through bulk-purchasing and economies of scale.
It also means we will be vocal advocates to help build housing of all kinds.
• Advocate for new policies, incentives, and funding to create new affordable and deeply affordable housing.
• Work with the Presbyterian Church in Canada to build congregational readiness and capacity to include housing in church-led redevelopment plans.
How is EHM going to do this?
EHM has been testing the waters since 2019, learning from colleagues, and successfully completed a merger with Portland Place. We are exploring many different ways of doing this work:
• Grow through partnerships, mergers, and amalgamations with small apartments built in the 1990s, many of whom are struggling with the building’s finances, and do not have enough volunteers to provide leadership on housing boards.
• Grow through partnering with local Presbyterian churches that are redeveloping their land.
• Purchase apartments and condos in existing and new developments.
• Support churches who are redeveloping that want to include affordable housing and social good in their projects.
Stay tuned for updates, or for questions, contact Allan at allan.grant@evangelhall.ca or 416-504-3563.