Our Community Outreach Program is designed to support individuals transitioning from homelessness to home. Our Community Outreach Program operates out of our Community Services Building at 121 Simcoe St. South.

Community Outreach Program

The Community Outreach Program is a voluntary program offering long-term case management. The Casemanager provides supports, advocacy, assistance, and referrals to individuals, and works one-on-one with individuals on self-determined goals. Bi-weekly workshops are held on topics chosen by clients, and guest speakers are often invited. This program offers a social recreation component, with at least one event held every month. The Region of Durham has provided a Housing Benefit/Rent Supplement to assist in making housing more affordable for some clients, and Cornerstone recognizes that support combined with affordability achieves housing stability.

Housing First Programs

Housing First is a philosophy that Cornerstone's own housing has operated under since the beginning. Recognizing the success of this program, Cornerstone now has funding to provide the same level of support to individuals living in the community. This program is designed with small caseloads for intensive supports and targets chronically or episodically homeless individuals. Additional funding is provided to assist individuals in furnishing apartments, to make their new unit feel like home.  This program assists males and females, singles and families.

Bridges Street Outreach Program

Cornerstone launched the Bridges Street Outreach Program in August of 2018, designed to assist individuals who are living "in the rough". This program supports individuals with hygiene needs (showers, laundry, care packages), food services, referrals to medical supports, and assistance with achieving housing. This program assists males and females.

Details

Category: Supports

While housing is a basic need, Cornerstone’s history of working with the homeless has shown that in order to be successful in housing, there also needs to be supports attached to the housing.  Our tenants work with the support staff to develop a personalized support agreement, which is a reflection of their needs and dreams.  This important support agreement is a living document and is driven by change and tenants’ needs.

Our support staff are a key component to the tenants’ success.

They provide non-judgemental support and are able to assist the tenant and provide them with external supports to ensure their success in housing. They provide supports in several areas including discharge planning with the hospital, case management meetings, facilitation of supports with other community agencies, support with doctor’s appointments, bedbug support, support with addiction, hygiene support, teaching tenants how to cook; or how to use a bank machine. The support provided is solely driven by the tenants needs.

At times the continuum can work the opposite way. Tenants may find they are residing at one of our locations or even out in the community and are unable to live independently any longer or require more support, or medical supports. When this occurs staff and tenants work together to ensure the tenant is safe. Staff will assist the tenant in transitioning to a medical facility or a nursing home where the care they need is able to be provided. 

If we do not provide a service ourselves we will find out who does. Cornerstone can make referrals to other services in the community to assist with mental health issues, addictions, education, financial concerns, employment, legal issues, medical needs, food banks, etc. 

Details

Category: Supports

Community Kitchen Program

The Cornerstone Community Kitchen program teaches living skills related to food such as shopping, budgeting, cooking and menu planning. In this program small groups of participants meet weekly and practice the skills required to plan and prepare meals. Topics covered include the Canada Food Guide, budget friendly meals, menu planning, using items from the food bank, and safe handling and storage of food. The hands-on approach and ability to practice skills each week allows individuals in the kitchen program time to build confidence in their own abilities and understanding of food, which in turn leads to more knowledge and skills being used outside of the program. Another important component of the Community Kitchen program is socialization. All too often individuals who have recently experienced homelessness move into single dwellings where they may be isolated or lack suitable space or facilities to share meals with others. Coming together to prepare and enjoy a meal with a group of people gives a shared sense of accomplishment and builds a sense of community. The skills taught in this program can also help people find work in the food industry. 

• Job training and education upgrades: While working in the community kitchen, individuals develop employable skills in cooking and food handling. Individuals are able to obtain employment in food services as a result of the skills developed in the Community Kitchen Program.
• Hygiene: In the community kitchen, individuals begin to learn about hygiene, safe food handling and overall cleanliness and sanitation.
• Budgeting and shopping: The community kitchen program assists individuals with learning how to shop on a very limited budget and still eat well, how to make the most of bargains, meal planning and other helpful tips. Through this individuals also learn about basic budgeting skills.

Employment consultation

Individuals can receive assistance and guidance with job searching, interview skills, resume writing and employment maintenance from our community support staff.

Housing search and landlord negotiation

Our staff can assist with conducting a housing search along with landlord negotiations and eviction prevention. Staff can accompany an individual meeting with a landlord and help to make those meetings more successful.

Eviction prevention

Cornerstone can assist with not only finding housing but keeping housing. Eviction prevention is a valuable service that has assisted many of our clients on the verge of homelessness to maintain their housing.

Identification replacement

Cornerstone can assist with replacing lost or stolen identification like birth certificates, social insurance cards, OHIP and other types of identification.

If we do not provide a service ourselves we will find out who does. Cornerstone can make referrals to other services in the community to assist with mental health issues, addictions, education, financial concerns, employment, legal issues, medical needs, food banks, etc. 

Details

Category: Supports