by Ellen Morris

I live in Ward 3, under the mountain brow, so I am sadly aware of the growing number of people living unhoused throughout the lower city, whether I’m walking downtown, along the rail trail or strolling through Gage Park.

I am also painfully aware of the negative impact this is having on my friends and neighbours, who express their fears and frustrations about the situation. Whether it’s a parent frightened by the open drug use occurring in the alleyway adjacent to her home, a resident who is angered by the rising petty theft on his street, a senior who feels unsafe shopping in the downtown corridor, or so many others fed up with the mounds of garbage littering our public spaces. It’s hard to remain hopeful when our world is being impacted in such personal ways.

Shortly after the Covid lockdown in early 2020, desperate for something meaningful to do, I started volunteering with St. Matthew’s House (SMH). Since then, I have watched in awe as this small but mighty agency extended its reach and expanded its capacity to assist those struggling with housing and food insecurities. Now, because of my involvement with SMH, I have some firsthand knowledge to share about what is happening behind the scenes to address these social ills. For 50 years SMH has provided essential services to those in need, from its humble beginnings as an Anglican “storefront” ministry to the fully-fledged charitable, multicultural, secular organization it is today. It is an agile, forward-thinking organization, working in some of Hamilton’s most challenged neighbourhoods, with people facing some of the highest rates of poverty in Canada. (The Hamilton Spectator Code Red Series, 2010 – 2019). Guided by best practices and well-founded research in the field, its 80 plus employees run an array of targeted programs and services.

  • An emergency food delivery program delivers five days’ worth of food and hygiene supplies to seniors who would otherwise have to go without, averaging of 30 deliveries each day.
  • A mobile food market gives seniors easy access to fresh, healthy food. Last year it made 2,916 stops in the lower city.
  • HOPES (Housing Outreach Preventing Evictions for Seniors), helps seniors to maintain housing in a stable environment. This innovative anti-eviction program, led by a paralegal, prevented 11 evictions in July and August 2024.
  • In partnership with the City of Hamilton, SMH leads a multi-disciplinary outreach team that helps individuals experiencing homelessness overcome barriers to obtaining housing and other essential needs. In July and August alone, 5,914 client interventions occurred.
  • SMH also runs the Cathedral Cafe, in partnership with the Anglican Cathedral – and many volunteers. The Cafe provides a warm space in winter, a cool space in summer and a hot meal for unhoused and precariously housed individuals. Social workers are on hand to engage with clients who want help to improve their circumstances. The Cafe has served more than 56,000 meals since its inception, without incident.
  • The Holiday Hope program (formerly Adopt-a-Family/Senior) matches low-income families and seniors with individuals and companies looking to give back during the holiday season. Last season over 800 gift packages were delivered.
  • Over 200 children, from infants to school aged kids, are enrolled in its childcare AND early education program this year.
  • Finally, a pilot project, 412 Barton Street, is presently being erected. It will provide deeply affordable housing and wrap-around services for 15 seniors (55+).

SMH’s slogan is, “Where Hope Lives” because hope is an essential ingredient in its line of work. Hope is a powerful motivator that instills a sense of optimism in its clients, staff and volunteers and hope helps us all to find meaning and purpose in our lives. But hope alone is not enough to effect real change. We create hope through action. Sometimes it’s just in small things like handing out a bowl of soup with a smile. Sometimes it’s by raising millions of dollars to build supportive housing.

The measurable results of SMH hard work inspired confidence and garnered support from all levels of government, the private sector and individual donors. Last spring, SMH was honoured with the Community Impact Award (Not-for-Profit) at the Inaugural Hamilton Gives Awards, sponsored by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. And it was just voted the Diamond Winner in the Non-profit/Foundations category of The Hamilton Spectator’s Readers’ Choice Awards.

If you would like to support the good work SMH is doing, please visit their website to give. https://stmatthewshouse.ca