Men's Mission
Men’s Mission is one of Mission Services of London’s emergency shelters, located at 459 York Street, London, ON N6B 1R3
About Men's Mission:
Men's Mission is an 111-bed facility for men experiencing homelessness, aged 16 and over.
- 76 beds are reserved for men staying up to 90 days
- 35 beds (known as the Roger Smith Wing) are reserved for men who require long term care and support, or are working towards a positive goal/ outcome
Each man is offered three nutritious meals per day, and other necessities, such as clothing and hygiene items.
Self or agency referrals are accepted.
- Identifying Participant Needs
During their stay, participants will frequently meet with their Case Worker. Case Workers lead with the belief that each participant knows what is best for themselves. Case Workers walk alongside the participants, allowing the men to guide how they need support.
Finding Stable Housing:
Early in a participant’s stay, his Case Worker will explore housing needs, preferences, and feasible options with him. Some options may include independent, affordable, or market-rate housing, living with roommates, moving in with family, live-in addiction treatment, long-term care homes, or palliative care homes.
Oftentimes, one of the first steps is applying for new identification documents. It can be difficult to keep track of personal items while experiencing homelessness, like one’s birth certificate. Identification documents are needed for housing applications, banking, medical treatment, Driver’s License renewals and updates, accessing one’s social insurance number, and financial support applications.
Addressing Medical Needs:
Any of the participant’s medical needs are also prioritized by his Case Worker early on. Men’s Mission has a nursing station that is available to community healthcare partners. A Case Worker may invite a Personal Support Worker to come to the nursing station to provide care for a participant. The nursing station is used daily.
- Building a Support Network and Focusing on Whole-Person Care
Support Circle:
If a participant is looking for a listening ear or someone to chat with, he can connect with any of the staff members at the Men’s Mission. Participants can form connections with the maintenance team, the cooks, the Resource Centre staff, the Resident Care Workers, the Chaplain, the Program Supervisor, and the Director of Shelters. The heart of Men’s Mission is to provide care for the men staying there.
Spiritual Care:
Mission Services of London’s trauma-informed Chaplain, Harry Soedarmasto, is also available to the participants at their request. Chapel services are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays and attendance is strictly voluntary. While the men are welcome to talk to the Chaplain regarding their spiritual needs, many participants reach out to Harry for a variety of other reasons, including processing grief and loss.
Read more about the Spiritual Care Program here.
The Resource Centre:
The Resource Centre is located in the Men's Mission and is facilitated by Community Mental Health Programs (CMHP). Participants can use computers and receive technology help.
The staff members in the Resource Centre support participants are part of the participants support network. Read more about the Resource Centre and CMHP here.
“It’s really great to see the guys get the missing pieces of their lives back together again.” – Tom Bissett & Chuck Miller, Community Support Workers (Resource Centre)