Help link isolated people across Toronto who live with deep poverty, mental illness and addictions to medical help, essential services and socialization by giving them basic phone and data services. Many Houselink & Mainstay participants are cut off from everything. Help connect them to wellness!
You will receive a tax receipt, and if you are giving the donation as a gift, let us know - we can email you a certificate of donation.
What we do
Houselink & Mainstay Community Housing is a leader in providing housing and stability supports to over 2500 individuals in the broader community as well as tenants within 42 locations across Toronto. In addition to housing, we provide mental health and addiction supports, social recreation, a food program, supported employment and civic engagement opportunities. Participants also take part in Houselink's governance, including board membership.
Who we help
Our participants face disabilities, mental health challenges, addictions and deep poverty. They have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. You can imagine that many have difficulty leaving their homes and are severely isolated. Many do not have phones or computer access.
Our problem
Pre-pandemic, Houselink & Mainstay participants could attend social gatherings and community meals. They were able to attend Houselink & Mainstay meetings and connect with friends face to face. As restrictions lift, we will be implementing programs to assist tenants and participants to leave their homes and engage safety with others.
Right now, many of our participants are still cut off from almost everything. Staff visit the most vulnerable, and can conduct additional wellness checks via phone calls and emails. But -- many participants have no access to phones or the internet. They are incredibly isolated, unable to communicate except face to face. No calling 911, scheduling medical appointments or therapies online, no calling friends or family. Without a phone, engagement with the larger community is difficult.
We need your help.
There is incredible need. Client interactions with staff and service providers have increased by almost 150% since the beginning of the pandemic.
With phones and a data plan, our participants are safer. They can connect! They can call for help. They can reach out to staff or friends and family. They can schedule COVID-19 testing or flu shots. They can attend virtual medical and therapeutic appointments. They can engage with others via social media, or Facetime, text and Zoom!
Help our clients connect! Help them feel less alone.
For $200 you can buy a basic phone. OR...
- For $35 you can fund a calling/data plan for one month!
- For $70 you can fund a calling/data plan for two months.
- For $105 fund a calling/data plan for three months.
- For $210, fund a calling/data plan for six months.
- For $420, fund a calling/data plan for a whole year.
Or just donate the amount you want - it's all appreciated so much.
(If you are giving as a gift, and would like a certificate of donation, email PLetourneau@hlms.ca after you donate.)
Your dollars go directly to pay for a phone or a plan. Houselink & Mainstay Community Housing will absorb the costs of maintenance, training and coaching for new users. Helping isolated people connect has never been so easy.
