Homelessness FAQs

Q. I manage/own a business. There is a person in my vestibule who appears to be sleeping here overnight. Who do I contact?

A. You can contact the Street Outreach Program at Kingston Home Base Housing. There are a couple of outreach workers who will come out and speak with the person to assess their situation and needs.

kingstonhomebase.ca
Call: 613-561-5839 or 613-542-6672 x130
Email:abrierley@kingstonhomebase.ca
Hours: 8am – 4pm (Monday – Friday)

A. There’s a 24/7 Crisis Line available 365 days a year with experienced professionals from Addiction & Mental Health Services-KFLA, who can offer immediate support, advocacy and referrals to appropriate services as needed. Mobile services are provided during set hours to support individuals in an escalating crisis due to mental health or addiction problems.

24/7 Crisis Phone Line: 613-544-4229
Toll Free: 1-866-616-6005

Q. Where can people who are homeless or precariously housed get help with healthcare and addiction services?

A. Street Health Centre – kchc.ca/barrack-street/street-health-centre
Delivers health services for people who face barriers accessing mainstream health services.
Call: 613-549-1440
Email: info@streethealth.kchc.ca
Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday/Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

A. Kairos is a counselling service provided by Youth Diversion, for youth who are experiencing any level of substance abuse, personally or with a family member. Services are available as an outreach program in all elementary and secondary schools within KFL&A, as well as alternative education sites and group homes.
Call: 613-548-4535
Email: info@youthdiversion.org

A. Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s Detoxification Centre provides short-term residential withdrawal management services for ages 16+.
Call the 24-hour line at 613-549-6461.              

A. Addictions and Mental Health Services KFLA offers a variety of programs and services related to mental health and addictions. Walk in Services are available in Kingston and Napanee.
For Kingston, call: 613-544-1356
For Napanee & area, call: 613-354-7521

Q. What is the best way to help people who appear to be homeless?

A. If you are comfortable, ask if they need help or know where shelters are. If you are not comfortable, you can call the Street Outreach Program at 613-561-5839. If you need information, call 2-1-1. Ask for shelter numbers, street outreach, where to find the nearest shelter for youth / adult / family / overflow, and any other questions you may have.

Q. How do you access a shelter?

A. Home Base Housing – kingstonhomebase.ca
In From The Cold emergency shelter offers services for adults 24 years and older.
Call: 613-542-6672
Email: info@kingstonhomebase.ca
Location: 540 Montreal Street, Kingston

A. Kingston Youth Shelter – https://kingstonyouthshelter.com/
Is an emergency shelter specifically for youth ages 16-24yrs
Call: 613-549-4236
Location: 234 Brock Street, Kingston

A. If you or someone you know is a woman 16+ years and/or a child looking to leave a domestic violence situation, contact Kingston Interval House or Kingston Police.

Kingston Interval House Crisis Line: 1-800-267-9445 or 613-546-1777
Kingston Police: 613-549-4660
In an emergency, dial: 9-1-1

Q. If we have so many services to help the homeless, why are there so many panhandlers downtown Kingston?

A. We know that some people who are homeless do panhandle, as do many who are not homeless. With the high cost of rent and living expenses, some people who get a room or an apartment choose to panhandle to supplement their social assistance monthly cheque.

Q. Our family is having lots of conflict with our teenage child. I’m afraid they will leave home.

A. Family Mediation Program – kingstonyouthshelter.com/programs/kingston-youth-families Provides support to families experiencing family breakdown, youth/parent conflict, and general communication difficulties that may leave youth at a greater risk of entering homelessness.
Text or Call: 613-449-4803
Email: families@kingstonyouthshelter.com

Q. We are having a hard time balancing our budget to pay the rent. What should we do?

A. Credit Counselling – resolvecounselling.org
Resolve Counselling Services offers community-based non-profit credit counselling service with no fees to sit down with a counsellor and no time limitations on counselling sessions.
Call: 613-549-7850
Email: info@resolvecounselling.org

A. Salvation Army – Homelessness Prevention Fund – sacfs.ca
Provides funding to assist families to stay housed or secure housing.
Call: 613-548-4411 Mon- Fri 8:30am-4:30pm
Email: receptionist@kingstonsa.ca

Q. Where can I get help to find housing?

A. Housing Help Centre – kingstonhomebase.ca/housing-help-centre-2/
The Housing Help Centre assists with applications for the Social Housing Registry, providing practical assistance in gathering required documentation to complete the applications for the Registry. Staff provide assistance to finding alternate housing arrangements.
Call: 613-542-6672
Email: housinghelpinfo@kingstonhomebase.ca

Q. I am being illegally evicted. Who can help me?

A. Kingston Community Legal Clinic – kclc.ca
KCLC provides a variety of services including legal advice and representation to low-income residents of the City of Kingston, Townships of South Frontenac and Frontenac Islands.
Call: 613-547-0777

Q. How do prevention and diversion programs work within the shelter system?

A. Shelter Diversion is an established best practice in ending homelessness that seeks to find safe alternatives to shelter for homeless persons who have other options available. Reducing the number of people who enter the emergency shelter system means that, system-wide, more resources can be allocated to ending chronic homelessness rather than simply managing homelessness.

Q. So what does “Housing First” mean?

A. Housing First is both a philosophy and a program. The housing-first approach focuses on helping people who are homeless, to find immediate housing. Housing first prioritizes people based on acuity and need, offering support to help them retain their housing. The idea is that by providing a person with stable housing, first, they are then better able to address other issues they are experiencing, like addiction, mental health, etc. However, accessing services is not a requirement to getting housed. Once they are housed they can decide to get supports, as and when they are ready, willing and able.

Q. I don’t have access to a phone number to give for job interviews or housing contacts. Is there someplace where messages can be left for me?

A. Community Voice Mail program
Receive a private extension with a common telephone number at no cost. This private extension allows anyone to leave a message for the person and the person can access their messages from any phone at anytime.
Call: 613-542-6672
Email: info@kingstonhomebase.ca

Q. I’m looking for emergency housing. What should I do?

A. The Housing Help Centre – offers one-stop assistance to help individuals who are homeless or in need of affordable housing. Staff can assist with applications for the Social Housing Registry and gathering the required documentation to complete the applications. They can also assist with access to emergency shelter services, and help find safe alternatives to shelter for homeless persons who have other options available.
Call: 613-531-3779
Email: housinghelpinfo@kingstonhomebase.ca

Q. Someone I know is homeless and not comfortable going to a shelter. What are their options?

A. The Integrated Care Hub – provides 24/7 low-barrier services to help vulnerable citizens who may not want to stay at a shelter, or are unable to access shelter services. Services are offered to meet immediate needs like rest, safety and food, as well as, longer-term supports for addiction and mental health. The centre provides individuals with access to a meal program, a nurse, counselling and support services, crisis supports, harm reduction and relapse prevention counselling, emergency and supportive housing placements, referrals for other agencies, and a safe consumption site.
Call: 613-329-6417
Drop-In: 661 Montreal Street, Kingston

The Housing Help Centre – can help individuals find safe alternatives to shelter for homeless persons who have other options available.
Call: 613-531-3779
Email: housinghelpinfo@kingstonhomebase.ca

Q. I would like to volunteer or donate items. Where should I go?

A. Covid-19 restrictions have made volunteering and donating items more challenging this year. It’s best to contact the agencies themselves and see what type of help is needed right now. A list of agencies can be found on the resources page.