Hi there neighbours. Happy New year to you all!

We at St. Matthew’s House are aware that many of you have little or no information about who we are and how we function within your community. We’d like to change that so please read on.

St. Matthew’s House has been providing essential support to those in need for a long time – since 1964! Although our roots go back to our humble beginnings as an Anglican “storefront” ministry (hence our name) – today we are a fully independent, multicultural, multi-racial, multi-service, charitable organization where everyone is welcome.

We run four main programs, mostly in the lower city of Hamilton, including:

  • two fully licensed children’s centres, staffed by experienced registered Early Childhood Educators.
  • our long running Adopt-A-Family/Senior Holiday Program.
  • participation in a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency outreach team that puts “feet on the street” and provides hands-on assistance to individuals who are experiencing homelessness and have barriers to obtaining housing and other essential needs, and;
  • an array of services designed to help older adults (55+) who are facing hunger, eviction, personal crises, isolation and homelessness.

St. Matthew’s House is keenly aware that our immediate neighbourhood, and the greater community that surrounds us has become quite diverse in many ways. We recognize too that our clients come from diverse groups, with a large percentage identifying as Indigenous people, Black Canadians, other racial minorities and the LGBTQ2S+ community, who come from all walks of life.

Knowing this, we apply an EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) lens to all that we do, as we strive to be inclusive, respectful and sensitive to the unique needs of all. We’re also working hard to build a diverse workforce and Board of Directors to ensure everything we undertake is reflective of the community we serve.

Right now our most pressing need is for older adults 55+. For dozens of reasons that you might imagine, the number of older adults 55+ in need of support continues to grow, as the baby boom bulge pushes into its 60’s and 70’s. As well, government supports including pensions and other subsidies are simply not keeping up with the cost of living, especially with the massive inflation we’ve been experiencing this past year. And coping with the coronavirus and its unique challenges has taken its toll on the overall health and wellbeing of older adults 55+, in particular.

To tackle these issues St. Matthew’s House employs a variety of wide-ranging initiatives. We connect older adults 55+ to appropriate healthcare services and income support – and work hard to help them remain adequately housed. We also run a robust food security program that provides older adults 55+ with culturally appropriate, nutritious and fresh foods to meet their needs.

As a charity we have to continually raise funds through grants from government agencies, corporations and other service organizations and foundations. But we still rely heavily on the generosity of individuals like you. Whether you can afford $20.00, $2,000.00 or more, we always appreciate your help. Please consider giving what you can to help support your community. Together we can create opportunities and build places so people can thrive, not just survive.