Summer 2023 Newsletter

Sep 15, 2023 | Media, Press Releases

Diocese Supports Housing for Indigenous & Black Seniors

“As a tangible expression of the Anglican Diocese of Niagara’s commitment to the work of healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, Synod Council approved a $100,000 contribution to support the412 Barton project of St. Matthew’s House, which will create 15 deeply affordable housing units in Hamilton by 2024.

“St. Matthew’s House is a place of deep and abiding hope in Hamilton,” says Bishop Susan Bell. “This project is all about offering hope, as an outworking of our call to love our neighbour and a concrete demonstration of our commitment to the ongoing work of healing and reconciliation.”

The new units are intended for seniors facing homelessness, with a special focus on Indigenous and Black older adults. More than half of the units are designated for Indigenous seniors. The units are made using modular construction for speed, affordability, and sustainability. “

In early August, Renée Wetselaar, Madeleine Bond, Brent Bentham from the Board of Directors and I had a rare opportunity to visit one of the companies providing material for our 412 Barton housing project this winter. ELEMENT5 (Element Five) is a Canadian Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) manufacturer in St. Thomas, Ontario, making the floors and beams supporting older adults along with St. Matthew’s House.

We were so grateful to see the entire process firsthand, where Canadian spruce is cured in a specialized building that we were told would feel like the worst sauna imaginable! The finger jointing process allows ELEMENT5 to create timber more than 16 meters long. A series of massive conveyor belts and vacuum lifts move the timber into large panels glued together in a crisscross pattern for maximum structural integrity. From there, the newly created panels are held in a 50 tonne press for upwards of 45 minutes before moving on to the final stage, a CNC machine the size of a basketball court that shapes the panels to specification.

The trip was an eye-opening look into one of the futures of affordable housing and we look forward to working with ELEMENT5 on the 412 Barton Project.

Justin Drury
Operations Manager

View our 2022-2023 Impact Report Here!

Seniors & Street Outreach Support Program

#LocalLove #UWtogetherstronger

The Seniors and Street Outreach Support Team works together to provide an array of wide-ranging initiatives to ensure older adults (55+) can navigate and access critical social services including food, housing, and income support. Our staff directly engages with older adults in need every day, connecting them to relevant healthcare services and income supports and working hard to help them remain adequately housed. This team offers a robust food security program that provides older adults 55+ with appropriate, nutritious, and fresh foods to meet their needs. They also provide paralegal advice and eviction prevention support to older adults facing eviction and make connections to social services for individuals who are unhoused.

We are tremendously grateful for the continued support of our partners that make it possible for us to continue this important work in the community, including the City of Hamilton. As a result of its decision to transition its Street Outreach contracts over to St. Matthew’s House this past year, several of our Street Outreach team members recently celebrated their first year of service with St. Matthew’s House.

Thank You to Raj Sandhu, Owner of Pharmasave in Hamilton, for all his support and generous donations that continue to support the Seniors Community Developer. This key position supports our senior team in hosting social events in the community, including a Seniors BBQ in partnership with the Afro-Canadian Caribbean Association (ACCA), and free Seniors Legal Clinics in partnership with the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic.

We also continue to work towards developing St. Matthew’s House’s relationships with partner organizations, and we are delighted to continue building relationships with the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre (HRIC) and the Afro-Canadian Caribbean Association (ACCA) as we work toward the launch of the 412 Barton!

Thank you to all our community partners, supporters, and donors. Together with you, we are providing
critical support to those in need in our community.

To learn more about the Seniors and Street Outreach Support Program, and to find out how more about
becoming a community partner, please contact: Andrew Matthews (amatthews@stmatthewshouse.ca)

To make a donation to our Seniors and Street Outreach Program, please visit our website or click here.

We are deeply humbled and excited to announce that we were nominated for a Reader’s Choice Award in 2023! Thank you to the supporter who nominated SMH! #wherehopelives

Children’s Centres

In early August on behalf of SMH, our Executive Director Renée Wetselaar had the pleasure of attending the 20th Annual National Awards of Landscape Excellence (NALE). She was there to accept the award for the Green Cities Foundation project that was just officially finished.

The joyous playground, bright and beautiful community seating area, and smooth new parking lot are the perfect addition to our little corner of Barton Street. We are so proud to be a part of the #GreenMyCity flagship project. Special thanks to Rebecca Doutre, Frydda Sandoval, Peter Guinane, and Alan White for all their hard work, dedication and time that went into this project.

ClearEyesCollective Art Mural

We are so grateful to CEC for coming back and expanding their creative and colourful art! The children love it and it adds such a brightness to our Barton Street community!

#wherehopelives

Host A Food Drive!

If you are interested in hosting a food drive in support of our Senior Emergency Food Deliveries, please reach out to mbond@stmatthewshouse.ca for more information or click here to download a food drive kit. It has everything you would need to host a fun and successful FOOD DRIVE!