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Gateway
History
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The Salvation Army Gateway is a shelter and drop-in center for adults in the downtown core of Toronto. It is a continuation of a small drop-in ministry of the Salvation Army, begun in 1980. This drop-in ministry, originally called the Friendship Room, operated originally out of the Toronto Temple Corps. It began with a desire to build relationships with people close to, or on, the streets of Toronto. Until 4 years ago, it was a drop-in center that was open 5 days a week, from 4-10 pm. It served dinners to anyone who walked in off the streets. The ministry provided food, clothing, informal relationship building, movie nights, a chapel service, and a foot-washing clinic. It had established itself as a vital drop-in component to the city services. Then, 4 years ago, we were approached to run a 60-bed winter shelter. We hired 30 staff and did it. Then we did it again the following winter, only better that time. However, that year we heard the news of our impending expropriation due to the 'revitalization' project at the corner of Yonge and Dundas streets. We then began the hunt for a new property, which led us to 107 Jarvis Street. We purchased the 4-storey building, and renovated it into a 100-bed shelter for men, and a drop-in center for men and women. We changed our name from The Friendship Room to The Gateway, as we believed that our old name no longer represented who we were. We chose 'Gateway' because we desired to provide a place where people could walk in off the street and have new doors opened up to them. We wanted to provide a gateway to community, to hope, to recovery, to housing, and to God. The Gateway is now open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Our drop-in is open from 1-7 pm daily for men and women over the age of 21. We serve 300 meals per day, house 100 men, provide counseling services for addictions, housing, spirituality, anger, and self-esteem. We have a health care clinic with a nurse, a physician and a psychiatrist. We distribute clothing. We have an ID clinic, life skills group, laundry facilities, a women's group, recreational activities, a weight room, and computer access for our community. We also have a volunteer program for people trying to stay active while on the streets. We are helping approx. 15 people per month get off the streets as transition into stable lifestyles is our goal. |
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