A Safe Refuge

This is the place where people come when they have nowhere else to go. Where they find a safe place to sit, eat, shower or talk. Without judgment, without fear. Thousands of the most desperate people in our province find refuge here at The Gathering Place on a weekly basis. Our mission is to provide barrier-free street-level supports for marginalized individuals in our community. Thanks to your kindness, nobody is turned away; your donations keep us going.

The people who come here are the Guests. We use the term Guest instead of client so that we do not forget our purpose. They are people and they deserve respect. Out there on the streets, it is easy to forget your humanity. We are here to try to help them restore it as we operate under the values of Compassion, Respect, Dignity, Inclusion and Community.

Since our founding by the Sisters of Mercy and the Presentation Sisters, we have built something very special. In 1994, we were helping a handful of hungry men. Today, we operate a community health centre that helps thousands of vulnerable members of our community in any number of ways; we have become much more than a soup kitchen. We have created this vital community support model with help from our health and social partners, donors, government, and of course, our volunteers. We sincerely hope that we can continue to count on the kindness of our community so that we can keep giving help to those who so desperately need it.

If you or your organization would like to provide general support for our operations, please give directly.