From the frontlines: reports from our agencies

The economic downturn continues to impact our community

United Way agencies continue to see significant increases in demand for services from families who need help, from people who have lost their jobs, from our friends and neighbours who have nowhere left to turn. Here are some recent reports.

The Abrigo Centre provides family counselling, employment programs for newcomers, settlement services, and parenting groups. Other services include counselling for women and children who are victims of or witnesses to violence.

What they’re seeing:

• An extra 50-100 people per week since January, the majority of whom are from the manufacturing and construction services, who need assistance in applying for EI and Ontario Works.
• The volume of people looking for this type of assistance has not let up. Normally, fewer people request this assistance during the summertime.

Chinese Family Services of Ontario counsels people on issues including: elder abuse, family violence, wife assault, sexual assault, gambling and substance abuse. The agency also provides crisis intervention and family life education.

What they’re seeing:

• A 32 percent increase in crisis intervention.
• A 21 percent increase in marital problems as a result of family job loss.
• 17 percent increase in the number of clients suffering from emotional problems.

Jobstart provides job search and pre-employment programs through its employment resource centre. Some programs are offered specifically for newcomers, youth, and experienced workers 40 years and over.

What they’re seeing:

• More people who receive EI are attending the adult Career Solutions program. In July, 65 percent of people were EI recipients, up from 38 percent in April.
• An increasing number of clients are requesting skills upgrading, information about food bank access and career change strategies.
• A rising number of new clients and people attending agency workshops/programs.

The John Howard Society provides counselling and employment services for people currently, previously, or at risk of becoming in conflict with the law. The agency also provides housing assistance, family support services and support for incarcerated men.

What they’re seeing:

• The domestic violence program offered by the agency is at capacity.
• Record increase in referrals to the agency’s anger management and domestic violence programs.

The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto provides social and recreational activities, children and youth services, and community lunches and outreach to the community.

What they’re seeing:

• 40 percent more people are using the food bank.
• More people are accessing the lunch program. From 60 people to upwards of 80-100.

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto provides services for all self-declared Native people, including family violence treatment and prevention, individual and family counselling, caregiver and children programs, and teaching circles and traditional healing. The agency has seen a marked increase in demand for services.

What they’re seeing:

• A 20 percent increase in case management.
• A 20 percent increase in children’s mental health cases.
• A 30 percent increase in youth drop-in attendance.
• A 40 percent increase in community kitchen use.
• An increase in family violence and addiction cases, as well as homelessness situations.

St. Stephen’s Community House is a multi-service community centre that offers homeless outreach and a drop-in, addiction counselling, help finding housing, language training and other new-comer services, youth drop-in and employment training/support. The agency also operates four day care centres.

What they’re seeing:

• 17 percent more people are accessing employment services this year over the same time last year. Mainly these people are adult men and women, often older adults, and they are remaining unemployed for much longer periods of time.
• The Language Training Program is reporting an increase in attendance. (When employment is scarce, newcomers often focus their efforts on improving their English).

United Way is focused on doing everything possible to cushion the impact of this shaky economy on our community, and bring stability to front line agencies while we work to create long term positive changes in our city.

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From the frontlines: reports from our agencies was a Feature Story in our quarterly newsletter, Community Matters: Fall 2009