Our mission: The St-James Drop-In Centre offers a safe and supportive environment where those who are marginalized and/or homeless can experience community to its fullest. The Centre seeks to be a catalyst for the flow of creativity, compassion and empathy.
Since October 1985, the St-James Drop-In Centre in downtown Montreal has catered to people struggling with issues related to homelessness, mental illness and addiction. Between 9 am and 4:30 pm Monday to Friday, the Centre offers basic services such as hot nutritious meals, access to showers, and clean clothes. We also provide counselling, crisis intervention, assistance with welfare, and a variety of activities. We help find housing, accompany people to medical appointments and liaise with outside agencies such as legal services, hospitals, rehabilitation programs, shelters, and so forth. Since 2012, we also run an employment reintegration program called Streetsuds (www.labuanderue.org).
The Drop-In takes part in Emploi Québec’s employment program: PAAS-Action, a provincial government-subsidized program that gently reintegrates participants into the workforce. Capable users of the Centre are given the opportunity to develop their social and work skills with part-time employment at St-James & at Streetsuds. The Centre also serves as a teaching facility, by offering internship positions to students in social work or special care counselling programs from Dawson College, Vanier College, various colleges abroad and fine arts students from Concordia University.
Members have a large amount of freedom in deciding how they wish to spend their time at the Centre. They can chat with other members or staff, receive help with an immediate problem, use the telephone, help with meal preparation, play board games or participate in the many opportunities offered by the art program. The Centre creates an environment where its members feel safe and comfortable in a community where their physical and mental needs can be addressed. The Drop-In tries to provide genuine acceptance through individually-tailored programs seeking to enhance members’ quality of life.
The bonds of warmth and affection among members are remarkable. There is a real sense of family that comes from spending so much time with the same people and it is the kindness, support and help that members, volunteers, and staff extend to each other that allow us all to make the St-James Drop-In Centre a place where people can truly feel “at home”.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the St-James Drop-in Centre, please call us at 514-288-0039 to find out about our application process.
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