Community Initiatives funds 28 drop-in programs in City of Toronto. Drop-in programs operate as emergency and homeless prevention services. They provide daytime shelter for people who are homeless and act as access points to housing and other services.

Drop-in programs assist people to by providing basic services (meals or refreshments, washrooms, telephone, information, referrals to other services, informal counselling and individualized support). They support people to make the choice to seek housing when they are homeless and, when housed, to maintain their housing on an ongoing basis. Some drop-in centres provide enhanced supports, such as case management and employment transition programs. Drop-ins also provide space for other agencies’ services, such as legal aid, housing help and health care.

Some drop-ins are open to all, while others focus on a specific group (e.g., youth, women, men 55+). Toronto Drop-in Network (TDIN) has developed a brochure with information about their member drop-ins.

Seasonal Responses
Drop-ins support hot and cold weather responses by providing safe places for people who are at risk due to extreme weather when few other services are available (weekends and statutory holidays). People who come to the drop-in centres are encouraged and assisted to leave the streets and to resolve any issues that threaten their housing situation. Water, meals, and TTC tickets are offered at these locations. As well, the City supports a heat registry. Volunteers make efforts to contact registered individuals during extreme weather conditions to ensure their safety.

Toronto Drop-in Network (TDIN)
TDIN is an active coalition of 45+ drop-in centres working with people who are homeless, marginally housed or socially isolated in Toronto. The TDIN includes drop-in programs of all sizes and diverse philosophies serving men, women, youth, seniors and families. Member agencies are located throughout the City of Toronto. TDIN works to increase the capacity of Toronto's drop-in programs to serve their clients through training, communication, coordination, advocacy and engagement with other member agencies, related service providers and government. TDIN led the development of the Toronto Drop-in Network Good Practices Toolkit and Measuring Success, Evaluation Strategies for Drop-In Settings. To find out more about the Toronto Drop-in Network, or to inquire become a member, please contact tdin@ststephenshouse.com.  

Nutritious Food to Drop-in Programs
Community Initiatives funded the Nutritious Food to Drop-in Programs pilot project in 2007.  Nutritious Food to Drop-in programs pilot project distributed high nutrition food to 17 drop-in programs in the City of Toronto through a partnership between the Daily Bread Food Bank, Second Harvest, Toronto Public Health and Shelter, Support and Housing Administration (SSHA). 

Phase II of this project is jointly funded by SSHA and the Daily Bread Food Bank. It will provide weekly delivery of yoghurt, milk and eggs (identified through the initial pilot project to be the most popular nutritious items) to the same number of programs for approximately nine months from July 2008.  The project would also enhance capacity of drop-in programs by providing training to drop-in staff and volunteers and testing the cost saving initiatives.

For more information about the project or to receive a copy of the Nutritious Food to Drop-in Programs Final Report (February 2008), please contact Daily Bread Food Bank at www.dailybread.ca

Drop-in review
Community Initiatives of the Shelter, Support and Housing Administration Division in consultation with Toronto’s drop-in programs and their clients is reviewing this important sector. The Drop-in Review aims to determine how drop-in programs can help to fulfil Toronto City Council's goal of ending homelessness and to support the valuable work of this sector.