Emergency Support Fund - Winter Allocation Recommendations

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee recommends the adoption of the recommendations of the Municipal Grants Review Committee contained in the following communication (November 20, 1998) from the City Clerk:

Recommendation:

The Municipal Grants Review Committee on November 20, 1998, recommended to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee the adoption of the attached report (November 9, 1998) from theCommissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services respecting the Emergency Support Fund - Winter Allocation recommendations.

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(Report dated November 9, 1998, addressed to the

Municipal Grants Review Committee from the

Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services)

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to provide allocation recommendations for additional services and programs to the homeless population for the winter of 1998/99.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Sufficient funds for the Emergency Support Fund (E.S.F.) - Winter Allocations exist in the Community Services Grants Program component of the Corporate Grants appropriation.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the attached allocations totaling $264,352.00. for agencies described in Appendix A be approved;

(2) the outstanding agency requests for Emergency Support funding be referred to the United Way for consideration under the enhanced Winter Relief program; and

(3)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Council Reference/Background/History:

The 1998 consolidated grants appropriation included an amount of $1,200,000.00 for services for people who are homeless and socially isolated. As indicated in the report titled, "Community Service Grants Program (C.S.G.P.) - 1998 Allocations", an amount of $264,352.00 was reserved for 1998 E.S.F. Winter Allocations.

During the 1998 Community Services Grants Program all 1997 recipients of E.S.F. received flatlined allocations. A broad range of services and programs across the City of Toronto have already been funded to maintain the core infrastructure of drop-in, outreach and information services for the homeless population. Additional requests were not funded during this process. Agencies who received additional funding during the 1997/98 winter allocations of E.S.F. and new applicants were informed that these requests would be reviewed through the 1998/99 E.S.F. Winter Allocations.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

In 1997, a number of municipal strategies were undertaken to respond to mounting concern regarding homelessness in the City of Toronto. Strategies for the winter of 1997/98 included the securing of municipal space to operate overnight shelters as well as enhance funding for drop-in programs and services especially during underserved times and in under-resourced locations. The E.S.F. Winter Allocations were used to fund a range of daytime programs across the City to respond to the need for day time shelter, information services and outreach programs.

Senior management staff are working together to develop a co-ordinated emergency response to this crisis for the winter months. As a result, a high priority has been placed on securing additional hostel bed space, ensuring all elements are in place for the Cold Weather Alert program and increasing Public Health support to homeless service providers. One element of the municipal response is to provide E.S.F. funding to key elements of the community-based services system.

The Emergency Support Fund Winter Allocations:

Following these City strategic directions this report provides recommendations for funds totalling $264,352.00. The allocations approach used was to determine cold weather service priorities in consultation with the United Way of Greater Toronto and staff of the Shelter Housing and Support Division of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department. The recommendations reflect the strategic direction to fund a limited number of key services at appropriate levels rather than attempting to spread the available funding to all of the outstanding applicants.

The recommendations provided in Appendix A will support services, including the provision of a 24-hour street Helpline service for members of the homeless population, service providers or other concerned individuals; additional Roving Patrol outreach services to connect with homeless individuals on the streets to provide warm blankets, food and information and transportation; support day-time drop-in programs and outreach services from the municipal site on Richmond Street in order to continue this 24-hour service up to April 30, 1999; and the provision of a weekend drop-in at The Toronto Friendship Centre which has operated during the winter of 1996 and 1997.

Additional Funding for Winter Relief Services:

Over the past few years the former Metro, the United Way of Greater Toronto and the former City of Toronto have shared information and attempted to co-ordinate grants allocations in order to provide a basic level of service, especially over the cold weather months. The joint support of this infrastructure is important for the success of programs such as the City of Toronto Extreme Cold Weather Alerts and Out of the Cold. An amount of $1,000,000.00 has been dedicated by the United Way for the support of services and programs to the homeless population. This fund is part of the $3,850,000.00 charity casino revenue made available by the Province that is to be administered by the United Way of Greater Toronto. Similar to the allocation process for the E.S.F., the United Way and the City are collaborating on the dispersement of these funds. The administration and allocation of these funds will include a review of all applications submitted through the E.S.F. and Winter E.S.F., United Way Winter Relief Program as well as the identification of specific service providers to respond to identified gaps and needs. The priority areas identified include:

(i)street outreach programs that would enhance the street patrol/roving patrol program, working in partnership with Community Information Toronto;

(ii)services to communities which are underserved;

(iii)services during underserved times; and

(iv)services in under-resourced locations.

Conclusions:

The collaboration of the City with the United Way in the allocation of the respective funding programs has allowed for a co-ordinated response to the provision of funding of day time programs across the City. The need for a 24-hour help line linked with street outreach services across the City of Toronto has been identified as a clear priority area as is the need for the continuance of the 24-hour shelter and drop-in at the 60 Richmond Street site. The $1,000,000.00 to be administered through the United Way will allow for the funding of many of the programs supported through the E.S.F. winter program in 1997/98, as well as new requests. The 1999 consolidated grants budget request will contain $1,200,000.00 for the support of services and programs for the homeless population. Staff will initiate discussions following the release of the Mayor's Task Force on Homelessness Report and develop strategies for a comprehensive approach to this sector recognizing that homelessness is an issue 365 days of the year.

Contact Name:

Manjit Jheeta, Tel: 392 8684/Fax: 392-8492.

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Appendix A

1998 Community Service Grants Programs

Emergency Support Fund - Winter Allocation Recommendations

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(A copy of the attachment to Appendix A, referred to in the foregoing report, was forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the Municipal Grants Review Committee for its meeting on November 20, 1998, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk.)