Pilot to help homeless get the MOST out of services

By Barry Hazlehurst

Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, Family Services Windsor Essex, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and Assisted Living Ontario are taking their services to the streets in a bid to help Windsor’s homeless get food, clothing and assistance.

The six-month pilot project dubbed the Mobile Outreach Support Team – MOST for short – hopes to provide basic care needs and “assertive outreach and advocacy assistance” with a travelling van staffed by social workers.

“The Mobile Outreach Support Team is to help those in need after regular business hours have closed,” said CMHA Manager of Housing Steve Govette, who will be overseeing the program. “People don’t stop being homeless after 4:30 p.m.”

The van will operate from 5-9 p.m. Monday to Friday, after regular community support services have closed. Amongst other destinations, it will make stops at Windsor’s downtown McDonald’s and the Downtown Mission –  both popular with Windsor’s homeless, according to outreach workers.

“Some of the resources we provide are snacks, warm clothing and help with community support,” said Program Coordinator Tatum Dault, one of the MOST team members who will be riding in the van.

For more information about the MOST van’s routes and schedules, click here.