Meet some of the community organizations helping Kenora's most vulnerable people

There are a lot of organizations doing important work in Kenora, Ont., from giving out food to providing people rides or just a space to hang out.

The community is in the midst of what Dr. Jonny Grek, of the Sunset Valley Family Health Team calls an "unstoppable" crisis of homelessness, addictions and a spike in HIV/AIDs diagnoses.

During a trip to the northwestern Ontario city, CBC News connected with many front-line workers to discuss the social issues affecting the city. Here are three community agencies providing on-the-ground support: 

Kenora Fellowship Centre

Described as "the lifeline for homeless people" by street doctor Grek, the Kenora Fellowship Centre offers a drop-in space and free breakfast and lunch seven days a week.

Usually between 50 and 60 people pass through the centre's doors daily, but sometimes it's well over 100, said patron support worker Christopher Kelly. 

He hears a lot of stories in the centre – of what it's like living on the streets, with addiction, and oftentimes, with mental illness. These are hard conversations, but Kelly said it feels good to get to know their patrons on a more personal level.

He typically sees a lot of the same people, but in the three years he's been there, he said it's "rare" to see someone outgrow the need for the centre. It's difficult for people in crisis to look beyond survival mode.

Matthew Helseth is a regular at the centre. He said he's been living on the streets for six years, travelling between Fort Frances, Kenora and Winnipeg.

Helseth comes to the centre for meals and to access health care from Dr. Grek. For many, the Fellowship Centre is a more comfortable space to receive treatment than a doctor's office.

"I think that this place is very supportive of people that need to eat, need to take their meds … and also the staff here [are] phenomenal. They're willing to help with anything," Helseth said.

Jason Chicago is a social service worker student at Seven Generations Education Institute completing his placement at the Fellowship Centre. It's important to recognize the complexity of challenges people are facing and what led to them, he said.

The intergenerational trauma caused by the residential school system has impacted many of the centre's patrons, he explained. The centre often holds sacred fires where people share their stories.

"It's just about talking to the patrons and different people and understanding how they feel," Chicago said. "What would they like to see? What would they like to do? What makes them happy? What would drive their passion?"

Kenora Makwa Patrol

As the Kenora Makwa Patrol van pulled to the side of the road, CBC News watched as a group of people lined up to see the patrollers on duty for a juice box, a snack and a greeting.

The patrol, part of the Kenora Chiefs Advisory, provides services to people who live on the streets. The 24-7 service is run by eight full-time and five part-time staff and includes vehicle and foot patrols. It works closely with the Ontario Provincial Police and other community agencies, often shuttling people to the Fellowship Centre, overnight shelter or Morningstar Detox Centre.

"Somebody's calling that phone constantly," said patrol manager Marshall Hardy.

The van follows a fixed route through the community, checking on areas where patrollers know people congregate. They know them by name, and give them the space to talk to someone who will listen, Hardy said.

There have been misconceptions about what the Makwa Patrol does, with businesses calling to ask if the team would remove a person from outside their premises.

Hardy reminds people that they're not an enforcement agency. Complaints about loitering should be made to police, he said.

The patrol has a small office downtown where it stores supplies like food, clothing and blankets. In the future, Hardy would like to have a second van to offer additional support.

Jessica Clarke is one of Makwa's patrollers. Over the holidays, she gave out journals to some of the people she helps. She recalls one girl who told her that writing down her thoughts has helped her focus.

"I think it's nice to have somebody else in your corner, even if it's just us driving them home and giving them five minutes of conversation," Clarke said. 

Kenora Youth Wellness Hub

The Kenora Youth Wellness Hub greets patrons with pops of colour, comfy cushions, Indigenous medicine, and greenery. Serving youth ages 12 through 25, the space offers counselling, primary care services and administrative support upstairs, and a drop-in centre downstairs.

Mailboxes are available for people without a fixed address. There is also a food hamper/pantry program, hygiene supplies, clothing donations, computers on site, and plenty of snacks.

"It's important to have a space where all youth feel safe, and that's something that we hear from our youth often. We've had lots of feedback around immediately feeling warm and welcomed in a space that maybe they don't have access to in this community elsewhere," said Tess Lavelle-Sutton, the hub's manager. 

The hub is open Monday through Friday from noon until 6 p.m. It is part of the provincial Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario program run by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. In Kenora, the Kenora Chiefs Advisory is the lead agency, receiving support from 18 partner agencies. Members of a youth advisory committee inform all governance decisions on everything from programming to renovation plans.

"I want to make sure that I'm not making assumptions on what youth want and that it's coming from them," Lavelle-Sutton said.

Programming includes everything from game nights, crafts, swims at the rec centre, and visits to the Kenora Chiefs Advisory's Youth and Family Wellness Camp to see horses or go skating. There's also cultural programming led by a fellow youth who teaches others how to make ribbon skirts and shirts and do beadwork.

The hub is seeking funding to renovate the space, adding an accessible bathroom, showers, a full kitchen, and someday, laundry services – though they currently have a partnership with Pur-Plus Cleaners to help young people wash their clothes.

Building relationships is a big part of what makes the hub's wraparound supports successful, Lavelle-Sutton explained. She told the story of a person who wasn't comfortable seeing a counsellor at first, but after a few months of playing games with them at the hub, they became ready to reach out.

"That's a really important piece that we see from that barrier-free model of your service at the right time, whenever you would like it," she said.