Imagine dozens of homeless women are walking through your front door. Some of them visibly beaten, struggling with addiction, or mental illness; all are lost and desperate for help with nothing more than the clothes on their back. Now imagine that each of these women may also be carrying the virus that has caused a global pandemic. How do you begin to help?
That’s what Stephanie Corringham, Director of Florence Booth House (FBH), and her staff, decide every day, “When the homeless community is already at greater risk of becoming infected with COVID-19, you can understand why the level of crisis is heightened for the vulnerable women of Florence Booth House.”
The K.M. Hunter Foundation has been taking some important steps in confronting the COVID pandemic, specifically how we as an organization can respond best. We’ve committed to supporting The Salvation Army in a multi-year commitment which will see an addiction councillor available to support the clients of both Florence Booth House and Meighen Centre.
This extra level of support will serve to stabilize those facing substance abuse issues by allowing for follow-ups with clients that continue after they have been housed. These types of critical supports are lacking in our city and as we all know, those with the least resources are the ones who often suffer the most during times of crisis. The most important thing we can all do right now is care for our cities most vulnerable and by doing so we’ll be building a stronger, more caring Toronto. Thank you Salvation Army, you truly are frontline heroes!
For more on the Florence Booth House or how you can help, click here.
