Finding Hope
Compassion runs deep in our city. We see it every day through the many volunteers and local service organizations that dedicate themselves to providing support to our most vulnerable community members.
The following are safe places for unsheltered residents to stay in the evenings.
| Place | Address | Day | Time |
| Back Door Mission - begins December 15 |
66 Simcoe Street South, Oshawa |
Sunday (begins December 15) | 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. |
| Abundant Life Gospel Centre | 17 Erie Street, Oshawa | Wednesday | 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. |
| Gate 3:16 | 64 Albany Street, Oshawa | Monday | 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. |
| New Life Neighbourhood Centre | 33 Olive Street, Oshawa |
Wednesday |
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. |
| St. George’s Memorial Church | 51 Centre Street South, Oshawa | Thursday | 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. |
| First Light Foundation of Hope | 253 Simcoe Street South, Oshawa | Thursday Friday Saturday |
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. |
| The Refuge (ages 16-26) | 300 Court Street, Oshawa | Monday - Friday |
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
|
Local Service Providers
Below are just some of the many active service organizations and service groups in our community.
- Back Door Mission for the Relief of Poverty
- Carea Community Health Centre
- Cornerstone Community Association Durham
- Durham Outlook for the Needy
- Feed the Need Durham
- Gate 3:16 Outreach Centre
- John Howard Society of Durham Region
- Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores)
- Pinewood Addiction Services
- Salvation Army
- Simcoe Hall Settlement House
- The Refuge Youth Outreach Centre
- United Way
Keepers Project
Spirit Alive Outreach Ministry and Back Door Mission launched the Keepers Project in 2018. Twelve secure, outdoor storage lockers are installed in the vicinity of Simcoe Street United Church in downtown Oshawa.
Carrying all one’s personal belongings everywhere is burdensome, not practical and also stigmatizes the individual by identifying them as unsheltered. This can limit one’s ability to attend appointments, seek work and find accommodations.
The lockers provide unsheltered individuals a safe place to store their belongings with 24/7 access. Each locker includes a mail slot, and solar panels for charging small portable electronics.
Orange Door Project
Funds raised through the Home Depot Canada Foundation’s Orange Door Project at the Oshawa store benefit the John Howard Society Durham Region to help unsheltered youth in our community.
The annual in-store campaign raises funds for charities across Canada to directly support unsheltered youth in local communities. The proceeds from every $2 "paper door" sold at the Oshawa store support John Howard Society Durham Region to help unsheltered youth in our community.
Since 2014, the Home Depot store in Oshawa has raised over $120,000 for unsheltered youth in Oshawa.