What's New

Announcing Major Expansion in Seniors’ Services

In a previous issue of the Connections Newsletter, we told you about our newest program – Crosslinks Seniors Housing and Support Services – LOFT’s first foray into the very under-served Jane and Finch area.

The program opened in November, 2008, to serve vulnerable older adults and senior clients living in public housing apartment buildings in the area.  It filled up immediately!  Fifty clients have been receiving 24-hour support in a building on Shoreham Drive that has been established as the program “hub”.   From there, outreach and support services are provided to an additional 86 people living in surrounding buildings, bringing the total client roster to 136.

It was clear from the outset that even with 136 clients, this program wasn’t coming close to filling the need that exists among seniors in that part of Toronto.

Good, news!  Additional services will soon be available.  LOFT has just received approval from the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care for an expansion that will more than double the program!

We will be establishing a second “hub” in a building on Arleta Avenue, near Keele and Sheppard, where 65 residents will receive 24-hour support, and the total number of outreach clients will increase 93 people.  That is a total of 173 new clients, bringing the entire number of older adult and senior clients at Crosslinks Seniors to 309!  More than twice the original number!

As a result, LOFT will soon be serving 618 vulnerable and marginalized older adults and seniors, many with mental health and addiction issues and histories of homelessness.  We believe this makes us by far the largest provider of services to this much underserved population.

When LOFT first got into this type of work a decade ago, no one else was doing it.  Even though others have become involved in the past few years, we are still by far the largest.

When we moved into Shoreham a year ago, one of the first things on our agenda was to use some of our charitable dollars to provide our new clients with a Holiday Party (albeit, a low-budget one).  With hand-made paper ornaments hung from the ceiling, and punch and cookies, it turned out to be a truly festive celebration – the first in a long time for many who attended.

Now with this major expansion initiated just before Christmas this year, we will once again be relying on the generosity of our donors to help make this Holiday Season Merry for seniors in the Jane and Finch area.