Jeremy has been one of our clients for the past nine years. 

Growing up, Jeremy excelled in school. By the time he reached his senior year of high school, he was collecting straight As and university scholarships. But he was uncertain of what he wanted to do with his future. Mental health challenges changed Jeremy’s path. Over time, he struggled to find housing and was often unable to manage his medications and meals. He ended up on the streets, homeless for nearly thirty years. 

In 2013, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) introduced Jeremy to LOFT, where he found supportive housing services, access to meals, and day-to-day help. The assurance of having nourishing meals each day is as comforting as knowing he does not have to worry about sleeping on the streets, searching for heating grates to keep himself warm through cold nights.

“It’s like night and day. I was roughing it all the time on the streets. Now everything is provided for me at LOFT.” 

At LOFT, we understand the relationship between homelessness, mental health, and addiction. Without a holistic treatment targeting all three, people often find themselves in a cycle of chronic homelessness. For clients who have experienced homelessness, we start by serving their basic needs – including food, shelter, and medical care – then we target the mental, emotional, and spiritual, working on the needs of the whole person.

With his basic needs met, Jeremy can live with more independence and stability. Currently, he better manages his finances and is working towards saving enough money to purchase a phone or computer.

Among Jeremy’s fondest childhood memories are his travels to Japan, Korea, and across Canada. Jeremy hopes to graduate from LOFT to continue exploring new places. In particular, Jeremy dreams of visiting Europe someday.

One of LOFT’s core commitments is to walk alongside our clients for as long as they need us. To make that possible, we rely on generous supporters to best respond to the urgent needs of our community and help our clients progress toward their optimal health and well-being.