The Bridge Integrated Care Hub is a low-barrier initiative led by a collaborative partnership of local health and social service organizations committed to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable populations. The Bridge offers essential services 10.5 hours a day, seven days a week—including food assistance, primary health care, mental health and addiction counseling, and vital connections to housing and social supports.

When some people don’t have a place to call home, it casts a shadow over our entire community.  It is a dynamic social, economic and health crisis that intersects with the mental health and addictions crisis, income insecurity and a lack of affordable and supportive housing. It is a complex issue that results in strained social, health and emergency resources, public safety concerns, and a disconnectedness that affect all residents.

Small businesses face heightened challenges, including patron safety concerns, reduced customer traffic, and higher operating costs for security and restoration measures. 

Health care and emergency services are overwhelmed, struggling to meet the soaring demands with their limited resources, often leading to longer response times and strained facilities.

Front line workers, from social workers to emergency responders, face burnout and emotional stress as they bear witness to the daily struggles and tragedies of homelessness. 

Most crucially, people who are homeless endure unimaginable hardship, grappling with instability, insecurity, and the deprivation of basic human needs. 

The causes of homelessness and the impacts of homelessness are far-reaching and multifaceted, demanding a collective, compassionate effort to address and alleviate this critical issue. 

Through a one-door, one-roof approach, The Bridge aims to ensure people experiencing homelessness have access to basic needs and the services, system navigation and advocacy required to achieve stability and foster recovery. 

As a HART Hub-funded initiative, The Bridge receives provincial funding from the Ministry of Health to enable the service it delivers. It also receives operating funding from Hastings County. 

In addition to the expansion of services offered at The Bridge, provincial HART Hub funding enables the creation of community outreach and rapid response teams to rural and underserved areas in our counties, and the launch of 22 new supportive transitional housing units for individuals in need.