Clothing Bank

The Brunswick Street Mission has operated a clothing bank for at least 40 years. It is one of the last
organizations in the area that does not sell donated items, giving each item as freely as it was given to us.

Generous amounts of clothing and small household items are donated, sometimes by the truckload! Numerous groups and individuals also help to collect specific items, such as a local radio station that runs a Coats-for-Kids program. The clothing centre is open 2 days a week and occupies a space that was once a gym. The gym is now over-filled with boxes are stacked as high as the ladders will reach. Since donated items often come to us out-of-season, the volunteer team that manages it has extraordinary logistics skills! In-season items are laid out in bins or hung on racks, and visitors are welcomed to browse.

The Christmas hamper and gift programs are also run through the clothing bank.

The clothing bank is open 2 days each week, and welcomes an average of 40 visitors each day.

Tax Returns

Through the contributions of a qualified volunteer, we are able to offer an Income Tax Return service to our community. Most of our participants have such a low income that they qualify for little beyond the GST rebate. However, failure to file can have serious repercussions, including disqualifying an individual from Income Assistance.

While volunteer tax clinics are held elsewhere (libraries, seniors residences, etc.), our clients often have difficulty collecting the information they need for one of these clinics. Extra support and an accepting non-threatening environment are critical to the population we serve.

In 2008, 54 persons received assistance with Income Tax Returns, almost triple the number from 2007.

Benevolent Program

Crisis and Special Needs Financial Support.

Sometimes a relatively small amount of assistance can help to avert a crisis. For instance, for the price of a prescription or medical device, we can prevent a health crisis. Equally important, we also help with special needs that can contribute to positive change.

In 2008, almost $15,000 was distributed through the benevolence program.

This number does not reflect the true amount of support provided to families and individuals. A complex set of relationships and supports lies hidden in this figure. Through coordination with other agencies and churches, we can assist an individual with significant need to access several funds without having to go through the same process in each place. By building relationships with service providers such as dentists, we can access pro-bono support for some clients. 

One of the most important aspects of this work is in assessing and assisting the client beyond the immediate crisis. For example, when a person cannot pay their electric bill, we do not just pay it for them, we assess for them whether it’s going to be an ongoing problem. The Benevolent Coordinator may teach clients to budget, encourage them to enter a Trustee Program, access other services, negotiate with the power company and otherwise strengthen the client’s ability to self-manage.

Occasionally, we have an opportunity to invest in a person who is ready to move forward in life. A bus ticket or airfare can improve a person’s employability when their skills are not in demand here, or it can give a family safe refuge and a new life away from an abuser. A pair of steeltoe work-boots, assistance with a resume, tuition, and even union dues can sometimes be the difference between unemployment and leading a productive life.

We also help solve countless small problems including replacing ID or assistance with local transportation.

Over 600 bus tickets were provided in 2008.