It may be the season of giving but Centre 507, an adult drop-in centre has been making a difference in the lives of many community members by giving them support for 30 years.
In celebration of this milestone, Centretown United Church, home of Centre 507, planned on acknowledging the outreach program’s history and discuss plans for its future over an anniversary dinner Oct. 25.
“It started as a temporary measure,” says Betty Gross, the last living founder of Centre 507. Gross insists the other founders, Dr. Gordon Gross, head of the mission of outreach committee, Dr. Alfred Kickner, head of council and Reverend Cuiril Cook, were the driving force behind Centre 507, she just did as they said.
It all began when they oversaw people attending the emergency food and clothing centre held by Centretown United Church, formerly known as McLeod Stewarton United Church.
Noticing many people attending the centre were lonely and had different kinds of problems they wanted to provide help.
“We devised there was a need for a place where people could come in and chat with others or maybe get help in their lives,” says Gross. “There were lots of places down around the Market… we thought, ‘If only we could provide a safe place in our area of the city,’”
With little money, a church committee formed and created Centre 507, modeling it after Centre 454, an Anglican social services centre in Sandy Hill.
Although the Gross’s never lived in Centretown, their attraction to it, stemmed from Centretown United Church, their congregation, as they saw the churches concern for people. They felt strongly about outreach in Centretown and believed they had a purpose to make things better for the community.
“We really started on faith that it would become successful, and it did,” says Gross. She added, though, that there were tough times along the way.”
The centre still helps citizens who are vulnerable economically, have mental health issues or housing issues, but the programs have evolved over the years, says Linda Pollock, current chair of personnel at Centre 507.
Originally open three afternoons a week for two hours, the drop-in centre is now open six days a week for varying hours.
The housing and tenant support program is one of four successful programs it runs. With a yearly goal of helping as many as 60 people, workers help participants navigate social structures such as support with medical appointments, applying for disabilities, eviction support, et cetera. The support team recognizes each participant has varying issues and works with them to help they need, says Chris Dalton, rooming house tenant support worker at Centre 507.
Centre 507 also provides food, hygiene items, varying workshops and opportunities of work to help build their resume, among many other services in the drop-in centre and they strive on creating a safe, friendly, supportive environment allowing their participants to grow and address challenges within their lives.
“They have provided a very helpful service, the City is pleased with them as a partner,” says Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes, who has supported Centre 507 for 27 years.
Although there have been many changes to the centre in 30 years, it still faces one longstanding challenge: lack of funding.
The workers at the centre tally how many visitors it gets every day, seeing 1,000 more people every week than it was six months ago, according to Kitty Galt, in-centre support worker. The rising number means helping more people but it also means the centre needs more funding.
According to the City of Ottawa’s 2012 funding summary, Centre 507 received $247,796 last year, which was only 37 per cent of its total budget of $675,000.
“The city has funded part of the budget, but not all of it,” says Holmes. “They have fundraisers to augment that.”
Among Holmes, Ottawa Centre Liberal MPP Yasir Naqvi had plans of attending the dinner where workers hope a silent auction will allow them to add to needed funds and meet their goals.
“We want to constantly assess what is in the community and not duplicate anything given to the citizens and continue to offer services and find niches we can fill,” says Galt. “And of course, continue to provide a safe, comfortable, welcoming environment.”