The Next Step of the Journey: MHO opens two transition homes
Matthew House Ottawa opens first transition homes, supported by Google Canada. From left to right: Sylvie Legary, Abdul Al-Kaf, Doreen Katto, Allan Reesor-McDowell and Lindsay Doyle (Google Canada).
“Matthew House is here to help.”
– Doreen Katto
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Matthew House Ottawa has been helping refugees and newcomers settle into their new lives in Canada for over a decade. Now, we’re extending that vital work with the opening of two transition homes.
“There are many barriers still facing Matthew House residents after their first few months in Canada,” says Doreen Katto, Program Coordinator for MHO’s Refugee Services. “One of the biggest is finding a safe home to rent. Landlords want to see potential tenants have a solid employment history, and they want to see a good credit score.”
For refugees, these can be seemingly impossible feats. After a few months in the country, most have only just been able to obtain their work permit. Their Canadian credit history is non-existent – and thus, all too often, so too are their rental prospects.
“We were seeing a serious gap,” reflects Doreen. “People would come to Matthew House and access the services necessary to start a life here in Ottawa. They would get their ID, their work permit, some financial stability… But they still would have nowhere to go.”
Though MHO has traditionally housed refugees for a period of three to six months, these challenges in addition to those resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic were making it harder for residents to move out and onto their next chapter. Now, with the opening of our two transition homes, they will have a stable place while they seek longer-term housing.
“At Matthew House everything we do is about home, community, and dignity,” says Executive Director Allan Reesor-McDowell. “We are confident the expansion of our refugee services program to include transition homes will strengthen our ability to carry out our mission and support more newcomers.”
MHO’s transition homes are both located on a common property, and will house 9 people at a time for a period of 3-6 months. While transition home residents will no longer require day-to-day support, staff will drop by on an as-needed basis, and tenants will continue to access the support they need from the Matthew House team (as is the case for all former residents).
“The administrative needs are very high at first, but they taper down,” explains Doreen. “Someone may need help only once a month, then eventually it’s every few years. Whenever it’s time to renew a work permit or apply for the next step in the immigration process, Matthew House is here to help.”
We’re excited to have officially opened the doors of our two new transition homes on August 1st, and gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Google Canada and James Barron (in memory of his late mother Susan Barron) to help launch our transition homes.
As Matthew House Ottawa looks to the future, we are proud to be able to walk with the refugees we serve on the next step of their journey. These two transition homes will make a vital difference for those who have overcome adversity in search of a new beginning – all thanks to the generosity of our amazing community of supporters.
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Here’s how you can help open more doors at Matthew House Ottawa:
Donate: you can make a donation online or cheques can be mailed to 380 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa ON K2G 6A1.
Volunteer: We currently need volunteers to support our furniture bank and refugee services programs. Click here for more info and to apply.
Donate Furniture: If you have gently-used furniture to share give us a call at 613-591-6681. And please spread the word among your networks as well.
Pray: for past, present and future residents and furniture bank clients
Since 2010, Matthew House Ottawa has welcomed hundreds of refugee claimants, and provided quality used furniture to 7000 families in need. Thank you for helping to make this important work possible!