Assessment and Referral Centre

This place is beyond love and humanity. Although their main services are to Asses and Refer you to a shelter, I've seen people getting all sorts of help here. The staff is well trained and goes over board t help the homeless around the city. This place is well respected in the homeless community and serves thousands of people on monthly basis.

Am really happy how they welcome me especially the director and another guy I forgot his name they’re really good good good people thank you guys a lot am really thankful ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

After being on the street for two weeks, I was elated to learn I could take a shower here! Had to wait about an hour the first time for just three people to finish taking their showers though! There is clearly no time limit or concern for other people waiting in line! The last five times I've gone to take a shower, I've just given up from frustration after waiting for 20 to 30 minutes for a single person to finish their shower! Neither clients nor staff seem to have concern for other clients waiting in line to bathe! It would be nice if staff enforced a reasonable 10 allotment if others people are waiting! There is absolutely no logical reason as to why a single person should be able to monopolize the only working shower for 20, 30, or 45 minutes! A bit upsetting that staff not once intervened when clients were monopolizing the shower facility for as long as they wanted, while others waited in line! It's just plain selfish! What is the logic as to why someone should just be allowed to do whatever they want, all at the expense of everyone else? Have I been using the wrong tactics and being polite and civil? Should I start resorting to causing a scene and being a lunatic in order to get attention and be treated differently? What I've been doing so far certainly isn't working! Just how many hours is it reasonable for a person to wait for a single client to take a shower? This is not their own private home! Do I think anything will change? Not in my lifetime! Places like this pamper to those who screen for the most attention and cause scenes, not for the average, normal, first-time person out on the street!

I'd like to clarify something first: 129 Peter Street,refers homeless people to emergency beds in the city, you can stay on the floor overnight if they can't find you a bed, but it houses clients on the second floor,if you have a referral from your housing worker,who must work at a participating member non-profit agency. I have heard people can get a bed here at 129 Peter,but it's usually special circumstances. This place is a lot better than most places.

The facility is cleaner than usual, which is an improvement. The only reason I'm giving this place 5 stars is due to the phenomenal staff and volunteers/residents AKA (also known as) undercover workers all doing their best to keep the place operational. Plus, 4 stars overall is the goal and I left a review that was 3 in the past. The teamwork is usually excellent, but sometimes communication is poor and some people misinterpret an unintentional error or cultural difference for wanting to cause them harm. Too bad about the propaganda regarding COVID19 that's left people struggling outside without even access to a clean washroom. A portable toilet outside would be a nice solution so that the homeless didn't have to leave mounds or bags of $hit lying around that I later either flush or bury underneath the soil layer. Most public washrooms are closed as retail outlets and office space sits vacant. A general rule: leave every place cleaner than you found it! Further: It's clear that the closure of key services like city community centres and libraries is being felt most BY the most vulnerable. There's a significant security flaw and issue with both the Internet network and the city database known as SMIS at the facility. Who is the network administrator and why do they manipulate your actions on the network? Why do people check in under different names or identities each time? What's freaky is that your legitimate software slowly starts to become hijacked. Further, hateful and really obscene sites are allowed but deeper music or art about true love and real emotion is blocked? Finally: a warning to couples - they will place you in a very small space but it's possible to make it work if you're not hoarders. Military style rules apply in both couples and singles beds. There is a decomissioned metal weapons lockbox looking like it was made in World War II that has to be placed underneath the bed. There is no natural light in the couple's space - you feel like you're trapped and sentenced to die in a tomb. Finally, staff and residents have to remember to take fresh air breaks/nature hikes and gently remind each other when it's time for laundry or shower or they are being inappropriate/causing someone pain. Sharing the space is important and this facility is too small for the amount of activity it generates. Some services should be moved to a purpose built building in the vicinity. Or as I mentioned before, housing should be considered a human right. There's an open pit nearby that looks like it may be a construction in progress for a too-tall sunlight blocking condo doomed to fail in the economic downturn caused by this pandemic. Plus, older TCHC buildings with beautiful outer shells are quickly becoming dilapidated due to a lack of randomly lottery style generated unannounced unit inspections for cleanliness. (I've encountered crank cooks working from home.) The residents and staff are usually in good spirits. Don't mistake crankiness and swearing like a sailor on my part for any animosity or hate directed at you all (I would never assault anybody unless I was hit first - and then not even with excessive force - or wish anybody dead let alone a romantic interest.... it's a bad habit to be in a poor mood and points to weakness and cracks in the fake happy facade I put on in an attempt to stay sane when everything around you is falling apart and you have become so sick you don't even know where to go to die in peace & Love, Fil

Here in the municipality of Toronto 129 park otherwise known as the homeless intake. ????? life is not always perfect but if you find yourself with nowhere to go you could come down to 129 Peter street a few blocks from Osgoode station! I have only come here a few times over the last few years and it's been out of utter need, I want to thank the staff and even though they're always mixed emotions when it comes to a homeless location you have to understand that the people here deal with an awful lot and they do their best everyday and even though they're not perfect they deserve to be complemented and maybe it would be easier on them and they would have a better understanding if people could recognize what they go through like those on the streets, working in and around homeless is not easy whether you are one or just trying to prevent it! ?

The staff do there best to help the clients through what could be a difficult scary process with dignity and respect.

129 Peter. I am very impressed with the carrying staff at this assessment center. It's very challenging! A full time job working with the homeless. You don't want to turn into a wooden robot., And also you have to take care of your human heart. In covid times this humanitarian work has become even more difficult! The staff here are quite exceptional. May each of them know how very appreciated they are