Sistering

Sistering is a 24 hour drop-in for women that offers 3 meals a day. In addition to counselors, there are doctors, psychologists, housing workers, harm reduction and many other groups and services available. The staff and peer workers are non judgemental and supportive so that women feel safe and welcomed. They provide daily opportunities to work (General housekeeping) and opportunities (harm reduction , kit -making groups) to make a few extra dollars. They allow women to interact and help avoid isolation and although not a shelter they provide a safe and warm place to be and stay so you don't have to sleep on the street. Come drop by. Who knows, you might make a friend.

I think that it is amazing that women’s shelters are becoming more accessible and accepting. However, every time I walk by this shelter, I get harassed. Just today, while walking into shoppers drug mart a woman followed me while yelling hurtful things and I felt genuinely scared. I 100% support organizations like this and I have so much appreciation to the people who devote their time in helping these women. I’m not sure what can be done to fix this, but I am often afraid walking around my own neighbourhood.

I’m very conflicted with this place. I like how they are helping out women who need somewhere to go, and who are in need. But the neighbourhood has changed a lot since Sistering went 24 hours rather than closing mid afternoon. I do, get upset when the ladies try to touch my children. Sure, say hi! I tell my kids to say hi when we pass. But please do not grab my children. Please do not talk to my children like I am not standing there. That is a huge no from me.

I honestly cannot believe the privileged audacity of some of these comments. You're seriously complaining about the SMELL when you WALK by it???? When you have a home to go back to? Some people need to take a serious look at themselves before commenting on what it's doing to the neibourhood. I've been a donor at Sistering for years, the work they're doing is incredible and they are absolutely VITAL to at risk women identifying folk in our big and beautiful city. You don't like the smell? Cross the road. Find another street to walk on. Don't like what it's done to the neighbourhood? Move out. At least you have the means to.

Hey Sistering, my toddler found some of your safer use kits in Westmoreland Park again today ?

Incredible services available for those within the community. The negative comments are from those privileged enough to gentrify the neighbourhood. No agency is perfect, however, the trauma informed and harm reduction approaches utilized by the staff go a long way!

Totally agree with Julia’s comments below. I have lived in this neighbourhood for two years and walking in front of Sistering is always consistently a scary experience. I want to stress that it’s important to have shelters for women, and that these kind of NGOs generally do amazing work for both the women they serve and the communities that welcome them. However, nearly every single time I walk in front of this shelter, I get harassed, in a very agressive manner. I genuinely feel afraid for my safety when walking on front of Sistering. Also, the smell is almost always unbearable - there’s always 4-5 women outside smoking cigarettes, and old belongings gathered by the front entrance (see photo attached) that literally smell like death. There is often a police car in front of the shelter, and the other day a fight between clients erupted and I saw the police doing a strong intervention and arrest someone in front of the shelter. The other day, there was a woman who was laying with no clothes to hide her intimate parts in front of the main entrance - she seemed to be high on a substance and didn’t seem to realize that everyone could see all of her genitals - and nobody working at Sistering was doing anything about it. I feel like the management of Sistering take in women who need help, but then do not put any kind of rules regarding personal hygiene, loitering, substance use and smoking. I tried making a complaint to the management of Sistering, but the management was not responsive to my concerns. In the 7-8 minutes I spent inside and outside the shelter talking with an employee and a manager, I was yelled at and received two threats of physical violence by clients of Sistering. I used to live in Montreal and Berkeley and was living close to homeless shelters in both cities (such as Le Chaînon in Montreal), and I have never felt scared or even bothered by their presence. I feel like the situation at Sistering could be easily fixed by the management enforcing stricter rules, such as "no loitering in front of the entrance." We residents of this neighbourhood shouldn’t have to deal with all of these negative externalities. I want to reinforce that I am supportive of homeless shelters in general - but there needs to be rules, and these rules need to be followed and enforced - otherwise, it’s chaos, as it currently is the case on a daily basis in front of Sistering.

I found myself in a situation where I desperately needed a place to stay for at the time an unknown length of time. Sistering took me in, no question about if I could stay or not, it was did I want to. I felt cared for, safe and had a warm bed as well I would like to say new friends at Sistering. I say 5 stars, no 10 please. Love you All Amanda