About 12,000 Torontonians experienced homelessness in 2025 — here’s a simple way to support Toronto’s unhoused people.
According to the West Neighbourhood House, the Meeting Place welcomed an average of 158 people a day, or 3,341 visits a month from April 2025 to Sept. 2025 alone.
The West Neighbourhood House’s Meeting Place is described as a drop-in centre for adults experiencing housing inadequacy and homelessness.
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The drop-in is located inside The West Neighbourhood House at 588 Queen St. W. It is always looking for donations of new clothing, non-perishable food items, hygiene kits and more.
They accept donations year-round, not only during the holidays, so you don’t have to wait for the season of giving to help out your community.
If you’d like to make an in-kind donation, the items will go towards their programs and program participants.
They told The Green Line that what they need the most is new underwear and new or used towels for their public showers.
What else they're accepting
- New socks in sealed packaging
- New footwear
- Gift cards for food and other basic supplies
- Non-perishable foods, including canned and packaged goods, and dry goods such as rice and pasta
- New clothing
- Coffee, tea, hot apple cider mix or hot chocolate mix in sealed, new containers
- Unscented toiletries (unopened), including soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine hygiene and razors, in plastic ziplock bags preferred
- Portable cell phone chargers for members and street-involved folks
- Sealed boxes or bottles of unscented laundry detergent for members to do their laundry at the drop-in
Please note, they do not accept any used/gently-used clothing or footwear.
How to donate or volunteer
If you wish to make a drop-off, West Neighbourhood House requests that people email donations@westnh.org or call 416-532-4828.
Drop-offs may be scheduled at 248 Ossington Ave. or 588 Queen St. W., but call in advance.
If you want to help but can’t contribute financially, you can apply to be a volunteer for their Meals on Wheels program as a runner or a driver. If you’re an empath and comfortable talking with others, consider volunteering for West Neighbourhood House’s Friendly Visiting Program.
Some of their programs operate virtually or in a hybrid model. Call 416-532-4828, ext. 171 or email volunteers@westnh.org for more information.
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