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Ryandale Shelter Our Services |
Ryandale Shelter - Who We Are
Ryandale Shelter for the Homeless is the only shelter in Kingston to offer emergency support to men, women and families with children, all under the same roof. Our eleven-bed shelter has operated at a 100% capacity in the last two years. One-third of our residents have no source of income whatsoever.
Guiding Values and Goals
Ryandale Shelter recognizes that it alone cannot solve the housing crisis. What Ryandale hopes to accomplish is to provide emergency shelter in a supportive, caring environment, and to share information about community resources to help residents establish a more stable and secure life for themselves.
Shelter Support Offered
Ryandale's primary focus is to meet the basic needs of shelter, food, safety and hygiene. When residents arrive, they are given a real bed to sleep in, a towel and care package with toiletries and donated clothing, if needed. They can then have a hot meal and do their own laundry, and are expected to clean up after themselves. House rules ensure dignity, security and confidentiality for all of the residents. The home environment is complete with a cozy living room where residents can socialize, read and watch television, as well as a backyard with a picnic table.
Once their basic needs are met, residents can begin to address other needs, such as permanent housing, employment, education and counseling. The compassion and support offered by Ryandale staff help to build up residents' self-esteem and their resolve to take advantage of the links provided to other service agencies.
Ryandale Transition House
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In addition to our core program, we have developed a Transition House for nine individuals who have been homeless and demonstrate the desire and ability to achieve independent living. This home offers accommodation, personal support and life-skills training to the residents for a year, with the hope that they can, by the end of that time, successfully move into the wider community. Our goal with the individuals living in this house is to stop the cycle of homelessness. |
Ryandale received funding from the City of Kingston and the United Way. We also
rely heavily upon the generous support of local churches, individuals and groups
for our day-to-day operating expenses.
