Welcoming Streets.
Caring for community. together.
The Downtown Kingston BIA, in partnership with Addiction and Mental Health Services Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (AMHS-KFLA), is pleased to introduce a new street outreach initiative in Kingston’s downtown core. This collaborative pilot project, supported by the City of Kingston, called Welcoming Streets, aims to create a compassionate, inclusive, and supportive environment for everyone in the downtown community.
The Welcoming Streets initiative serves two significant purposes: assisting individuals to access needed supports and services, while collaborating with local service providers, community organizations, as well as property and business owners, to cultivate a safe, welcoming, and supportive community that considers the complex needs of all those involved.
The Welcoming Streets initiative is supported by two dedicated professionals from the mental health and addiction sector, one from the Downtown Kingston BIA and one from AMHS-KFLA. The Welcoming Streets team members will collaborate regularly to address community outreach needs, drawing upon their combined experience, expertise, and mutual commitment to community well-being.
The aim of the program is to engage with individuals who may be experiencing homelessness, addiction, or mental health difficulties in a respectful manner, and assist them in accessing the resources and support they may need.
The Welcoming Streets Program is being funded in part by the Ontario Homelessness Prevention Program. Watch for more information in the Member Bulletin over the coming weeks or contact Downtown Kingston BIA at 613.542.8677 or by email at welcome@downtownkingston.ca.
Who to call
When a situation occurs at your workplace that is beyond your control or ability to address, seek assistance using the resources in the link to the Who To Call poster below.
Welcoming Streets is available Monday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Tuesday to Friday 8:30 am - 6 pm, Saturday from 9 am - 5 pm
You can reach us by phone or email at:
613-542-8677 Ext 1 or 613-583-5008 welcome@downtownkingston.ca
Welcoming Streets Steward
Josh Morgan
Street Outreach Downtown
Downtown Kingston BIA
Josh Morgan was born and raised in the Kingston area and has been involved with numerous social service and harm reduction-influenced agencies over the past 10 years. Through his work as a Justice Youth Worker at St. Lawrence Youth Association and as an Overdose Prevention Support Worker in the Consumption and Treatment Services site at the Integrated Care Hub with Kingston Community Health Centers, his insight into varying societal issues has given him the opportunity to assist clients with their individual healing processes.
Welcoming Streets is partially funded by the Provincial Homelessness Prevention Program. The program operates through a collaborative partnership between three organizations: The City of Kingston, Downtown Kingston Business Improvement Area (BIA), and Lennox and Addington Mental Health and Addiction Services (AMHS-KFLA).
