YWCA Niagara Region

Stayed here for approximately less then 3 months going on four. Was then told had to leave while they were collecting my OW rent portion. Gateway advocates came to have us sign papers to get housing. They allowed others to still smoke inside while we had to smoke outside. They treated myself and my daughter rude while we were staying here. Accused us of inappropriate behavior with no proof. Gateway advocate especially did not like us. We were told LIES by staff there and when we left then the rules were changed. Theft happened there with staff taking shipments of food delivered and then taken later at night with their vehicles around 11:00 or 1:00 in the morning. Talked to government about these violations.

Am Chichi Avatar, this shelter kicked me out by 10 pm in the night using police to intimidate me. All my luggage were left on the streets with no where to go to as a black Nigerian lady that was homeless and with no source of income. In the morning my written works, stories and poems that I hoped to publish for little money, got stolen alongside my laptop that had my self sang songs. I had to give up everything that I had (designers cloths, shoes, bags, books, pictures and so many other treasured items); to go sleep on the streets.I was stranded even with my mental health condition and severe physical impairment that was manifesting gradually. The lady that kicked me out, kicked out an aboriginal helpless lady who was in tears that evening before my own unfortunate turn. She saw me consoling her with hugs. I guess that's why I lost my bed space. Upon arrival I even gifted them my 400 Canadian Dollar Footless Electric Sewing Machine. God! Well my God will judge accordingly. Amen. Racist!

They do not help with anything, when you give your housing list, They try to force you to pick places you don't want to go and don't know and then tell you that the waiting list is 10 years as if we wnt to be in here. They will have your application sitting on their desk instead of sending it in, refusing to recognize the urgency of being placed in a proper affordable home. They don't care if you have a disability or not or how the additional stress can affect your health. The shelter is filthy the food sucks, It is very noisey. Women fight in there all the time some get kicked out without anywhere to go. There is no breakfast, cereal everyday, If you want a cup of tea you have to fill the kettle in the washroom this is disgusting,Yet they are taking your shelter portion of your money. People are in here for help not to be critizised, treated poorly or judge by staff for a situation they have no control over. The govenment is paying them to sit on their phone or gossip amongst staff about resident in the shelter. Tell me how is this helping anyone.

They offer no actual help, have no connections for the less fortunate. They just offer you a bed and a grocery card that can feed you for 2 days. Unless you're a drug addict or domestic violence victim, they don't believe you can fall on hard times and don't offer any real assistance in stabilizing yourself.

Who has ears let him hear- anyone can end up in a situation like this. These women are stressed beyond your imagination. They ran away from an abuser, lost their homes ,lost their jobs. Fell down to the bottom . They are our sisters ! Please be kind, drop anything you can to make their lives less scary. They mostly need bar soap, shampoo&conditioners, any skincare is welcome , plush toys for kids, any makeup, hair colour . Anything that makes a girl feel like a girl again. These things that we take for granted .