Photo: Jennifer Warren/CBC
Every second Tuesday, residents at the 300-unit Toronto Community Housing apartment complex in Scarborough queue outside the rec room where fresh produce, milk, bread, canned goods and even ready-to-eat meals are piled on tables. The apartments' four-person health team is there, too. "The food is what brings people in," says Mark Dwyer, program manager for Canadian Mental Health Association, which runs the food bank with Toronto Community Housing. Since 2016, having a health-care team embedded at the complex five days a week has seen 911 calls drop dramatically. The team now sees 70 residents every other week. "Some could be hurting, some are struggling financially. Some are struggling in their physical health, their mental health," says nurse Michael Macaraig. "But when I see them out here, it just puts a smile on my face to see that they're out there getting to know their neighbours and … addressing their needs."
|
|
More:
