We thank the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their generous support.  

The Housing Help Association of Ontario (HHAO) is a provincial association of community based, not-for-profit organizations delivering the spectrum of free Housing Help services that prevent and reduce homelessness. The mandate of the Association is to:

• Raise awareness and access to these services in the community

• Create opportunities for professional development and the sharing of best practices

• Build the capacity of service providers to respond to the housing support needs of their communities through networking and training 

Mission

The Housing Help Association of Ontario (HHAO) increases Housing Help service as a recognizable identity, in order to strengthen homelessness prevention work for people who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness across the province.

Our Principles

The HHAO believes that all people regardless of age, income, gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation or ability have the universal human right to suitable housing.

1. The HHAO believes that Housing Help services form an essential community service whose core services assist people to find and keep suitable housing.
2. The HHAO affirms that our member Housing Help services strive to address root causes and conditions of housing insecurity.
3. The HHAO will provide a perspective and facilitate interactions with all levels of government regarding the issues, policy and decisions relating to Housing Help services.
4. Supports agencies that perform the following core Housing Help services.

• Housing access, stabilization and eviction prevention
• Housing support and homelessness prevention funds
• Advocacy or referral assistance
   

History of The Housing Help Association of Ontario

April 2008 to present
In 2008, the Housing Help Association of Ontario (HHAO) was awarded a generous two year grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to make the dream of an association dedicated to supporting and coordinating Ontario Housing Help services a reality. Managers from the following Housing Help Centres formed the first executive committee dedicated to creating a sustainable association: Georgian Triangle Housing Resource Centre; Peterborough Housing Resource Centre; The Help Centre (Northumberland County); Sudbury Canadian Red Cross – Housing Help Program; Hamilton Housing Help Centre; COSTI-North York Housing Help; East York East Toronto Family Resources – East York Housing Help Centre & RENT.

Since 2008 we have held a much welcomed Housing Help conference in Toronto and another in Kingston for Housing Help mangers and staff across Ontario and launched the first province-wide public Housing Help website at www.findhousinghelp.ca, a portal to a growing and comprehensive list of Housing Help services in Ontario.  We implemented sustainable association governance and leading edge online tools to develop communications between Housing Help services providers across the province. We  increased general membership and actively engaged in the issues of housing and homelessness in partnership with all levels of government and other social service sectors. 

If you are government, funders, partner social service agencies or just interested in the history of homlessness prevention in Ontario click here to read more about the "Early History of the Housing Help Sector"

To Contact Us

Coordinator - Mary-Jane McKitterick
hhao@housingworkers.ca
416-686-3390 X9972
947 Queen St. East
Toronto, Ontario
M4M 1J9