David found safe shelter at Scott Mission © Courtesy of Scott Mission
Meet David, who found a warm bed, meals, and reassurance within the doors of Scott Mission.
Independence was everything to this senior. David owned his home and had a good-paying job. But that was before the pandemic struck, and his employer suddenly shuttered his business, leaving David unemployed.
He struggled to find work, as many seniors do.
“I had interviews over Zoom, but when they saw my grey beard, they judged me as too old, even though I had the experience they were looking for,” he recalled.
He went through his savings quickly and sold what possessions he could, but still lost his house to foreclosure—leaving him on the streets of Toronto with no one and nowhere to go.
“It was scary,” he remembered. “Not knowing what to do, where my next meal would come from, or just how to stay safe, or dry. It was very hard.”
Canada’s population is rapidly aging. Canadians aged 65 and older are part of the fastest-growing age group in the country today*. More and more people like David are coming to Scott Mission on fixed or zero incomes and are in absolute need.
An emerging challenge for Scott Mission is caring for seniors with significant health challenges, some of them with palliative needs. Almost a quarter of Scott Mission’s men’s emergency shelter residents are over the age of 60. Nearly 40 per cent of those who access Scott Mission’s food banks are the most vulnerable—seniors and children.
“When I walked into Scott Mission, I was anxious and didn’t know what to expect,” said David, feeling lost and hopeless.
He was immediately supported by the Mission’s Welcome Centre team and was referred to the new Respite Centre, which opened last November in collaboration with the City of Toronto. The Respite Centre provides 50 emergency beds, showers, and meals for men at Scott Mission’s 502 Spadina Avenue location.
“I realized right away that these people were for real,” he said, now with noticeable relief on his weathered face. “Because of them, all my stress just flowed out.”
David is now on the path to recovering his former life of independence. Scott Mission’s team continues to stand by him, walking with him on his journey of transformation because LOVE IS THE WAY—the only way to give desperately needed help and encouragement to those who need it most. For 80+ years, the Mission has existed to “Serve one another humbly in love.”
“Thank God for Scott Mission,” said David, reflecting on his most difficult moments. “Scott Mission treats people with respect, and I thank God that I found them.”
Scott Mission is a beacon of hope for men who experience hunger and homelessness across our city. Let LOVE lead the way this Thanksgiving! Donate at scottmission.com today!
* “This is what Canada will look like in 20 years—are we ready for an aging population?” CTV News (online), December 12, 2023.
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Since 1941, Scott Mission has been responding to the needs of individuals and families who face hunger and homelessness—offering practical, emotional, and spiritual support to love our neighbours across the GTA. Love is the way we serve and bring dignity to those who need a helping hand.