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Help, Hope and
Opportunity

For all members of our community to
achieve their potential.

Our mission is to help those in our community with social and economic needs improve their quality of life.

Since 1986, we’ve provided vital services to the communities of Port Colborne, Wainfleet and surrounding areas. Our aim is to provide help, hope and opportunity to all to achieve their potential and improve their quality of life.

This would not happen without our incredible Board of Directors who dedicate their time and resources to our mission.
Our 2021 Board of Directors are:

Mike Bendia, Chair
Midge Butson, Vice Chair
Sharon Letwin, Treasurer
Cathy Boggio, Secretary
Stephanie Babin
Greg Bartman
Scott Luey
Nicki Lumsden
Carl Santoni
Angie Desmarais

We provide help,
without judgment.

We are all accountable to
one another.

We treat everyone
with respect.

We work
‍collaboratively.

How can we
help you?

PortCares provides a number of services to members of our community in Port Colborne, Wainfleet and Welland. For information about any of our programs please contact us.

Reach-Out Centre

Located at 61 Nickel St., the Reach-Out Centre serves Port Colborne and Wainfleet by providing nutrition support like our food bank and meal programs.

If you need emergency food support, we’re here to help. Our Food Bank is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Once you’ve become a member registered with of our food bank, you can visit once per month to shop for basics. You can pick up bread, fruits and vegetables every week when available. During the school year, you can pick up a lunch kit every week for each school-age child, containing enough bread, sandwich items and other essentials to provide enough lunches for the week. Please bring your ID and grocery bags with you. If you’re a first-time visitor, please bring ID for yourself and any dependants, a stub of proof of income, proof of rent and other bills.

‍Need emergency food and support? Come to our 61 Nickel St. or 92 Charlotte St. location any time Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. for emergency assistance and crisis support.

The Reach-Out Centre offers three meals a week, free of charge. Doors open one hour before meal time:

Monday at 4 p.m.
Wednesday at 4 p.m
Thursday at 4 p.m.

!The Reach Out Centre is currently providing modified service. The Food Bank and Meal Program offer pick-up at the door service but our building is closed to the public.

If you wish to provide support to our community during these challenging times, we are still accepting Food Bank donations from Monday to Friday 9am - 4pm at the door of our Reach-Out Centre.

Call the Reach-Out Centre

Housing and Crisis Support

A stable home provides a foundation on which to build a path out of poverty. That’s why Port Cares offers housing, homelessness prevention and crisis support to members of our community in need.

We’re here to help people living on the street, at risk of homelessness, in unsuitable housing or living in a shelter. We can help you prevent eviction and avoid homelessness by connecting you to the resources and services that can support you.

Through our Transitional Housing Program we help support tenants in identified Housing First apartment units in the community (when available.)

Are you having an emergency that’s making it impossible to pay your utility bills? Our Utility Grant Program can help you with hydro, gas and other types of heating bills.
‍
Are you in need of urgent help? We provide a supportive, confidential environment to help you with:

Emergency and crisis support
Crisis intervention
Suicide intervention
Addiction and mental health referrals
Information on programs and services
Advocacy and outreach
Replacement of identification
Assistance with government forms such as ODSP

!Our location at 92 Charlotte St. is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday to help you but a mask is required upon entry.

Our crisis intervention and homelessness outreach workers are going strong and continue to support our community in the field.

Call Housing and Crisis Support

Employment Services and Learning

Employment Centre
A rewarding career can be a powerful path to prosperity. We are proud to be an Employment Ontario Service Provider. That’s why we offer employment and learning services to help connect you to skills and resources that can lead to a good job.

Our employment division can offer you the following:

Resume-building
Interview skills
Employer Services & Job Development
Job search assistance
Training
Indepth Employment Counselling
Skills upgrading
Educational options

Are you an employer looking to hire? We offer Canada Ontario Job Grant opportunities and recruitment and training help.

Learning Centre
Our Literacy and Basic Skills team offers a range of learning opportunities to prepare you for your career.

Literacy and Basic Skills: Upgrade your reading, writing, math, computer and other basics to prepare you for independence, secondary school credits, post-secondary studies, apprenticeship training and employment. Learn at your own pace, all at no cost to you! Attend our Digital or our Academic Classrooms.
Academic Career Entrance (ACE):
‍Niagara College staff on-site can offer no-cost classes in English, math, biology, chemistry and communications. One-on-one support is also available.

This Employment Ontario program is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario and through the Canada-Ontario-Job Fund Agreement.

!Our location at 92 Charlotte St. is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday to help you but a mask is required upon entry.

Call to learn more about our Employment and Learning Services

EarlyON Child & Family Centres

The path to self-sufficiency and relief can start early in life. We provide services that can help young children learn and play on the path to prosperity.

Our EarlyON Centre offers welcoming, inclusive environments to you and your child from birth to six years of age. Children can learn, play, laugh, be curious, make friends and engage with others. Our EarlyON professionals will support you and your child with free drop-in programs, personal connections, resources, workshops and referrals.

Programs offered include:

Infant Massage
Healthy Baby Healthy Brain
Love My Baby
Toddler Time
Adventures in Preschool
PPP – Positive Parenting Program
Literacy for Children and Families
Numeracy for Children and Families
Just Dad and I
Parent Education Workshops

Our EarlyON Sites are located in:

!All EarlyON centres are currently closed. Please visit our centres pages on social media to take part in some of our online programming.

Call the EarlyON and Family Services Centre

Youth Justice

Port Cares provides services to youth who commit low-risk criminal offences the support they need during difficult times.

Niagara Youth Justice Committee
The Niagara Youth Justice Committee, established under the Youth Criminal JusticeAct (YCJA) and funded by the Ontario Ministry of Comm, is an alternative to formal court proceedings for youth, 12-17 years-old, who have committed minor offenses. The NYJC serves the entire Niagara region and accepts referrals from Police and Crown Attorneys. Youth Justice Committees (YJC) are based on restorative justice principles which gives priority to the accountability and the needs of the youth, needs of the victim, and community wellness and healing.

No Longer the Norm: Sexting Project
Our No Longer the Norm project trains front-line staff working with youths about the law relating to sexting and cyberbullying. It provides resources they can pass on to youth. No Longer the Norm workshops are facilitated throughout the Region with the assistance of our Advisory Committee.

!Our location at 92 Charlotte St. is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday to help you but a mask is required upon entry.

Call to inquire about Youth Justice

Other Essential Services

Port Cares’ social services hub is home to a number of partner organizations right here on the site. We bring together essential services under one roof to help you through tough times.

Please note the hours below are before COVID hours. At this time there are no partner organizations at 92 Charlotte. We will be sure to update the website as our partners re-enter the facility.

Service Canada
Service Canada representatives can help you with Employment Insurance, Canada Pension and other government programs and benefits.

Hours: 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Phone: 1-800-206-7218

SAEO – Region of Niagara –Ontario Works
Ontario Works provides income and employment programs and can help you financially while preparing you for the world of work. They can help you if you:

Are in financial difficulty
Are a parent unable to work because you have no one to care for your children
Have a job but don’t earn enough to support yourself and your family
Have fled your homeland fearing for your safety

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday
Phone: 905-734-7975

MP and MPP Constituency Offices
Vance Badawey, M.P.

Hours: Mondays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: 905-834-3629 ext. 266
Email: Bryan Ingram, Constituency Assistant
‍
Jeff Burch, MPP
‍
Hours: Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: 905-834-3629

Women’s Place of South Niagara
Women’s Place’s satellite office in Port Colborne provides counselling, safety planning, transitional housing and shelter access as part of its mission to stop abuse and violence against women and children.

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or violence and requires services please call the confidential 24-hour support lines:
‍Welland, Port Colborne, Wainfleet, Pelham and surrounding areas: 905-788-0113.
Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and surrounding areas: 905-356-5800.

Hours: Thursdays 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Phone: 905-732-4632 ext. 325

Health Bus
Health Services are available by appointment with the Outreach Nurse at the Port Cares Reach Out Food Centre at 61 Nickel Street and at other locations in the Niagara area.

Hours: By appointment only
Phone: 905-688-8248 ext. 7512 or 1-888-505-6074
Email: outreach@niagararegion.ca

Dental Mobile Unit
Dental Services are offered at Port Cares through the Niagara Region's mobile unit. Once a month, the bus will be in the parking lot at Port Cares’ 92 Charlotte St. location.

Hours: One Monday per month, by appointment only.
Phone: 905-688-8248

‍Niagara Community Legal Clinic
If you need assistance with a civil legal matter, Niagara Community Legal Clinic operates on-site and can support you.

Hours: By appointment
Phone: 905-682-6635

‍Canadian Mental Health Association/Real Work
Representatives of CMHA are available by appointment at 92 Charlotte St. three days a week. If you’re struggling with a mental health issue, we can help.

Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment
Phone: 905-834-3629 ext. 228

Pathstone Mental Health
Pathstone is Niagara's primary provider of treatment for children until the age of 18. A representative from Pathstone is available by appointment to assist you at Port Cares on Mondays.

Hours: Mondays by appointment
Phone: 905-688-6850 or 1-800-563-0122

!Our location at 92 Charlotte St. is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday to help you but a mask is required upon entry.

Call the Reach-Out Centre

We need your help too.

We do what we do through a combination of government service contracts, grants, private donations, memberships and fundraising activities.

You can help support your community and our mission to help those in need improve their quality of life by contributing to Port Cares through donations or by volunteering.