Community Knowledge Centre - Toronto Community Foundation

About this organization

Mission

The mission of NIP is to help and empower marginalized and socially isolated people in our community by:

• ensuring people in our community have equitable access to quality programs and services;
• efficiently implementing programs that promote and maintain stability in people’s lives;
• fostering trusting and caring relationships with community members. 

NIP achieves this mission by:

• educating and connecting people to relevant community resources;
• engaging in community outreach and partnership; and
• developing programs that are responsive to community needs.

History of Organization

• Back to 1969:

NIP was originally founded in 1969 by a group of volunteers as a local community information centre in Toronto Downtown East.  Over the last 40 years, NIP has evolved into a vital community service provider, a pioneer in innovative homelessness prevention programs and a strong community partner in Toronto. 

• Birth of NIP in 1970s:

NIP became a charitable incorporated organization and one of the first local community information centres in the 1970’s. 

• Drop-in Services in 1980s:

To address the growing needs of homeless and low-income individuals, NIP began to offer drop-in services, which included mail and message for people without a permanent address, form-filling and access to a telephone in the 1980’s. 

• Services in Multiple Languages and Rent Bank Program in 1990s:

In response to the changing needs and the increase in newcomers in the community, NIP began providing services in multiple languages in the 1990’s.  In 1998, with the increase in the number of homeless people and families in Toronto, NIP started the first Rent Bank program in Canada, and became one of the two agencies selected by the City of Toronto to provide voluntary trusteeship services to help vulnerable people remain in stable housing. 

• Corporate Partnerships in 2000s:

NIP has also collaborated with various corporate partners.  In 2003, it partnered with Molson Canada in administering rent relief to hospitality workers after the SARS outbreak.  Since 2004, it has partnered with utility companies such as Enbridge Gas Distribution, Toronto Hydro, and Hydro One etc in administering and co-ordinating Winter Warmth, an energy assistance program for low-income households. NIP currently plays a lead role in homelessness prevention in Toronto and is a vital service-provider for low-income individuals and families in Downtown East Toronto. 

Accolades and Accomplishments

NIP currently receives support and stable funding from 3 levels of government. On average, it serves approximately 17,000 individuals yearly, and provides services in 7 languages.  Its website has various listings and links to community resources which has been visited about 80,000 times yearly.

• Homelessness Prevention and Rent Bank Program

NIP currently plays a leading role in homelessness prevention and reduction in Toronto. It has started the first Rent Bank program in Canada, which has become a model for many other similar programs in the country.  

In 2005, the program was selected by the National Secretariat on Homelessness as one of the 20 Promising Approach Projects in Canada, and was also a recipient of Toronto Community Foundation’s Vital Ideas Grant.  

NIP has also been elected as a member of the Housing Help Association Ontario’s Steering Committee. 

• Energy Assistance and Winter Warmth Program:

Building on the success of the Rent Bank, NIP has again played a key role in the creation of energy assistance programs for low-income households in Ontario; namely, the Winter Warmth program and Emergency Energy Fund. 

It now administers the program and the fund in Toronto, provides training and support to the agencies in other parts of Ontario that administer the energy assistance programs, and compiles provincial statistical reports for our utility company partners. 

In 2009, NIP was selected to participate in a Working Group that provided the Ontario Energy Board with input on how to implement a new provincial wide energy assistance program. 

• Financial Assistance during SARS:

In 2003, in the aftermath of SARS, it engaged in a successful partnership with Molson Canada, and administered financial assistance to over 100 hospitality workers who were at risk of losing their housing. 

Programs

>The Toronto Rent Bank
>Housing Trusteeship Program
>The Community Support Program

NIP offers the on-going services and programs including:

• Rent Bank: Interest-free loans are provided to help low-income households remain in stable housing when they face eviction due to rental arrears.

• Housing Trusteeship: NIP helps people with a history of not paying their rent on time on their own due to their mental and/or physical health issues and they are unable to manage their money and make timely rental payments.

• Energy Assistance: There are grants of up to $450 offered to help low-income households who face disconnection from heat during the winter season.

• Drop-In Services: Free access to telephone and computers are available for homeless individuals to enable them to establish and/or maintain contacts with family, community, social workers, potential employers, landlords, medical supports and friends; mail and messages services for people who do not have a permanent address; form-filling. Computer training is also offered.

• Case management: NIP provides assistance in service co-ordination, advocacy and supportive counselling to people with language barriers.

• Mediated Information and Referral and Education Workshops: Information on community and government services is available in 7 languages and educational workshops are held frequently.

• Website: On NIP’s website, there are listings of and links to local and citywide community resources and events.

• Annual Income Tax Clinic: With the help of volunteers, NIP assists low-income households to file their income tax returns on time so that they continue to receive their social and childcare benefits.

• Seniors’ Program: Social activities are offered to help vulnerable and isolated seniors access resources and overcome social isolation.

The Toronto Rent Bank

An Innovative and Comprehensive Program

The Toronto Rent Bank Program is a unique, innovative and comprehensive program that prevents eviction and homelessness, and helps low-income and vulnerable working families in imminent danger of being evicted maintain stable housing.

Interest-free Repayable Loan

The program provides interest-free repayable loans and mediation help for low-income households who are either facing eviction due to rental arrears, or need to move to more affordable housing.  

Personalized Counselling Services

The program offers a personalized, non-judgmental counselling, and also a variety of other support services, such as assistance/advocacy in accessing other community and government services; negotiation, mediation and conflict-resolution services for tenants and landlords; follow-up support and case co-ordination to ensure that people’s life situations are stabilized. 

Follow-up Support

A distinctive feature of the program is the follow-up support NIP offers to its clients.  It is not a success only to prevent people from eviction in the short-term, but true success is when it is noted that individuals and families become stable and more secure in their housing.  The regular checking-in helps NIP’s clients stay on track and allows them to have an opportunity to talk with someone when they encounter difficulties.

Funding and Program Partners

The Rent Bank is currently funded by the City of Toronto and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. In its pilot phase, CMHC provided funding for an evaluation report to be conducted to assess the effectiveness of the program. United Way of Toronto also provided funding for the program. The Toronto Community Foundation has provided the program with a Vital Idea grant to conduct a cost-analysis study in 2006.

Program Impact

• Effective Homelessness Prevention

The Rent Bank is the single most effective homelessness prevention program in Toronto, keeping 6,094 households from being evicted since 2000.  In 2009, 1,250 households, which consisted of 1,807 adults and 91 seniors, were able to avert eviction and maintain stable housing through Rent Bank assistance. 

• Assistance to Low-Income Households

This program is important for low-income households who have earned slightly too much to qualify for social assistance, but are unable to meet the requirements of banking institutions for loan applications. Many of them could easily fall into rental arrears and lose their homes when they encounter a short-term financial crisis such as shortage of work hours or a loss of employment. 

• Fight Against Poverty

The loss of housing invariably leads to a deepening spiral into poverty that is more difficult to overcome, not to mention the emotional and physical stress, the disruptions in employment, the detrimental effects on the developments of children.  The Rent Bank program stabilizes the life situations of its clients, and plays a critical role in the fight against poverty in Toronto.  

• Release the Pressure on Shelter System and City of Toronto

Using a conservative estimate, assuming that 15% of the Rent Bank clients would have ended up in the shelter system, had they not received a Rent Bank loan, the Rent Bank in Toronto is estimated to save the City of Toronto’s shelter system in the order of $655,963 per year.  The program is now receiving about 45% of the funds back from clients which is being reinvested in the program.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

The growing demand for Rent Bank assistance is being reflected in the statistics below:

• Over 200,000 households are in core housing need. More than 100,000 residents pay more than 50% of their income in rent.

• 27% of households in the Toronto Region spent more than 30% of their income on shelter costs in 2005, up from 21.5% in 2000.

• The number of calls to the Tenant Hotline with questions regarding eviction increased by 11% in the first quarter of 2009.

• Access to affordable housing is increasingly out of reach.  In the mid 1990’s, there were two low-income families for every one moderate-rent market unit of suitable size.  By 2006, there were seven such families for every one unit.
• The number of Rent Bank loans provided to people who are in arrears in their rent increased by 34% in the first half of 2009, compared to the same period in 2008.

Participant Vignette

Andrew’s successful story

“If it wasn’t for the Rent Bank, my son and I would have been sleeping in a homeless shelter today” commented a single father, Andrew, shortly after he received financial assistance from the Toronto Rent Bank program to pay off his rental arrears.

Andrew is a teacher and has a steady job.  He recently went through expensive divorce proceedings and incurred an enormous amount of legal fees.  “It seemed like everything came crumbling down on me all at once.  I can’t afford to pay my rent and I have a little kid to support”.  He was facing eviction.   None of his family members was able to take them in.  He was getting very close to being homeless when he came to the Rent Bank.  He received a loan to pay off his rental arrears and avoid eviction.  He and his son were able to remain in stable housing while he began the process of putting his finances back on track.  He said that he felt that his life had been turned around in a matter of days through the Rent Bank’s assistance. 

Housing Trusteeship Program

Homelessness Prevention Program

This is a homelessness prevention program designed to help individuals who are at high risk of falling into rental arrears and become homeless as a result of money management issues.  

Many of NIP’s clients have had a history of being homeless due to mental health and/or addiction issues, which impede their abilities to manage their finances.  They arrived at the program facing eviction.  The program helps them better manage their funds and ensures that their rent is paid on time, so that they remain in stable housing.  

The program is also responsible for making rental payments on behalf of our clients; provides ongoing money management assistance, counselling and case co-ordination to help them maintain stable housing. The beneficiaries of the program are mostly located in the downtown core of Toronto and experience functional difficulties and need assistance in preserving stable housing.

Funding and Program Partners

The Trusteeship Program is funded by the City of Toronto and the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

Program Impact

Success Rate

The program now serves 45 clients with a 100% success rate in keeping clients in stable housing and free of the risk of eviction due to rental arrears.  

Self-Control and Independence

Clients in this program are empowered as they gradually gain control of their money and other aspects of their lives.  They have been able to develop monthly budgets with our support and improve their financial management skills, achieving increased independence, stability and control over their lives.  

Health Improvement and Self-Confidence

Their mental and physical health conditions also improve significantly.  When the threat of eviction is removed from their lives, they develop greater self-confidence, maintain better relationships with their landlords and peers. 

Addictions Reduction

Clients who have addiction issues also manage to regulate their addiction habits by having a monthly budget and are better able to resist the lure of drugs and pushers since their lives are more stabilized.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

There are three most common reasons for needing emergency shelter; namely, abuse, eviction and being a newcomer to Canada. In the first quarter of 2009, the number of calls to the Tenant Hotline with questions regarding eviction was increased by 11%, as compared with the same period in the previous year.

Participant Vignette

Candy’s Story

Candy always refers NIP’s Housing Trusteeship Program as the best thing that has happened to her life. Candy is a 70 year-old widow who has been living with mental health issues for many years.  She receives monthly seniors’ benefits from the government.  Because of her mental health issues, she was never able to manage her income properly and pay her rent on time.  As a result, she went through several housing evictions due to non-payment of rent and was a frequent shelter user.  

With the help of a social worker, she was able to find subsidized housing.  Upon the recommendation of the social worker, Candy entered our Trusteeship program when she began her new tenancy.  Our staff helped her apply for additional government benefits to augment her monthly income.  A monthly budget was set up to ensure that she would have sufficient money throughout the month.  

Our staff made sure that her rent and various bill payments were paid on time and effectively counselled her from over-spending on non-essential items. 

For the past 6 years since Candy has enrolled in our program, she has been able to maintain stable housing and put aside some savings every month.  With a sensible budget, she is even able to buy gifts for her grand-children from time to time. Her mental health has improved significantly since she no longer has to worry about losing the roof over her head.   She feels more confident about herself and has even started doing some volunteering work.  

In her own words—she is “no longer broke” and feels that she has finally “arrived at a good place in her life”.

The Community Support Program

The program works to increase community participation and integration, self-sufficiency and accessibility of services and resources for low-income individuals and families in Downtown Toronto East. Program activities include drop-in (mail and messages for people without a permanent address; free access to a phone, computers and internet; form-filling; mediated information and referral), computer training, case management, settlement services, translation/interpretation, advocacy and mediation, community education, seniors’ recreational activities, and an annual income tax clinic.

Funding and Program Partners

The Community Support Program is funded by the City of Toronto, Industry Canada, Human Resources Services Development Canada and Ministry of Community and Social Services.

Program Impact

The program serves approximately 15,000 individuals, and engages about 400 seniors in workshops and recreational activities yearly. About 60% of the service users are members of visible minority groups/immigrants. Our program is vital in helping them overcome language, cultural and social barriers and integrate into the community. It helps reduce social isolation and helps people access various resources and services to meet their needs.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

• A major 2009 report by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) as part of its Quality of Life Reporting System, indicates that immigrants in 24 of Canada’s largest municipalities and metropolitan centres continue to face daunting challenges in obtaining employment, affordable housing and rich quality of life.
• Immigrants generally arrive in Canada in good health.  But a combination of stress, language barriers, changes in diet and inactivity often translates into worsening health with each decade in the country, until immigrant health is worse than the health of non-immigrants.
• Toronto has the highest proportion of seniors in the GTA and nearly doubles the rate of low income seniors in Ontario.  Sadly, more seniors are living alone, cut off from family and community.
• A recent study points to much lower levels of feelings of belonging among Canadian-born minorities. Black recent immigrants have high levels of volunteerism, but that level drops for those in the second generation. Nationally, 65% of recent Black immigrants, 70% of South Asian immigrants and 52% of Chinese immigrants felt they belonged in Canada.

Participant Vignette

Gloria’s Words

In Gloria’s words: “if not for NIP, I might have died on the street. No one has cared about me as much as NIP”.   Gloria was homeless when she was referred to our services by a community member.  As a result of her abusive husband’s gambling addiction, she sold her home and used up all her savings to pay off his debts.  Her marriage ended when her husband decided to leave for another country without her, taking all her I.D.’s with him.  She spoke limited English and could not find a job.  Without any money, she was sleeping on the street until a good-hearted stranger took her into her home and referred her to our agency.  Having the health card taken away by her abusive husband, she had not seen a doctor for ten years and had developed a number of ailments. 

We helped Gloria apply for social assistance immediately, so that she would have steady monthly income to sustain her life.  We helped her apply for her I.D. replacements, so that she could seek medical treatment and open up a bank account.   We helped her find a doctor, who took care of her immediate medical needs.  We helped her find a suitable and affordable housing unit, so that she would have a roof over her head.  Her psychological and physical health conditions have greatly improved since she came to our agency for help.  We also introduced her to the local library, referred her to ESL classes to improve her language skills, helped her complete years of income tax returns and apply for various government benefits, co-ordinated her numerous medical appointments, and engaged her in volunteering in our agency’s seniors’ program. 

Gloria is now an active volunteer at our agency.  She is receiving ongoing treatment to improve her health and is determined to find employment when her physical health improves.  Her self-confidence has increased.  She is expanding her social network through her volunteering activities.  She continues to receive support from our agency in improving her life situation and integrating into the community.