About
Wesley is a long-standing local non-profit offering support for people experiencing poverty, homelessness, and barriers in the community. We provide programs and services to meet diverse community needs in Hamilton, Halton and Brantford, Ontario. As a multi-service organization, we provide Children, Youth & Family Services, Housing & Homelessness Services and Newcomer & Community Services to address the diverse needs of our community.
We are a diverse, innovative and adaptable organization. We began in 1955 with one program in the basement of Wesley United Church in downtown Hamilton and now offer more than thirty different programs to people experiencing poverty and homelessness. Wesley’s services are made possible through a broad base of funding support from government, businesses, foundations, groups and individuals.
Our vision is to create a community where every member is empowered through inclusivity and equity to enrich their lives.
Wesley’s legal charitable name is Wesley Urban Ministries Inc., and our operating name is Wesley.
Our Impact
Wesley helps people struggling with poverty, many of whom have nowhere else to turn, including people experiencing homelessness, newcomers to Canada, and youth and families living in low-income, underserved neighbourhoods. Our programs help people improve their education, find success in employment, and achieve supportive independence when marginalized and vulnerable.
Our Housing & Homelessness programs support youth, families and adults facing challenges with addictions, mental health, poverty and/or homelessness. We help people find and retain housing and have five transitional housing programs for people needing an opportunity to regain their footing.
Our Children, Youth & Family programs support families living in low-income, underserved neighbourhoods in Hamilton. Investing in these areas and creating programs and spaces within them provides opportunities for kids to attend summer camps, before- and after-school care, quality licensed childcare, and opportunities for families with infants and small children to engage with each other and build a sense of community.
Our Newcomer & Community Services programs provide settlement support for Government-Assisted Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Newcomers from Ukraine to help them begin their new lives in Canada. We provide transitional housing upon arrival, help finding housing, school enrollment, employment support, and more.