Emergency Shelters & Assistance

Kingston has a number of shelters that provide emergency accommodation to individuals and families who need a temporary place to stay. Some shelters are restricted to certain individuals, such as homeless youth and men, abused women, or people with addiction problems.

Shelters are usually staffed by trained workers who may provide counselling and referrals to other services. Most shelters are equipped with an emergency telephone number or crisis line that is answered 24 hours a day.

A number of charitable organizations and churches in Kingston also provide hot meals for a small fee or no charge. Families on low incomes can register their children in The Food Sharing Project, which provides breakfast, snacks and lunch in Kingston-area schools. Local food banks also provide free food hampers to individuals and families.