COVID-19

There are currently no outbreaks at any of our locations.

We are so grateful for our phenomenal YWCA Hamilton staff who have stepped up to go above and beyond to support those most vulnerable in our community. Our essential services employees continue to work at our facilities across the city 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And we are inspired by those non-essential staff who have raised their hands to be redeployed to work in areas of greater need. We are truly in this together.

Self-isolation is only possible when a person has a home in which they are able to isolate. Which means that for hundreds of women and families experiencing homelessness, isolation was not an option. YWCA Hamilton, along with our partners in the homeless-serving sector, has provided staffing support to hotels that are currently housing women and families experiencing homelessness, offering a safe space where they can isolate, reducing potential spread to the rest of the community.

We also continue to support our residents in the Transitional Living Program and Phoenix Place, as well as visitors to Carole Anne’s Place, which will remain open at least until June 2021 with extended daytime hours (10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., seven days a week). One-on-one, in person violence against women counselling will be made available where online counselling is not an option.

Our dedicated teams seek innovative ways to keep residents engaged as they isolate in their rooms, providing food and other supports while trying to keep everyone safe and healthy. Staff at Carole Anne’s Place have also implemented enhanced screening measures including temperature and wellness checks.

Our Developmental Services staff are committed to providing exceptional essential care for our residents in our residential homes across the city. For the safety of our residents, we have restricted access to our homes to essential service workers only. Our Day Programs and access to the Snoezelen Room at 75 MacNab St. South is currently on hold and our day program staff continue to bring exciting programming into our client’s homes weekly in addition to ongoing virtual programming.

Our fantastic building services staff continue to show up every day, implementing rigorous cleaning measures and doing whatever is required to keep our facilities humming, spotless and virus-free. Our dedicated front desk staff continue to cheerily answer the phones and screen anyone who requires access to the building. And many of our program staff across departments have been redeployed to support these critical areas.

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for it, please use this self-assessment tool provided by the Government of Ontario.

YWCA Hamilton’s downtown facility at 75 MacNab is closed to the public but all essential services staff and visitors to Carole Anne’s Place are screened before being granted access to the building. Screening measures can include temperature and wellness checks.

Isolation areas throughout the downtown facility have been identified in the case that one of our residents and /or Carole Anne’s Place clients is feeling unwell.

During these uncertain times YWCA Hamilton Childcare staff is creating resources to help parents and their families with useful and fun activities to do at home.