Quick Escape 
YWCA Hamilton is proud to unveil our newly rebuilt Carole Anne’s Place, our low-barrier overnight drop-in centre for women and gender-diverse people experiencing homeless.
In 2016, Carole Anne’s Place started as a pilot program to house women and gender-diverse folks during the winter months. However, to accommodate the growing needs of the community, it has grown into a permanent program to operate year-round.
Carole Anne’s Place ensures that some of our community’s most vulnerable residents have access to not only a safe place to sleep, but a range of programs and services designed to meet their needs. Individuals accessing Carole Anne’s Place are provided with meals, access to showers, low-barrier health care, harm reduction and withdrawal management services, navigation and shelter referrals, advocacy, care planning and coordination. Access to low-barrier sexual and reproductive health care needs is available onsite, as well as through the Shelter Health Midwifery team.
The new space, which formerly housed YWCA Hamilton’s pool, includes 25 private bed areas where those accessing our programs can sleep in safety and security, expanded laundry and shower facilities, increased storage, and a large-scale mural by local artist Kayla Whitney.
“This new, purpose-built space will ensure that the women and gender-diverse people who access Carole Anne’s Place not only have a safe space, but a beautiful one”, says Medora Uppal, CEO, YWCA Hamilton.
The new space also houses our Safer Use Space, where individuals accessing Carole Anne’s Place can use illicit substances while being monitored by YWCA Hamilton harm reduction workers. This space also provides access to clean harm reduction supplies, naloxone, and naloxone training, as well as first aid supplies for wound care and reproductive health care supplies.
These renovations have been made possible thanks to generous contributions from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario!
