Fife House operates Supportive Housing Programs at several main locations (Sherbourne, Jarvis, Huntley, Denison and Sorauren) along with dozens of other satellite locations across the city. Each Supportive Housing Program location offers residents and clients support services through a network of qualified and dedicated staff and volunteers. Staff meet regularly with residents to review needs, action plans, and assist with applications and paperwork.
Each year, Fife House serves approximately 300 individuals through our Supportive Housing Programs.
Sherbourne Program
An integrated mixed-community living residence with 112 units operated under a partnership agreement.
The Sherbourne Program is designed to serve an integrated population of seniors and people living with HIV/AIDS in close partnership with Woodgreen Community Services and Wellesley Central Residence Inc. The building features 112 self-contained housing units, as well as a roof-top garden, a community kitchen, a communal lounge, and ground floor patio. Fife House provides housing and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS in 45 of the 112 units in the building. These are a combination of bachelors, one bedroom, and two bedroom units for families or individuals, some with live-in caregivers. Support is provided 24/7 based on identified client needs and goals through ongoing case management and service plans. An emphasis is placed on life skills development and supporting independent living.
Since the building was developed in 2008, Fife House has gained a valuable partner in Woodgreen as well as a wider network of other partner agencies in the community. This has allowed us to cope quickly with the changing needs of the community and grow together to enhance the lives of our residents. Together, Fife House and Woodgreen leverage the expertise of each organization to offer a program greater than the sum of its parts.
Jarvis Program
An 82-unit, apartment style residence in the heart of the city.
The Jarvis Program houses 82 clients, each living independently in one-bedroom units with access to twelve hours of onsite support from staff – which includes Personal Support Workers, Frontline Support Staff and a Case Coordinator – in partnership with Toronto Community Housing as the landlord. Most clients are long-term residents of the building who have opted to age in place and actively contribute to a formidable sense of community.
Fife House staff provide accompaniments to (medical) appointments, informal counselling, medication reminders, wellness checks, advocacy, housekeeping, shopping, and laundry. Our supports respond and evolve in tandem with the ageing and diverse population of residents, and more frequently relate to activities of daily living which require more PSW-focused supports such as grooming and personal care.
The team also provides off-site care and supports to an additional 14 units of housing at two other Toronto Community Housing sites, similar to the satellite site model of our Denison Program.
Denison Program + Satellite Sites
A 5-unit residential location, with support services for 14 additional units towards independent living.
The Denison Program is Fife House’s oldest residential location and home to five clients with staff on-site to provide 24/7 support services. The program is considered long-term transitional housing, supporting clients’ independence and transition to independent living or other permanent supportive housing in the community. Fife House is responsible for waiting lists, building maintenance, property management, rent collection, and support services. Clients receive case management, practical supports and assistance with activities of daily living aimed at maintaining their health and independence. Clients have their own bedroom and share common facilities like bathrooms, the kitchen, the living room, and the yard. Rent is geared-to-income, as set out by the Ministry of Housing.
The Denison Program also provides housing support and case management services to an additional 14 clients who are housed at three locations in partnership with St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing and Toronto Community Housing.
As of May 2019, Fife House acquired a house in Toronto’s west end, known as Sorauren, where we now operate a women’s only program.
Sherbourne Transitional Housing Program
An 11-unit residential location aimed at supporting transition into long-term, independent living.
The Sherbourne Transitional Housing Program (THP) provides temporary, supportive housing for nine months, in a shared communal living environment for 11 clients. Many clients of the Sherbourne THP arrive with a lengthy history of homelessness or chronically unstable housing.
Each client is provided a furnished bachelor unit with a kitchenette and private bathroom, and shared common living, dining, kitchen, and laundry facilities. Clients have access to Fife House support staff of an 24/7 basis. The staff team provide clients with goal-focused service planning, intensive case management, assistance with activities of daily living, and advocacy support. The focus is on improved health outcomes, finding permanent housing, and connection to care and supports. Fife House partners closely with Positive Service Coordination, a program through LOFT McEwan, which provides additional case management during clients’ stay, which continues even when they move out into independent living arrangements in the community.
Huntley Transitional Housing Program
A 20-unit residential location aimed at supporting individuals exiting or being diverted from the shelter system.
The Huntley Transitional Housing Program (THP) is one of Fife House’s newest residence to officially opened to clients in August 2019. It is an innovative partnership with City of Toronto Shelter Support and Housing Administration, Habitat Services. This partnership delivers a transformative model of housing support, clinical care and intensive case management for clients. The program focuses on recovery, rehabilitation, pathways to long-term housing and supports in the community.
The program has since been fully integrated with Fife House’s other programs and services, and with existing community and clinical partnerships. The aim continues to be bridging gaps in care for clients, providing them with a continuum of care and supports, and optimizing transitions to the right supportive or private housing options.
