“The need is really high. By the time someone is moving out, there is someone waiting to get in.”

Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer

With a boom in new refugees coming to Ottawa, Matthew House is expanding for a second time since the start of the pandemic. The growing demand also led The Furniture Bank (which collects furniture donations and distributes them to those in need) to expand their capacity.

“We provide a bed, food, and essential settlement support for newly-arrived refugee claimants who are homeless,” explains Allan Reesor-McDowell, Matthew House’s executive director. “Often the alternative for our residents is to end up chronically homeless, without any progress towards independence. We provide wrap-around supports in a family-style atmosphere, typically for 3 to 6 months until our residents are employed and able to sustain themselves living independently.”

In September 2020, Matthew House added a second home, tripling their capacity from 8 beds to 24. Last year, they served 46 people, including four families and eight children. Through a partnership with Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, they have plans in the works to open a third house in September 2022.

“The need is really high. By the time someone is moving out, there is someone waiting to get in,” states Doreen Katto, Matthew House’s program coordinator for refugees. “We have houses in Nepean, South Keys, and the third will be in Hintonburg, west of downtown.”

“Each new home will require one new employee to manage the location, and a team of 5 to 10 active volunteers to support the residents.” Photo courtesy of Matthew House.

Through The Furniture Bank they furnished 721 homes last year, the most they have ever furnished. To meet this need they secured a second delivery truck and hired additional staff.

“We used to be almost completely reliant on volunteers,” Reesor-McDowell explains. “Now we have a healthy balance of employees and volunteers. We are also currently seeking a larger warehouse to be able to furnish more homes.”

Yet Matthew House has a much bigger vision. They aim to keep opening a new refugee home every year or two. Within a decade, they hope to house refugees in welcoming homes across Ottawa’s many neighbourhoods. Their main challenges are finding homes and recruiting volunteers to serve new locations. To facilitate that, they hope to forge more partnerships like the one they are building with Holy Rosary Parish.

“Each new home will require one new employee to manage the location, and a team of 5 to 10 active volunteers to support the residents.”

“They come in just beginning their new life. After a little while they have figured things out.”

“We need people to help residents file paperwork, and we cook meals for them Monday to Thursday,” Katto adds. “We also need volunteers for English-language conversations. Churches can really do a lot to help us there.”

Katto has served with Matthew House since December 2018. She says the best part of the work is hearing the stories of house members getting established and finding their way.

“They come in just beginning their new life. After a little while they have figured things out, they are living on their own, and can find their way around the city. The most rewarding part, for me, is the change I see happening from when they first arrive to a few months in.”

Matthew House is also always looking for seasonal clothes, as residents rarely have wardrobes suitable for Canadian weather. Currently they need spring and summer clothing, but they would love support from churches in any form.

“Most importantly, pray for us. Our work is ministry. We need churches to partner with us in prayer, providing resources to support the program, and finding volunteers.”