By Stephanie Mancini
Published September 2026
We have boldly stated that 97 Victoria is a place of hope. This statement seems to stand in stark contrast to the reality we are witnessing each day at St. John’s Kitchen. The vision behind the 97 Victoria campus is shaped by a deep acceptance for people in the present moment, that holds a space for the change that is possible.
The community of people at St. John’s Kitchen are mostly caught in a cycle of crises and survival. People who are housed have more chances to build stability, but does that mean we leave behind this growing group of unsheltered people?
All the writing on recovery from substance use talks about the theory of change, and change needs hope. Back in 1957 Carl Rogers talked about “unconditional positive regard”, the practice of completely accepting and supporting a person without any conditions or judgement. Fr. Greg Boyle calls this kinship, where people are safe, seen, and cherished. He quotes a “homey” who says, “I’m used to being watched, but I’m not used to being seen.”
St. John’s Kitchen, located at 97 Victoria, serves as a place of welcome, a drop-in now operating 24/7. Here we see people who would be described as being in the “pre-contemplative” stage of change, people who feel dislocated and unwanted in most spaces.
At St. John’s Kitchen, we welcome people without judgement, with unconditional acceptance. To help people to know there is another reality possible, the acceptance must also make visible other options – options such as improving access to personalized care and support, recognizing that people are changing and are changed constantly. Acceptance and change walk hand in hand.
Documented practices to support people in this “pre-contemplation” phase include offering a low threshold setting for initiating care. This means providing a place where you can walk in and receive same day access; a place that provides a direct link with emergency department services and provides access to multidisciplinary health teams. The model includes a place where services co-locate such as primary care, specialty care, mental health, substance use disorder treatment.
This is the goal of the Social Medicine Hub we are building with Waterloo Region Health Network (WRHN).
Social Medical Clinic: The fully outfitted 3000 square foot social medicine clinic at 97 Victoria is linked to both St. John’s Kitchen and the on site housing. The Clinic works through relationships formed through outreach, bringing a full spectrum of health care providers to one location, and ensures critical health issues are treated before they become extreme. We will situate two nurses and a host in the clinic who will receive everyone who comes in, helping to navigate their next steps in cooperation with Community Healthcaring and other community teams. Wherever possible we hope to reduce visits to the Emergency Department, and to offer space and connections for hospital-based specialists.
Along with this important health care provided with a mental health and addiction lens, groups, workshops and other activities will bring people together to explore resources, change, recovery and counselling, always including and referring to other services where this work is already being done. This approach recognizes trauma, does not expect major change for people living in survival mode, and recognizes the boredom that settles in due to dislocation.
What happens when someone starts to believe change is possible, moving to the “contemplation” or “preparation” stage of change? This is where we explore the best option with the person, understanding within their circle of support what next steps are most likely to support incremental change. Keeping grounded through change is challenging.
We have situated the Second Floor of Supportive Housing at 97 Victoria for people thinking about change. Housing stability is critical for making lasting change. We are inviting people into this housing who are seeking stability with an eye to making changes. The housing comes with 24/7 harm reduction, trauma informed support, with access to healthcare, engagement activities and community support in the stability journey.
The Third Floor of Health Focused Housing at 97 Victoria, also held in partnership with WRHN, focuses on people with added complex health and mental health challenges. This is especially for people who are frequently accessing the Emergency Department or Acute Care, and who instead need a supported, harm reduction environment to heal or stabilize.
The 87 Victoria Street House will be a health-care option for people who need a shorter length of health or mental health stabilization. It will reduce hospital stays and is embedded in a 24/7, harm reduction, short-term housing model.
These wrap-around options act as a toolkit of resources that are critical for the growing number of unsheltered people in our community. The people we see are so far from the concept of recovery, from holding hope that their circumstances can change. This foundation of supports may gradually allow people to access places like Hart Hub or addiction services, helping people to stabilize and strengthen.
We increasingly understand the importance of places like the 97 Victoria campus to provide outlets for stabilization and healing. A place where people know they matter, where they can work through seemingly impossible challenges within a community of belonging.
“I do think that if I had to choose one word to which hope can be tied it is hospitality.” (Ivan Illich)
