Distress Centre of Windsor-Essex County to Continue Services as Program of Downtown Mission
The Boards of the Distress Centre of Windsor-Essex and the Downtown Mission are pleased to announce that the Distress Centre of Windsor-Essex County will continue to offer its valuable services to people experiencing a need for support as a new program of the Downtown Mission. The Distress Centre will be a fully integrated program of the Downtown Mission effective February 5, 2016.
“The Mission is pleased to be the new caretaker of this incredible community service. It’s a natural extension of the programming we provide for hurting people and is another important service for people in distress. Most importantly, there will be no disruption of the current Distress Centre program offerings to people in our community in need of emotional support, crisis intervention or referrals, “said Ron Dunn Executive Director of the Downtown Mission.
The Distress Centre has found a new home at the Mission and we are pleased that our staff and volunteers will be able to continue to provide the high level of support to people who are having a crisis and require help, compassion, and the human touch of our organization.
-Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin, Executive Director of the Distress Centre of Windsor-Essex.
In the summer of 2015, the Distress Centre of Windsor-Essex lost the financial support of a major funder and immediately began a search to find a new partner that shared a common mission to enable the program to continue its vital work.
As discussions with the Downtown Mission progressed both Boards realized that there was a natural collaboration that would enhance local emotional support services, as well as, increase the scope and reach of each organization’s program offerings.
In December of 2015, the Board of the Distress Centre Windsor-Essex accepted the Board of the Downtown Mission’s proposal to become a program of the Mission. The Board of the Distress Centre Windsor-Essex will became an advisory committee to the Downtown Mission.
The Distress Centre of Windsor-Essex is supported by 70 volunteers and receives about 3,000 phone calls each year from people needing support, information about services in the area, empathy and understanding about a distressing situation, or crisis counselling for people in distress. Mrs. Ponniah-Goulin will continue to lead this program as a director and member of the leadership team at the Downtown Mission.
“We are pleased to have Rukshini as a key member of our leadership team. Her experience and background in counselling will be a great benefit in terms of staff development and training, which will elevate the quality of all our programs to hurting people,” Dunn said.
For more information contact Ron Dunn, Executive Director/CEO at 519-973-5573 or 519-817-5500 (cell).
The Windsor Downtown Mission is a Christian, faith-based, registered not-for-profit organization with a focus on serving and advocating for those who struggle with poverty and homelessness — men, women and children.
Through its various programs: provided 14,600 safe nights of accommodations, served in excess of 245,000 meals, provided clothing to 7,000 individuals and trained over 60 individuals and assisted them back into the work force.
