New housing units allow Milton Transitional Housing to offer bridge accommodation and support to two more struggling Milton families

Milton Transitional Housing (MTH) has just opened two new housing units in Milton. These new housing opportunities will provide bridge accommodation, support and counseling to two more families in our community experiencing a housing crisis as they work towards securing stable housing. “With the need in Milton so great, our volunteer team has worked very hard to increase MTH’s ability to help,” says MTH Board Chair Ruth Parkinson, adding that: “We believe that people struggling with housing security is not good for our town and addressing this issue contributes to the health of Milton.” Transitional housing has been identified by Halton Region’s Comprehensive Housing Strategy as a big part of the solution to the problem of housing crisis (outright homelessless, or the risk of homelessness). It is designed to be a bridge from the short-term emergency shelter system (often as little as 30 days in duration) to long-term affordable housing. With MTH, this “transitional” period can extend from four to 24 months depending upon circumstances. We offer housing at subsidized rental rates, along with requiring our participants to set goals and undertake counseling and training to help achieve their goal of housing independence. This supported housing model has proven to be very successful in Oakville, Burlington and Halton Hills – all communities offering transitional housing. Until MTH was established, Miltonians did not have access to transitional housing in our own community. The Milton Transitional Housing program became a reality in July 2011 with a volunteer board and start-up funding support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and agency of the Government of Ontario. MTH’s first participant was accepted into the program in February 2012, and with these two new units we have increased our capacity to help more people who are in housing crisis. MTH’s goal is to provide seven supported transitional housing units within five years.

Beautiful New Empty Bowls

Join us for the 3rd Annual Empty Bowls Soup Lunch on Sunday, March 17 from 11:30 until 2:30 at MinMaxx Hall, at the Milton Centre for the Arts (1010 Main street). Tickets are $50 per person and include a taste-as-many-as-you-like gourmet soups and breads from Milton's best local restaurants, caterers and bakeries along with a charitable receipt for $25 donation to Milton Transitional Housing. You will get your hands on a beautiful new hand-painted ceramic soup bowl. MiniMaxx Realty is host sponsor for this MTH event for a second year. Please stay tuned for more information about this event. Visit the MTH facebook page or website for more information or to donate and buy tickets. Our very first Empty Bowls event in 2011 signified the launch of our transitional housing project in Milton. It is an important fundraiser and opportunity for us to raise awareness of this homeless risk among those in our outwardly affluent Milton community.

Casa Americo Wine Tasting

Come support Milton Transitional Housing at the Casa Americo Wine Tasting on Wednesday, February 20 at 7:00 pm. Cover charge is $5 and includes wine tasting and hors d'ouevres. Casa Americo is on Main Street. This is exciting to see as it was Casa Americo who actually did our very first fundraising event back in 2011, even before our first Empty Bowls and just before the formal launch of our new organisation. Thank you for your continued support. Please support and enjoy the wine tasting!

3M Warm Hands, Warm Heart Campaign

This past December the 3M Milton Sales Team held their annual Christmas luncheon with over 80 participants. This year as part of the celebration the team created the 3M Warm Hands, Warm Heart campaign, asking everyone to donate a hat or mittens to MTH. These gifts were shared with MTH and our community partners. Thank you 3M Milton Sales Team for your wonderful donation!