By: Matt Weingarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter
Reach Out Chatham-Kent (R.O.C.K.) has unveiled its homelessness response toolkits, a new resource designed to help businesses, business improvement areas, and community members in Chatham-Kent better understand and respond to local homelessness issues. The toolkits will be available starting Jan. 31, 2025.
Adapted from the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association’s homelessness response toolkit, R.O.C.K.’s version extends its reach beyond BIAs to serve business owners and residents across the region. The goal is to provide practical tools to reduce stigma, foster compassion, and support informed interactions with individuals experiencing homelessness.
The initiative also includes a quick reference postcard, which offers at-a-glance information on key contacts for outreach services, sharps clean-up, shelter access, and other essential resources. The postcard ensures businesses and community members can quickly connect with support when needed.
“Our goal is to bridge the gap between the community and homelessness response efforts,” said Haleigh Hill, executive lead at R.O.C.K. “These resources provide practical guidance while promoting compassion and understanding.”
Community members and businesses can obtain the toolkits by contacting R.O.C.K. at 226-627-6163 or ck@reachoutck.com. Digital copies are also available at reachoutck.com/resources.
R.O.C.K. continues to play a key role in addressing homelessness, insecure housing, and substance use in the Chatham-Kent area. The organization serves about 300 people in Chatham and 120 in Wallaceburg each week. Its drop-in centres in both communities see 20 to 40 people daily, offering essential services and support.
The Peer-2-Peer (P2P) program, a cornerstone of R.O.C.K.’s efforts, operates weekly out of the Chatham drop-in centre. The program provides harm reduction supplies, information, and peer-driven outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness or substance use. As one of Chatham-Kent’s largest naloxone distributors, the program has also facilitated harm reduction education and helped more than 100 people secure replacement identification and health cards.
R.O.C.K. invites the community to engage with these new resources and join efforts to address homelessness in Chatham-Kent with empathy and action.
