By Fred Alvarado Fred is a community journalist with FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE

Street Haven has seen a significant need for support for members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community as every night their shelter is filled to capacity due to the scarcity of affordable housing in Toronto.

Street Haven, Canada’s first women’s shelter, is a multiservice agency that supports women and LGBTQIA2S+ community members in the Downtown East area with fully integrated and diverse services such as emergency shelter, supportive housing, an addiction treatment program, and a learning centre.

Street Haven’s 50-bed emergency shelter provides women experiencing homelessness a place to stay, meals, clothing, counselling, and medical care. It is for women facing challenges with mental health, addiction, living in poverty, and wanting to enhance life skills and to find a welcoming and inclusive space in which to rebuild their lives.

Recently, Street Haven commemorated Pride Month with a community celebration and BBQ at 87 Pembroke St. The event was an opportunity to network and to connect with Street Haven’s staff, clients, community friends, and partners, and to have good food, and listen to some amazing music.

There were speeches by Siu Mee Cheng, Executive Director for Street Haven; Sheryl Song, Street Haven’s Board Chair; and Jessica Bell, Member of Provincial Parliament and NDP Housing Critic.

“This year’s pride is especially important because we have seen a significant need for our shelter, addiction, and training services for members of the LGBTQIA2S+ communities, and especially client needs for African refugees who have fled their countries of origin because of who they are, who they love, and what they believe in are significant and more must be done for them. The housing crisis is intersecting with the homeless crisis and this has become a women’s crisis and a LGBTQIA2S+ community crisis. Now, more than ever, we need to show our support and solidarity for these newcomers on the eve of Canada Day, it is important that they be given the best that they can be given, and that means access for affordable housing,” said Siu Mee Cheng in her speech at the event.