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Monday 9am - 4pm Tuesday 9am - 4pm Wednesday 9am - 4pm Thursday 9am - 4pm Friday 9am - 4pm Saturday 1pm - 4pm

Dawn House

Home
Canada
Kingston, ON
Dawn House

Safe, affordable supportive housing and transitional housing for women. Our vision is for all women to live in safe, affordable & accessible housing.

Dawn House supports, empowers and advocates for homeless, marginalized and vulnerably housed women. We believe that no one chooses to be homeless and that safe, affordable housing is a fundamental human right. Homeless women are entitled to be treated with empathy and dignity, and without judgement. we support a woman's right to unrestricted access to information & services and support her in her

right to exercise her choices. Dawn House is expanding services to include supportive long term housing and transitional/congregate housing in a wellness centered environment with on site supports to meet individual needs. We strive, not just to house, but to improve the quality of life for every woman we serve.

08/31/2026

Homelessness prevention means helping people before they become homeless.

It can include supporting someone who is currently housed but at imminent risk of losing their home.

According to the Government of Canada's homelessness prevention guidelines, this can include things like:

🏠 Help obtaining or maintaining housing.
⚖️ Legal advice or advocacy to help prevent an eviction.
💰 Short-term financial assistance to help prevent the loss of housing.
📦 Help with moving costs.
🧾 Assistance with rent, utility payments or arrears.

Prevention can also involve working with landlords or connecting people with family and other supports to help maintain their housing.

Sometimes the best time to respond to a housing crisis is before someone loses their home.

Homelessness prevention isn't about waiting until someone needs a shelter. It's about recognizing when someone is at risk and helping them maintain or regain housing before homelessness occurs.

👉 Learn more about homelessness prevention and the different types of support that can help people maintain their housing: https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/homelessness-sans-abri/directives-eng.html

08/28/2026

Wednesday, we introduced you to Walnut View, our 24-hour emergency shelter at 2320 Princess Street. Today, we're sharing some of the ways you can help support the women who come through our doors. 💛

Emergency shelter means being ready to welcome someone at any hour, often when they arrive with very little. Donations of everyday essentials help make sure women have what they need while they're with us.

Right now, some of the items on the Walnut View wishlist include:

🩹 First Aid Supplies ‼️ **Urgent need right now**
📦 Storage Bins/Totes ‼️ **Urgent need right now**
🪑 Folding Tables ‼️ **Urgent need right now**
☕ Coffee Mugs ‼️ **Urgent need right now**
🛒 Grocery & retail gift cards
🥣 Food, snacks & pantry staples
🍎 Fresh & frozen food
🧻 Paper products, garbage bags & household supplies
🧴 Personal care & hygiene products
🛏️ Bedding, towels & mattress protectors
🔋 Batteries, light bulbs & office supplies
🩲 New undergarments, all sizes

Our full wishlist is updated regularly and includes needs for all Dawn House locations.

Want to help?

Visit dawnhouse.ca/wishlist to see what Walnut View and our other locations need, along with information about how and where to donate.

Every donation helps us be ready to welcome women when they need us most.

08/26/2026

Part 3, and the final part of our Dawn House location series. ❤️

Over the past two weeks, we've introduced you to Milford Drive and Ridley Drive, two locations that reflect how Dawn House has evolved over the years.

For our final stop, we're heading to 2320 Princess Street, home of Walnut View Emergency Shelter.

Dawn House Women's Shelter was founded in 1986 in response to a housing crisis in Kingston. For 30 years, Dawn House provided emergency shelter, a 24-hour crisis line, support and resources to women over the age of 16, with or without children.

In 2016, changes to funding meant the downtown shelter closed its doors.

But Dawn House continued.

Our programs first continued at Milford Drive, followed by the addition of Ridley Drive. Then, in January 2023, emergency shelter beds returned to Dawn House.

For the next three years, the shelter operated from four temporary locations while we worked toward something more permanent.

Now, starting December 2025, we've arrived at Walnut View.

Located at 2320 Princess Street, Walnut View is a 24-hour emergency shelter with 20 beds for women experiencing homelessness or housing instability in Kingston.

And the house itself has quite a story.

Originally known as Pleasant View House, the property was once home to the Marrison family and later became the home of Pleasant View Nurseries. In March 2025, the house received heritage designation in recognition of its craftsmanship and Italianate-influenced architecture.

Today, this historic home has a new chapter.

A place that once held generations of Kingston history is now a place where women can find safety, shelter and support.

From one shelter in downtown Kingston to multiple locations in the city's west end, Dawn House has changed considerably since 1986.

Our purpose has remained at the heart of it all: Supporting women experiencing homelessness and helping create pathways toward safety, stability and home.

This is Walnut View. And this is Dawn House today. ❤️

If you or someone you know needs emergency shelter, call 613-766-6222 or 613-929-3440 to check on bed is availability and how to access the shelter.

08/24/2026

"Harm reduction" is often misunderstood.

Some people believe it encourages substance use. In reality, harm reduction is an evidence-based approach focused on reducing the health and social harms associated with substance use while respecting a person's dignity, choices, and readiness for change.

The idea is simple:

People are more likely to access support when they are met with compassion instead of judgment.

Harm reduction can include supports such as:
• Naloxone access to prevent overdose deaths.
• Safer use education and supplies to reduce health risks.
• Programs that reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis C.
• Connections to healthcare, housing, treatment, and other supports.

But harm reduction is also something many of us practice every day:
• Wearing a helmet while biking.
• Using a seatbelt.
• Using sunscreen.
• Using ni****ne replacement products instead of smoking.

These actions don't encourage risk. They acknowledge that reducing harm is valuable.

At its core, harm reduction recognizes that every person deserves safety, respect, and access to support, regardless of where they are in their journey.

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Ontario has a wonderful resource if you'd like to learn more about what harm reduction is, why it matters, and how it supports healthier communities: https://ontario.cmha.ca/harm-reduction/

08/21/2026

Yesterday, we introduced you to Milford Drive, a place where housing and community come together. Today, we're sharing some of the ways our community can help support the women who call Milford home.

Milford is a shared community, and many of the everyday things that help make it feel like home come from donations.

Right now, some of the items on the Milford Drive wishlist include:

🛒 Grocery and retail gift cards
🥣 Cereal, oatmeal & other breakfast foods
🥫 Canned goods, soups & pantry staples
🍎 Fresh and frozen fruits & vegetables
🥩 Meat, eggs, milk, cheese & other fresh foods
☕ Coffee, tea & hot chocolate
🧻 Toilet paper, paper towels & household supplies
🧽 Dish soap, sponges & cleaning supplies
🧴 Shampoo, conditioner, deodorant & other personal care items
🛏️ Single bed sheet sets, pillows & blankets
🧥 Winter coats, jackets & boots

There are lots of other practical items on the list, from garbage bags and laundry supplies to batteries, craft supplies and household items.

Want to help?

Our wishlist includes the current needs for each Dawn House location. Visit our website to see what Milford Drive and our other locations need, and to find information about how and where to donate.

👉 https://www.dawnhouse.ca/wishlist

Every donation, big or small, helps create a home where women can feel supported, comfortable and connected. 💛

08/20/2026

Part 2 of our Dawn House location series. ❤️

Last week, we introduced you to 805 Ridley Drive and the transitional housing programs that call it home. This week, we're heading to 965 Milford Drive, where housing, support and community come together in a very different way.

Milford is home to seven transitional housing rooms and nine affordable permanent apartments, with Case Managers providing on-site support.

But Milford is about more than the housing.

It is a community of women who look out for one another.

Women living in the permanent apartments often volunteer their time to help make Milford a place where everyone feels supported. They tend gardens, sort and distribute donations, help plan community meals and contribute to programming.

They show up for each other in the everyday moments, too. Someone checks in when a neighbour is sick. Someone visits when a resident is in the hospital. Someone steps in to help when an extra hand is needed.

Every birthday is celebrated. Every milestone is recognized. Every loss is mourned together.

There is a real spirit of service at Milford. The women who live there aren't simply receiving support. They are also contributing to the community around them and supporting one another.

That sense of community extends to the building itself.

Much of what makes Milford feel like home has been made possible through the generosity of our community. Furniture, food, household items and everyday essentials have all been donated, reused and repurposed to help create a welcoming home.

Because supportive housing isn't only about having somewhere safe and affordable to live.

It's about connection. It's about belonging. And it's about knowing that when you need someone, there is a community around you willing to show up.

That's Milford Drive, and another part of what Dawn House looks like today. ❤️

Next week, we'll introduce you to our newest location - Walnut View Emergency Shelter.

08/17/2026

When someone is experiencing a housing crisis, knowing where to go can sometimes be just as challenging as asking for help.

That's why the City of Kingston - Municipal Government created an interactive Homelessness Services Map that brings essential community resources together in one place.

The map includes locations for:
📍 Emergency shelters
📍 Meal and food programs
📍 Drop-in centres
📍 Housing support services
📍 Outreach programs
📍 Hygiene and basic needs services

Whether you're looking for support yourself, helping a friend, or work in the community, this is a resource worth saving.

Linked here is the City's Homelessness Services Map because resources only help when people know they exist: https://www.cityofkingston.ca/community-supports/housing-and-homelessness/homelessness-services/homelessness-services-locations-map/

08/14/2026

Wednesday, we introduced you to our Ridley Drive location. Today, we're sharing some of the ways our community can help support the women who call Ridley home. 💛

From the everyday essentials to the little things that make a space feel comfortable and personal, there are lots of ways to help.

Right now, some of the items on the Ridley Drive wishlist include:

🧶 Craft supplies
☕ Coffee, tea & hot chocolate
🥣 Cereal, oatmeal & other breakfast foods
🍎 Fresh fruit & vegetables
🎲 Board games
🛏️ Single bed sheet sets, blankets & pillows
🧴 Shampoo, conditioner, body wash & other personal care items
🎁 Gift cards for grocery and retail stores

Sometimes, it's the little things that make the biggest difference. Our Ridley Drive craft corner, pictured, is one example of a space where women can relax, create and spend time together.

Want to help?

Our wishlist includes the current needs for each Dawn House location. Visit our website to see what Ridley Drive and our other locations need, and to find information about how and where to donate.

👉 https://www.dawnhouse.ca/wishlist

Every donation helps us create spaces that feel a little more like home. Thank you for being part of that.

08/12/2026

You may know Dawn House, but you might not know Dawn House like this. ❤️

For many years, people knew us as the women's shelter in downtown Kingston. When that chapter came to a close, our work didn't end. It evolved.

We reopened as a transitional and long-term supportive housing program at our Milford Drive location, later opened our Ridley Drive location, and more recently welcomed our new long-term emergency shelter at 2320 Princess Street.

Over the next three weeks, we're introducing you to each of these locations and the different ways they support women in our community.

First up: 805 Ridley Drive. 🏡

Ridley Drive is home to two transitional housing programs, operating from separate wings of the building.

Christine's Hope, East Wing opened in January 2023 and has 12 apartments, including one-bedroom and bachelor apartments, with accessible units available. The East Wing supports women and women with children who have reached a level of independence where they no longer need daily intensive support.

Ridley West opened following renovations in May 2025 and has 18 private rooms, each with its own bathroom, along with a shared kitchen. One of those rooms is home to our Resident Assistant, providing on-site support within the community.

But housing is only part of what happens at Ridley.

Residents have opportunities to build life skills through individual and group programming, including budgeting, conflict resolution, household management, time management and connecting with community supports.

Each month, residents also participate in a Life Skills Workshop, a Health & Wellness activity and a Community Building Event.

This summer, residents have been learning about Kingston Transit, practicing 5-4-3-2-1 grounding techniques, and putting those skills into practice with a community outing to Lake Ontario Park. ☀️

These aren't just places to live. They're communities where women can build skills, connections and confidence as they work toward greater independence.

And this is just one part of what Dawn House looks like today.

Next week, we'll introduce you to another one of our locations!

08/10/2026

When many people think of homelessness, they picture someone sleeping on a sidewalk or in a tent.

The reality is much more complex.

Homelessness can include:
• Staying in an emergency shelter.
• Sleeping on a friend's couch because there's nowhere else to go.
• Living in a motel or temporary accommodation.
• Remaining in unsafe or unstable housing because there are no other options.

The article also challenges several common myths, including the belief that homelessness is a personal choice or that everyone experiencing homelessness struggles with addiction.

The more we understand the realities of homelessness, the better equipped we are to support meaningful solutions instead of stereotypes.

Take a look at this article from Wilfrid Laurier University if you'd like to learn more: https://www.wlu.ca/features/2026/summer/myths-realities-homelessness.html

What myth about homelessness have you heard most often?

Address

965 Milford Drive
Kingston, ON
K7P1S2

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 4pm
Saturday	1pm - 4pm

Telephone

+16135451379

Website

https://www.dawnhouse.ca/

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