Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation
Web Site: www.ecccc.org

When inner-city people need help, the Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation (ECCCC) is there. Its programs focus on the basics-food, housing, youth outreach, and employment training. Since 1970, ECCCC has responded to existing and emerging needs as it pursues a simple, straight-forward mission: to help people in Edmonton’s inner city.

Housing – ECCCC meets a wide range of housing needs, providing sheltered, supervised, and independent living situations for hard-to-house people in the inner city. Its housing programs rest on the belief that people who have safe, decent housing, good food and a sense of security will become more stable and able to work out other issues. All programs seek to treat people with respect and enable them to live with dignity and maximum independence. Many clients have histories of mental illness, and ECCCC helps them to integrate into the larger community-where public perceptions may have resulted in barriers to housing in the past.

  • The Women’s Emergency Accommodation Centre (WEAC) provides food, shelter, support, and referrals in the historic Gibson Block, the flatiron building. Its secure, supervised housing operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It meets crisis needs, support and referrals, and on-site physical and mental health services in cooperation with the Alberta Mental Health Advisory Board and Boyle-McCauley Health Centre. It is wheel-chair accessible.
  • Our Place offers long-term room and board for 10 women with a history of ongoing mental illness and low income. It combines 10 private rooms with communal dining, living, and quiet rooms and is wheel-chair accessible. Its 24-hour-a-day staffing means residents have regular support and aid in accessing other community services.
  • HHSA Homes, a partnership project of ECCCC and Handicapped Housing Society of Alberta (HHSA), offers long-term housing to people with a history of ongoing mental illness. Meadow’s Lodge and its three satellite houses are in the McCauley neighbourhood. HHSA Homes offers graduated support as needed as well as meals if desired.
  • The 17-Unit Apartment Block in Boyle Street is designed for people with a history of mental illness capable of independent living. Its subsidized suites include various designs to meet needs, including adaptations for those with limited mobility.
  • McCauley Apartments, a partnership between ECCCC and Capital Region Housing Corporation contains two-bedroom subsidized suites-some for people on limited incomes and some for those with mental illnesses. It also promotes community participation and development.

Children and Youth – ECCCC assists thousands of high-risk children and youth throughout Edmonton. Its programs support and feed hungry children, and provide outreach, employment training and housing to youth.

  • The Nutrition Snack Program serves a nutritious mid-morning snack to needy children-often their first food of the day. Its effect on behaviour and learning is dramatic.
  • Edmonton’s School Lunch Program serves a daily hot lunch in high-need schools that provides approximately a third of a child’s daily nutritional requirements.
  • The Inter-Agency Head Start Committee enables almost 500 at-risk pre-school children to attend Head Start programs operated by four community agencies which address their needs while also supporting the parents.
  • Crossroads Outreach Program helps young people leave prostitution. Crossroads House offers a safe house for those leaving the streets. Crossroads House Too extends housing to women over 18 and their children.
  • The Inner-City Youth Housing Project (run in partnership with three other agencies) provides short- and long-term housing for street-involved youth.
  • Kids in the Hall Bistro enables youth to develop life and job skills through an innovative partnership between business and the community.

The Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation is a an inner-city social services agency and is registered as a charity with Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. It is a project of five downtown churches: All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral, Augustana Lutheran Church, First Baptist Church, McDougall United Church, and St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Basilica.