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Join us in celebrating Community Health & Wellbeing Month!

 

October is Community Health and Wellbeing Month, when we’ll be sharing highlights of our programs and services that support health and wellbeing in our community. It might be more than you think!  Learn more about the month here: #CHWM2024. #FutureisCommunity

 

 

 

 

woman penciling in an appointment into her planner

 

 

Become a Volunteer!

 

Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo is excited to announce the launch of our re-energized Volunteer Program! Stay tuned!

 

 

 

Check your Pulse!

 
October 2024 Healthcaring Pulse Advocacy E-Briefing
Now Available!

 

⚕️CHECK YOUR PULSE! October Pulse Advocacy Briefing: With important expert videos on the closure of KW's Consumption Treatment Services (CTS) site and the investment in new HART Hubs across Ontario.

 

Check out the promo video to the right and click here for full access to the October Healthcaring Pulse!

 

Sign Up to receive a copy of The Pulse to your inbox here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doctor providing care for patient
Primary Care

Our team provides primary healthcare, illness and disease prevention and health promotion education services to vulnerable clients including immigrants, newcomers, and refugees of all ages who live in Kitchener-Waterloo. 

 

We believe in a client-centered, multi-disciplinary, and positive approach to healthcaring.  We provide culturally sensitive and language accessible health care to disadvantaged refugees and newcomers to Canada.

 

+ More about Primary Care  

Smiling man receiving package from support worker
Refugee Health

Our team provides evidence based, patient centred primary care to refugees in Kitchener-Waterloo through a trauma informed lens.

 

Our focus is on health promotion and illness prevention as well as addressing social determinants of health to promote the wellbeing of refugees and their community integration.
 

+ More about Refugee Health

smiling woman and child holding each other
Community Health and Wellness

Community Health Workers who work with clients to support their health and wellness goals, including mental health supports, social connection and isolation, physical activity, and subsidized programming. 

 

Our Community Health Workers utilize a strength’s-based and person-centered approach to support the health and wellbeing of people by using community-based activities and support. 
 

+ More about Community Health

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Outreach Services
The primary health care team and community health workers partner with community agencies to offer support to people who may find it difficult to access programs and services at the Centre. 
 

+ More about Outreach Services

WELCOME TO

Community Healthcaring

 

As part of our community, we support your health and wellness and work in unity with our partners to provide you with caring and integrated services. Founded by The Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre and Sanctuary Refugee Health Centre, our services are responsive to individual health goals, and together we create healthy communities. We offer evidence-informed, innovative healthcaring for anyone facing barriers to health services, including people who are newcomers, refugees, experiencing homelessness or precarious housing and who are challenged by other social influences of health in the Kitchener-Waterloo region.
 
Our founding organizations are the Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre, which opened in 2000 and the Sanctuary Refugee Health Centre which opened in 2013.  Both Health Centres provide care to the most vulnerable in our communities.

 

 

 

We currently serve 23,156
 
Total Provider Visits in 2022  44,171 
woman smiling with headphone sitting next to a friendpeople stacking their hands on top of one another in comradery

Events

Every month our Community Health Workers facilitate free programs that are open to anyone in the community! Check out our calendar. If you would like to attend a program or have any questions, please connect with our team at 519-745-4404 Ext. 234 or [email protected].

Upcoming:

November
07
Tasting Trolley
Join us to try a taste of something exciting! Tasting Trolley is an opportunity to enjoy a different...
November
07
Breakfast Club
This is a casual drop-in group for anyone in the community. Join us for coffee, breakfast, company a...
November
08
Winter Wellness
The winter months can be challenging and may lead to feelings of isolation. In this group, we will e...
EVENTS CALENDAR
November
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
View all upcoming events

Programs & Services

 

Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo is committed to providing programs and services that are responsive to your individual health goals.  Please see below for more information.

 

Primary Health Care 

 

Our Primary Health Care Team provides primary healthcare, illness and disease prevention and health promotion education services to vulnerable clients including immigrants, newcomers, and refugees of all ages who live in the Kitchener-Waterloo region. 


We believe in a client-centered, multi-disciplinary and positive approach to healthcaring.  We provide culturally sensitive and language accessible health care to disadvantaged refugees and newcomers to Canada. 

 

+Learn more about Primary Health Care

 

Refugee Health

 

Refugees have health needs that are unique when compared with the general Canadian population. There are more physical disabilities and chronic injuries in this population because of war and other exposure to violence.

Also, mental illness and distress are common in this population due to past traumas. Our health providers draw on specialized medical knowledge and use skills, like cross-cultural communication, to address individual needs and work together with our clients through their healing journey.

 

+Learn more about Refugee Health

 

Outreach Services 

 

Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo, with funding from the Home and Community Care Support Services Waterloo Wellington and in collaboration with St John’s Kitchen, Sanguen Health Centre and The Centre for Family Medicine has launched a full time primary care outreach team. The team includes a Nurse Practitioner, a Medical Doctor, a Nurse and a Community Health Worker who will provide Primary Care to people who may experience barriers to accessing health care, especially those who have experienced or who may be at risk for homelessness.

 

Our team will support you without judgement. We embrace Harm Reduction principles. We do not require a Health Card number, but can help you get one if you do not have one.

 

+Learn more about our Outreach Services

 

Health and Wellness

 

Community Health Workers work with clients to support their health and wellness goals, including mental health supports, social connection and isolation, physical activity, and subsidized programming. 

Our Community Health Workers utilize a strength’s-based and person-centered approach to support the health and wellbeing of people by using community-based activities and support.

 

+Learn more about Health and Wellness

 

Breastfeeding Buddies Program

 

Breastfeeding Buddies Program: is a volunteer peer-based support program that aims to promote breastfeeding/chestfeeding by helping all families meet their feeding goals through an informed decision-making model of care that aligns with the WHO commitment to child and maternal health.

We provide access to inclusive, credible information via our website, prenatal and parenting workshops (in person and virtual) and multi language peer volunteer team. We empower parents as experts in their children’s lives through empathic, nonjudgmental support.

 

+Learn more about our Breastfeeding Buddies Program

 

Ontario Seniors Dental Program

 

The Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP) provides free routine dental services to low-income seniors. Our goal is to provide an accessible, welcoming and professional environment to address the needs of our senior clients from emergency visits to comprehensive dental care to allow everyone to smile with dignity.

 

+Learn more about Ontario Seniors Dental Program

 

Infection Control Protocols

 

Ensuring your health is our primary concern.  If you are feeling unwell, please rest and reschedule your appointment.

Other ways we care for you:
 

  • Masks requested for one-to-one appointments
  • Infection Control Cleaning Standards
  • Universal Precautions (handwashing etc.)
  • Hepa filters in all locations

+View the full details of our Infection Control Protocals

 

Warming, Cooling and Clean Air Spaces 

 

Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo located at 44 Francis Street South, Kitchener is a warming/cooling and clean air space.  We provide space for the public to get temporary relief from heat or cold, or poor air quality during regular business hours.

 

Note that Warming , Cooling and Clean Air Centres are intended to provide temporary relief from heat, cold and poor air quality, and are not available for extended stays. For additional supports for individuals experiencing homelessness, please reference the pocket card on the Emergency Shelters and Transitional Housing webpage. The pocket card provides a list of locations and contact details for shelters, drop-in and street outreach services across the region. Find Shelter and Support: Pocket Card Reference

 

A list of all Warming, Cooling and Clean Air spaces by city and township is available on Warming/Cooling and Clean Air Spaces page on the Region of Waterloo's website. Note that any temporary changes in regular business hours due to holidays or weather will not be reflected in this list. For temporary changes in business hours, please access the direct website link for each Warming, Cooling and Clearn Air Space. You can view available Warming/Cooling and Clean Air Spaces here

 

 

What's New

Become a Volunteer

 

Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo is excited to announce the launch of our re-energized Volunteer Program this fall! Stay tuned for more details!