|
|
| About Us We Offer the Basics… and a Whole Lot More We’re open from 8:00am to 5:00pm 365 days a year to provide essentials that men of limited means might need, such as nourishing hot meals for a dollar, newly renovated hot showers, washers and dryers for fifty cents, free clothing, winter coats, and shoes, free mail service, free phones, meals on wheels, computers with free internet, private library service, haircutting, peace and quiet, and companionship. If there’s one thing that underlies everything we do at The Good Neighbours’ Club, it’s that we care. That’s why we’ve been working hard to expand the range of services that most of our members find it difficult to access, providing space for resident and visiting professionals, including social and housing workers, nurses, psychologists, foot specialists, dental hygienists, hearing specialists, diabetes specialists, immunization clinics, and too many others to list. Click to see a copy of our 2011 Annual Report, or the 2010 Annual Report. | |
| Our Story Says a Lot About Us. The Good Neighbours’ Club was started in tough times—some of the toughest this country has ever seen, during the Great Depression. It was created for men, many of them veterans of the WWI, who were experiencing their own tough times, and needed a place to be and to belong. Since 1933, “the Club” has been a home-away-from-home for those in shelters and rooming houses, bunking on a friend’s couch, or even a park bench. 
And Yes, We’re Really a Club. Perhaps the biggest difference you’ll find between the Good Neighbours’ Club and other places is that we really are a Club. Our members adhere to a gentlemanly code of conduct; they participate in meetings with staff and key volunteers; they work right alongside management and staff in preparing meals, keeping the building clean, in distributing clothing, and all of our basic services. That’s because “good neighbours” isn’t just a philosophy or a slogan, it’s who all of us really want to be. The Club just tries to make room for that to happen. 
| | 
Only Men. Only Members.Only Over Fifty. And It’s Free. Our culture can be pretty focussed on youth, and older gentlemen can wonder if there’s any place left for them. There is: the Good Neighbours’ Club. What we might lack in luxury we more than make up for in understanding that everyone needs a place where they can feel safe, respected, and understood. That’s why our Club is only for fellows over fifty years of age. Our programs, our policies, even our Club rules are all designed for those who might not be able to afford to belong to a more expensive club. Here it’s the size of your heart that counts, not the size of your wallet: membership is free. 
And We're a Happenin' Place. It isn’t hard to find someone who wants to shoot a game of pool, play a little cards, or engage in the manly art of crokinole. We also organize Bingo and other kinds of easygoing fun. For the more seriously recreational, we have weekly art classes, jam sessions, and computer tutorials. And yes, if there’s a game on, we have really great televisions, and no shortage of fans. We get out now and then, too. Our members come from a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds, and have a wide variety of interests. From time to time we organize outings for any and all who want to come. Recently we’ve planned trips to the Jays’ home opener, the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and even Niagara Falls. | |
|