Dixon Hall first opened its doors in the winter of 1929 as a soup kitchen during the Great Depression. The agency has changed a lot over the years. Today Dixon Hall does not give out soup, but its basic purpose remains the same. The goal of our programs and services is to help people make major changes and improvements in their lives and ultimately to make a better future for themselves. It stresses a 'hand up' rather than a 'hand out' approach.

The area that Dixon Hall predominantly serves is defined by Gerrard St., Lake Ontario, River Street and Sherbourne Street in Downtown East Toronto. Occasionally, this area is expanded on a program-by-program basis.

Most programs are targeted to residents of local public housing and transient homeless men & women. Regent Park - Canada's largest public housing complex - is a central focus for the agency and the needs of its 9,500 residents include: stable housing, meaningful employment, and activities that challenge and empower growth.

Dixon Hall is proud of its success in helping:

• high-risk youth find constructive activities as a positive alternative to the drug and gang culture;
• disadvantaged children grow and develop through the enriching experiences of our Homework Club, Summer Day Camp and Music School programs;
• people looking for work receive the training and skills they need to join the work force or begin their own businesses and achieve independence from government assistance;
• homeless women and men find temporary shelter and employment opportunities as they try to regain self-sufficiency;
• women who experience family violence find both emotional support and practical assistance;
• isolated seniors gain companionship and support, allowing them to stay in their own homes.