From the Director

40 years ago The Downtown Mission started with a humble, simple but compelling premise, precipitated on the mandate of The Gospel, to reach out to people in our city who were in need. The intent was to provide a modest, unpretentious hot beverage and light snack to the needy in the Windsor Downtown core. So many changes have occurred over the years. Unprecedented growth in demand has resulted in the evolution of our undertaking to a stage where, today, we offer a wide variety of programs to a population group that covers an age range of 18 to 80+ years. The complexity and spectrum of our work have blossomed and flourished, nurtured by the generosity of a wider community that has proudly reached out to the needy through The Downtown Mission. While this development is now a part of our life, the essential proposition that fashioned our birth, that we reach out to the needy, the poor and the lonely, has remained constant. Beyond the shadow of any doubt, our growth and our continuing work are enabled by so many people. We are empowered first and foremost by a community of supporters whose caring and desire to make a difference are reflected in a level of charity that makes Windsor one of the most benevolent cities in all of Canada. They have, over 40 years, placed their trust in us to represent them as we minister to the needs of the various population groups that visit The Downtown Mission. We are committed to be ethically worthy and conscientious stewards in the discharge of responsibility that this trust has placed on us. I am absolutely confident in reporting that our staff is a caring, compassionate group dedicated to working together and individually to maintain high standards of client care, outreach and relief with professionalism and empathy.
The work of our staff is strongly supported by the efforts of a core of dedicated volunteers who are the lifeblood of our organization contributing immeasurably to the delivery of our services. Our volunteers include a Board of 15 individuals who put all their skills, experiences and wisdom to use in guiding the journey of The Mission. As you navigate our website, I am confident you will get a clear sense of who we are, what we do and how our work is made possible. Should you find that you need supplementary information please do not hesitate to contact us directly, either by e-mail, by telephone or, if possible, by visiting us. We will be happy to assist you.

Chandra Dass
Executive Director