Cathedral Café to Keep its Doors Open

The City of Hamilton has asked that the Cathedral Café, a collaborative partnership between St. Matthew’s House and Christ’s Church Cathedral, to continue operating its services through next winter until March 31, 2025.

This is due to the positive impact of the hard work of staff and volunteers. Through their support over 14,000 meals have been served at the Cathedral Café, between December 2023 and March 2024, to some of the most vulnerable people in Hamilton.

The Cathedral Café, centered in Myler Hall at Cathedral Place, will continue provide a safe and supportive day time drop-in space for unhoused individuals and those at risk of homelessness with a capacity for 50 people, Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm. Guests will be able to access seating, relief from the weather, friendly welcoming faces, activities, programs and services, wash- rooms and food, with the main focus being to provide breakfast and lunch daily and a place to be regardless of the weather.

Cathedral Place, home to the worship and ministry space of Christ’s Church Cathedral as well as the offices of the Anglican Diocese of Niagara, is a centralized and accessible location on James Street North that provides the space for the drop-in site, volunteer engagement and a staff hub, and includes programming space, auxiliary kitchen space and washrooms.

St. Matthew’s House is a unique community support agency that provides childcare services and support services to older adults over 55. Many of the people and families that it serves face barriers which it helps them overcome through its programs and services. The agency, founded by Hamilton parishes in 1964 works in the heart of Hamilton’s most challenged neighbourhoods, with people facing, on average, the highest rates of poverty in the city. This is associated with the highest rates of ill-health, mental illness and limited education levels.

Together St. Matthew’s House and Christ’s Church Cathedral are serving the people of their community most heavily impacted in these areas through the Cathedral Café.