IMPACT STORIES
De Mazenod Door Outreach
In the heart of Hamilton, live the poor and the marginalized. Many are struggling with addiction and illness. Often homeless and helpless, with so many doors closed to them. There is one Door that is open, that welcomes them and feeds them hope. That is the De Mazenod Door, a volunteer based Outreach program that provides food for the hungry and drink for the thirsty, 365 days a year.
In 2025, we served 166,989 meals to Hamiltonians who are experiencing food insecurity. That brings our total to more than 1,225,000 meals served since we opened our doors. Today, De Mazenod Door provides over 500 meals every single day — and more than 700 on our busiest days. None of this would be possible without the generosity of individuals, businesses, and community partners who believe in caring for the poor and marginalized in our city. Generosity keeps our Door open and ensures that no one who comes to us for a meal is ever turned away. Your support truly makes a difference in the lives of those who need it most.
2025 Highlights:
Blue Rodeo band member Mike Boguski visited our Friday BBQ and played a special set for our Guests enjoyment. This was an incredible opportunity and wholesome experience for all.
De Mazenod Door was selected as a charity for The Hamilton Santa Run! Runners, donors and supporters donned their Santa Suits and contributed to an amazing fundraising success of over 20K to go towards our meal program.
We launched Haircut Mondays! Guests at the Door can sign-up to get a free haircut every Monday, as made possible through the generosity of local barbers donating their time and talent to those who need it.
New community partnerships were established, such as COAST. On the first day of COAST being present, one of our guests “Kim” was helped. Through ongoing support, today Kim is now clean and sober — a true success of an incredible partnership!
De Mazenod Farm produced 1820 lbs of fresh vegetables to feed our Guests!
Our Hopes and Goals for 2026:
We are hoping for a successful fundraising event as we launch Hamilton’s First Annual “Hope For Hunger Gala” on September 17, 2026 at Liuna Station. This will entail a live band, sit down dinner, and silent auction. Our goal is to raise $500K to support our community meal program. We are currently seeking businesses and individuals who want to get involved and sponsor the event. Tickets will become available for purchase on March 2nd 2026. If you are interested in getting involved, please reach out to us at: gala@demazenod-door.ca
We strive to establish even more community partnerships for the benefit of our Guests at the Door. Our goal is to have community partners on site every day of the week, offering care such as: food care, wound care, addiction counselling and more.
Habitat for Humanity Hamilton
Habitat for Humanity Hamilton is deeply grateful for the continued partnership with the HGCC Foundation and the Dick Borthwick Annual Charitable Golf Tournament through 2026. This year, they will again be providing $20,000 in support to help local families achieve safe and affordable homeownership. We are thankful for the Foundation’s support in 2024 and 2025, which has helped advance multiple housing projects and strengthen stability for families in our community.
In 2026, we are excited to break ground on our largest and most sustainable project to date at Dawson Avenue in Stoney Creek; a 10-home development built to net-zero-ready standards, designed to significantly reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions while keeping utility costs affordable for future homeowners. This build will also serve as a real-world classroom through our Youth Build Program, giving local high school students hands-on construction experience and pathways into the skilled trades throughout the duration of the project.
Support from the HGCC Foundation plays a vital role in helping us deliver innovative, community-focused housing solutions and build a stronger future for families and youth across Hamilton. We are grateful for this partnership and look forward to a positive and impactful final year together in 2026.”
Jeff Wolfson
Director, Marketing and Development
Habitat for Humanity Hamilton