2025-2030 Strategic Plan
“I’ve en with LOFT for 3 ears , and my seworker is a greath pto me. ”
JOSEPH, ST. ANNE’S PLACE
Letter from Board Chair
LOFT Community Services has been opening doors to hope for over 70 years, thanks to the support and dedication of our staff, partners, volunteers, and donors.
What makes LOFT unique is we recognize that achieving true well-being requires more than just healthcare—it demands a holistic and inclusive approach that considers housing, food security, and social inclusion. Integrated solutions help us deliver meaningful outcomes for our clients.
A great example of this is the new Bradford House for at-risk seniors opening in 2026. It will provide safe, affordable housing and personalized 24/7 care for clients with complex needs who are homeless, unnecessarily hospitalized, or ineligible for longterm care. By providing them with a permanent home and health supports, their lives are being changed. But our work is far from over.
This 2025-2030 Strategic Plan is LOFT’s roadmap for continued growth and impact. It reflects our commitment to doing everything it takes to help clients achieve health, hope, and dignity.
LOFT will always keep our clients’ needs at the forefront of everything we do. We plan to advance health equity, strengthen youth services, and expand our advocacy efforts. We will also continue to build partnerships and empower our staff while advancing our technological capabilities to better serve our communities.
The creation of this plan was truly a collaborative effort, guided by our core values of Compassion, Determination, Community, and Dignity. Thank you to all the staff, clients, service partners, Board members, and donors who provided their valuable input.
Together, we can create a future where everyone can thrive.
MARY JO SMITH, BOARD CHAIR
Organization Overview
Since 1953, LOFT has offered dignity and hope. We are one of the largest community service providers in Ontario supporting people with complex physical and mental health concerns with addictions, behavioural challenges, and dementia. We know that social determinants of health, such as housing and food insecurity, increase people’s need for help. Collaborating with the people we serve, hospitals and other community-based organizations, we build customized supports that specifically address each individual’s unique needs and offer help for as long as needed.
Engagement Process
We built this plan with the support and valuable input of the people we serve, our staff, partners, Board members, and fellow organizations. While our vision remains the same, you’ll see our values and mission have become more focused and determined – with the promise to do everything it takes to help our clients.
April
Conducted a review of our performance under the previous strategic plan.
May Prioritized areas to strengthen LOFT’s long-term sustainability using staff input collected through a variety of channels over the last 2 years.
June
A subject matter expert and a client provided insights to the Board on the current state of youth services.
Hosted a Discovery Dinner featuring inspired discussions with valued service partners from Toronto.
July Held in-person client engagement sessions across the geography LOFT serves.
October
Hosted a workshop to identify data and technology needs of LOFT.
August
The CEO held one-on-one Learning Picnics with service partners in York and Simcoe.
September
Facilitated interactive discussions with the Directors, Managers, and Coordinators.
Held open sessions for all staff to provide input.
Drafted the Strategic Plan though dedicated Senior leadership working sessions.
November
Consulted experts representing marginalized communities such as Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities.
Held a Board retreat focused on foresight and future-proofing the plan.
Mission, Vision, and Values
LOFT does everything it takes to help people facing complex mental health, physical, addiction, and behavioural challenges achieve health, hope, and dignity rooted in the strength and connection of community.
Compassion, Determination, Community, and Dignity.
Together, we can all live successfully in our community.
BEVERLEY, ST. ANNE’S PLACE
PATRA, MCEWAN
Strategic Plan Pillars and Objectives
1. Care Passionately
We put clients first, meeting their needs with a holistic, inclusive, and evidence-based approach.
1.1 Amplify client and care partner voices.
1.2 Improve accessibility of our housing and offices.
1.3 Prevent hospitalizations and transition more individuals with complex needs from hospital to a community setting.
1.4 Introduce more long-term services for transitional age youth that include housing and peer support.
1.5 Grow life enrichment services so they happen in all complex care and supportive housing programs.
1.6 Assess how LOFT can contribute to the home care system for the population we serve.
1.7 Leverage existing services to develop targeted outreach for seniors and transitional age youth with complex health needs experiencing homelessness.
Strategic Plan Pillars and Objectives
2. Be Our Best
We cultivate a dynamic, equitable organization that empowers staff to deliver meaningful outcomes.
2.1 Support staff by helping careers grow, showing appreciation, and fostering well-being.
2.2 Use data and technology appropriately to elevate client care, improve staff experience, and enhance effectiveness.
2.3 Advance equitable access to care, foster an anti-racist organization, and uphold our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
2.4 Increase and diversify development revenue.
2.5 Develop a long-term financial strategy to support our mission.
2.6 Prepare LOFT for the impact of climate change.
“LOFT has helped me learn skills to deal with coping when I’m having anxiety or depression.”
REGINA, TRANSITIONAL AGE YOUTH PROGRAM
Strategic Plan Pillars and Objectives
3. Lead The Way
We speak out for urgent action on social, environmental and systemic health challenges, while providing integrated solutions for lasting impact.
3.1 Protect and improve existing housing, while securing more high-quality housing units.
3.2 Build partnerships that improve care delivery and advance system integration.
3.3 Champion social, environmental, and systemic drivers of health as essential components of healthcare.
3.4 Define where LOFT will provide services geographically.
“I like playing pool here, and I get help with my medications.”
ERNIE, BRADFORD HOUSE
Client & Staff Stories
DAMEN
When you take a picture with Damen, chances are he’s giving a thumbs up. It’s become his signature move and shows how he’s feeling about life these days thanks to the support from M-DOT. Alone and living on the streets for 10 years, Damen lives with a developmental disability due to FAS, a mental health diagnosis, and struggled with substance use. Now at 27, with assessments and paperwork sorted out, plus a stable place to live at an Indigenous-focused shelter in Toronto, Damen is so much happier. He even has a new favourite place to spend his days – enjoying the quiet and books at the library!
“Lex is always there for me. She helped me get shelter. She wrote letters for me. She believed in me. She never gave up on me!”
JAIMEE
When working with transitional age youth, creating a space where their ideas are used as a tool for their own growth is key—that is Jaimee’s best advice after working for six years at LOFT. The TAY team has responded to youth needs in a variety of ways, including creating a space for Magic the Gathering games, building connections on pizza nights, and adapting programming to be sensitive to diverse cultural experiences. Their support gives vulnerable youth a safe place to work towards independence.
LAURA
Laura left an extensive hospital stay and was able to move into an apartment thanks to the Assisted Living Hub and Spoke Orillia program. Her PSWs have supported Laura in maintaining her apartment, managing her medications, and even finding affordable vet care for her new cat, Jacob. She also went from having incredible anxiety when eating due to fears of choking and now takes part in meal planning and preparation.
“My PSW is teaching me cooking and health skills. I was 83 lb when I left the hospital, and I am up to 110 lb now.”
“I’m so proud of the Culture & Calm program we created here. It’s just one part of our community building, so youth can learn skills and strategies as they transition out of care and into adulthood.”
“ W hether it’s with homework orjust ding someo n e
to talk Iknow I can count onthes here. ”
JMOON, PANKHURST HOUSE
At LOFT Community Services, we offer innovative solutions to help thousands of people with complex challenges emerge from the darkness and access the support they need and deserve. We never back down from a challenge. We’re on the front line of care and have seen firsthand that homelessness can be caused by trauma, job loss, addiction, and complex health and mental health challenges. And while individuals often struggle to find housing, LOFT does everything we can to find them a place to live.
Yet we can only continue our lifesaving and lifechanging work with your help! Whether you are one of our vital health or community partners, a new donor, or someone who gives regularly, your support means the world to us and the people we serve.
This strategic plan is our roadmap for the next five years. We invite you along for the journey, and we need your help making these goals a reality.
Downtown office location
LOFT Community Services 15 Toronto Street, 9th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5C 2E3
Contact information
Telephone: 416-979-1994
Email: info@loftcs.org
Charitable Business Number 13058 6605 RR0001
loftcs.org
Land acknowledgement
LOFT Community Services is grateful to be able to offer services in this territory. This has, and continues to be, a home for many Indigenous persons for thousands of years. LOFT acknowledges the Tobacco, Petun, and Huron-Wendat Nations. We acknowledge the other confederacies and communities of Nations including the Anishinabek, Haudenosaunee, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. We also recognize the First Nations and their ancestors in the area including: the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Chippewas of Georgina Island, the Chippewas of Rama, Six Nations of the Grand River, and the Mississaugas of Scugog Island. Thank you. And thank you for this moment of reflection.
Please take some time to be present, have a moment of reflection, and think about how you are acting toward Truth and Reconciliation.