Written by: Claire Cotie
The Working Centre is a local non-profit organization that serves the Kitchener-Waterloo community. The group was established in 1982 to address rising poverty and unemployment rates, specifically in the downtown Kitchener area. The Working Centre is constantly adapting to new crises faced by members in the Kitchener-Waterloo region.
As one of their original and primary focuses, The Working Centre has several housing options to support those in need. They offer emergency shelters, affordable housing, supportive housing, and integrated supportive housing in several locations.
The Working Centre also offers meal preparation and distribution services through St. John’s Kitchen. The St. John’s Kitchen Clinic partners with Community Health Caring Kitchener to provide people with medical and dental services that may otherwise be unavailable to them.
Another one of their focuses is employment and financial assistance, available through a variety of drop-in programs and specialized teams dedicated to creating free support opportunities. Some of the services that are accessible include job searches and employment counselling, as well as accounting and financial programs such as Money Matters.
Additionally, The Working Centre operates many different cafes and stores that provide spaces for members of the community to gather and support the organization.
To keep members of the community connected and informed of recent projects and efforts in Kitchener-Waterloo, The Working Centre sends out a quarterly newsletter. This newsletter can be accessed through their website and is also available as a subscription.
For more information about the many supports offered by The Working Centre, as well as opportunities to volunteer and support the organization, visit their website at: https://www.theworkingcentre.org/
Works Cited
“Home - the Working Centre.” The Working Centre, 12 Mar. 2026, www.theworkingcentre.org/. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.