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Chris*, an aboriginal man, was living on the street for 14 years before coming to the Men’s Hostel. Following a difficult family break-up during which he lost relationships with both his wife and his children. Contacted on numerous occasions by the Centre’s street outreach team, Chris initially refused to attend the hostel, finally agreeing to spend one night during a dangerous cold alert. After the first night Chris liked what he saw and decided to access the opportunities provided by the hostel. With the help of a housing worker he was able to replace lost identification and discovered he was entitled to both pension funds and income tax returns that hadn’t been claimed for years. While he was able to find affordable housing and eventually leave the hostel, Chris was dealt a difficult new card this past year; he has cancer. He continues to do volunteer maintenance work with the hostel and has the support of hostel staff to assist him in dealing with this new reality. Chris is also connected with support groups specific to his community. 10% percent of men who stayed at the hostel in 2005/6 were refugees or newcomers to Canada who were contending with language barriers or lacking the resources necessary to secure proper documentation. Hostel workers assisted these individuals in completing applications and follow-up communication, as well as helping them to build a social network from whom to gain strength and draw support.