HOMELESS CONNECT TORONTO 2025:
Hey, It’s Taylor, a lead optician at Kodak Lens Vision Centres. I just want to share with you all my experience during the weekend (October 26, 2025). I volunteered for another great event at Homeless Connect HCT12 where I and the optometric team from Vision Institute of Canada helped 116 people this year.
This year, guests came out to the Mattamy Athletic Centre to receive a variety of services including eye care, foot care, hair cutting, clothing, food, health, housing and employment support, legal and much more. Together, alongside 318 staff from 82 service providers and 364 day-of volunteers, we proudly served over 1169 guests with essential services! The effort of the Vision Institute of Canada has made our 1-day vision clinic possible to help those in need and less fortunate. The vision clinic provided services such as vision screening, pretesting, patient history evaluation, refraction for a new prescription, ocular health, and optical services.
Optical Station at Homeless Connect HCT12 (October 2025)
At our new space, I helped dispense 31 reading glasses to those who needed it the most. From the 116 patients seen, 73 required refractive care and 27 received vouchers for eyeglasses or to complete a comprehensive eye health exam outside of the event. Our optometric team was able to help 27 receive an ocular health check through dilation.
This is the 12th Homeless Connect and my seventh year participating. I hope to do more eye care volunteer work in the future. Kodak Lens Vision Centres has a commitment to social impact and helping our local community. Being part of the Kodak Lens Vision Centres has inspired me to pursue providing excellence in vision care and remarkable experiences to help people See The Colours of Life! Check out videos from media covering the event.
With 364 volunteers and 82 service providers, Homeless Connect Toronto HCT12 were able to connect over 1169 guests to the essential services and help they need.
Homeless Connect Toronto is a non-profit organization that coordinates a centralized “one-stop-shop” for those at-risk-of or experiencing homelessness in Toronto. We are a 100% volunteer-run charitable organization. Visit our website to find out more: https://www.hctoronto.org/
Follow us on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HConnectTO
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hconnectto
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HConnectTO
