Gateway Linens: More Than Just a Laundry – A Path to Independence

At a former Salvation Army church on Broadview Avenue in Toronto, participants in The Salvation Army’s Gateway Linens and Disposal Services program work amid the whirr and rumble of industrial washing machines and dryers.

Gateway Linens started in 2007 when the former director of the Gateway Shelter in Toronto, Dion Oxford, overheard a conversation with a shelter resident who asked why The Salvation Army wasn’t laundering its own sheets and bedding. A simple suggestion turned on light bulbs and it became something much greater than anyone could imagine. It created an entire new program that provides jobs, a steady income for those in need and, most importantly, a means to an end for program participants.

There, sheets, towels, blankets, and tablecloths from various community shelters in Toronto are laundered and folded. For shelter residents, something as seemingly insignificant as clean sheets is just that little bit of normalcy on a path to self-sufficiency.

One of those participants is Jean Lemay, currently in his third stint at Gateway Linens. Following a move to Toronto, his acceptance into the program allowed him to meet new people as he didn’t know anyone in the city. From his experience in the shelter system, Lemay understands the need for stability and that history has inspired him to give back to others in the same situation.

“It’s way more than doing dirty laundry. It has had a positive impact on me, and I know it has a positive impact on others. I’ve slept on those sheets so when I am washing them and folding them, I know where they are going,” Lemay said.

“Every sheet I fold goes to someone who really needs it. This may not mean much to most people, but for the homeless or people who are in desperate need, it can be a life-changing experience.”

Gateway Linens is managed by Stewart King and he says there are currently 15 program participants working Monday to Saturday washing items from 30 clients that include other downtown shelters, respite care centres and community health centres.

“We are a social enterprise, but we are also a Salvation Army program that provides employment experience and retraining. Individuals that come into the program are trying to stabilize their life situation,” King explained.

Program participants are compensated with a stipend, but more importantly they are given the time and support needed to increase their chances of success once they’ve moved on to other employment opportunities and are living independently in their own home or apartment.

“There is a synergy that exists; we’re not an anonymous corporate entity that is doing it just for profit. We are very much intertwined with the shelter system. Most of the workforce comes from the shelter system,” King said.

Gateway is more than just a job; it brings with it responsibility, accountability, and the flexibility to work toward achieving even greater goals. Many program participants are given time off to attend support meetings, check in with counsellors or social service caseworkers, or to work toward meeting educational goals.

Many former Gateway participants have landed jobs with other employers and others have finished undergraduate degrees, enrolled in law school, become social service caseworkers, insurance brokers and forklift operators.

“Some of our participants have reached their personal goals and we are very fortunate to have helped them along their journey,” King said. “Seeing individuals succeed through our program brings a tremendous feeling of accomplishment for all frontline staff here who are committed to helping our communities’ most vulnerable.”

In addition to the main site on Broadview, Gateway Linens also currently operates a satellite laundry inside a Scarborough hotel that has been repurposed into a Salvation Army-run shelter due to pandemic protocols. It is a unique opportunity extended by the hotel’s ownership group and the City of Toronto, reflecting the commitment to excellence of Gateway Linens’ operations. This site launders standard room linens and towels as well as the personal clothing of the shelter residents, and most of the laundry workforce is comprised of program participants who reside in the hotel shelter program.

King says Gateway Linens is always seeking volunteers and the program would benefit from individuals who could help provide participants with additional life skills in areas such as cooking easy to prepare meals using simple ingredients that can be cooked on a hot plate or in a microwave. The Broadview location has a small commercial kitchen that would be perfect for cooking demonstrations and instruction on how to effectively budget for groceries. Access to a tutor to help with math or English concepts would also help make it easier for participants to finish their education.

“Being in the shelter system, there is something valuable for residents to have their own clothing laundered and it needs to be respected,” King said. “A shelter resident knows what the experience is like and they know the importance of having a sense of dignity. We’re not just laundering linens; we’re providing a service to walk along with these individuals.”

Gateway Linens is about more than simply doing laundry; it is an opportunity for people to find a sense of hope and a way back, one bedsheet at a time.