Photo courtesy of Low Income Housing Institute in Seattle (LIHI)

About Us

Who We Are

HATS is a grassroots, incorporated non profit that aims to ease the homelessness crisis in Hamilton, where the current shelter system is often at full capacity and unable to meet the individual needs of a number of homeless persons.

Our organization is currently funded solely by donations and grants.

We're governed by a corporate board and steering committee that includes professionals with years of non-profit experience, serving the unhoused and marginalized members of the Hamilton community.

We’ve trained more than 50 volunteers, secured donations and insurance, and coordinated support service delivery with existing agencies.

This includes two trained staff who will be seconded to the site by Wesley Urban Ministries.

Julia Kollek

President, HATS

Academic Editor: Community Activist, and Organizer: founder, Kehila Heschel School.

Tom Cooper

Treasurer, HATS

Director, Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction: former columnist, Hamilton Spectator.

Bev Bednis, BA and M.Ed

HATS Volunteer Co-ordinator

Retired elementary school teacher of 35 years: Chair of Flamborough food bank.

Dan Bednis

Chair HATS Governance Committee

Electronics technologist: 24 years in senior management at BELL: 15 years in Management Consulting: 11 years in Real Estate: Member of Carlisle Optimist Club for youth initiatives.

Stephanie Cox

Lawyer

Hamilton Community Legal Clinic

Tony D'Amato Stortz

Consultant to HATS

Site Superintendent at KW’s Better Tent City: founder of BetterStreet, working with communities to improve the lives of those experiencing homelessness.

Ed Fothergill

President, Fothergill Planning & Development Inc

former President, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce: elder at Chedoke Presbyterian Church.

Bill Johnston

Affordable Housing Team, First Unitarian Church of Hamilton

a former city hall reporter and an editor at the Hamilton Spectator.

Kim Martin

Executive Director

Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton.

Wade Poziomka

Human Rights and Employment Lawyer, Ross & McBride

Past Chair of the Ontario Bar Association’s Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Section and sits on the executive of the Canadian Bar Association’s Constitutional and Human Rights Section.

Art Samson

former school Principal, teacher and football coach

Catholic school board trustee, Town of Dundas Councillor, Hamilton City Councillor: supporter of Routes Youth Centre and the Dundas Junior Hockey Club.

Don Seymour

Executive Director

Wesley Urban Ministries

Ted Van Egdom

Chair HATS Fundraising Committee

Senior Vice President Operations, EcoSynthetix Inc: Member, Capital Campaign Board, Youth Unlimited GTA.

Sheryl Green

Hamilton Regional Indian Centre (HRIC).

Sheryl, Oneida from Six Nations, Bear Clan is the Program Manager for the Housing & Homelessness Supports and Services Department at the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre (HRIC). Sheryl works to create equitable opportunities for Indigenous Peoples of our community who are precariously housed, unsheltered, or at risk of homelessness.