You do not need to solve everything today
Help and support: choose the next step that matters most
Find practical help for life in Durham—from food and housing to school, wellbeing and belonging. Start with the situation you are in, then follow a guide to the right local contact.
Reviewed 7 September 2026 · Durham Region, Ontario
I need essentials or safety now
If food is running out or you have nowhere safe to stay, begin with food and emergency assistance. That guide separates help for today from housing and settlement follow-up. If violence or coercive control is involved, go to women and family support for specialist safety contacts.
For urgent emotional distress, use mental-health support to distinguish crisis contacts from planned appointments. Do not wait for a routine email reply when the need is immediate. The right first step may be an external emergency or specialist service, not a directory listing.
I am new and do not know where to begin
Start with settlement services to turn several concerns into a short plan. Community Development Council Durham is a directory entry point for local settlement help. The Ajax Welcome Centre and Oshawa/Clarington Welcome Centre listings give additional contact routes; choose a place or appointment format you can realistically use.
If the main barrier is communication, use language classes to compare learning goals, assessment and schedules. If you are being passed between offices, 211 and government services explains how to identify who is responsible for the issue.
I need support that fits my family or stage of life
The youth guide focuses on school, friendships, work goals and emotional support. The seniors guide focuses on independence, social connections, care and navigating benefits. The disability guide starts with accessible appointments and separates service access from income-support applications.
Choose the guide that best describes the barrier, not just your age or family role. Several may apply. If you are arranging help for someone else, ask what they want from the conversation and how they would like you involved.
I have a legal notice or refugee-related concern
Use legal clinics to distinguish housing and benefits advice from immigration representation. The refugee-support guide helps coordinate legal deadlines, daily needs and health access. For professional immigration representation, browse the separate lawyer directory and confirm scope, fees and availability with the professional.
A settlement organization does not decide an immigration application. A private lawyer is not automatically a free clinic. Each guide makes those boundaries visible so you can make a more useful first contact.
Turn a useful page into an actual connection
Open the linked directory listing to read the provider’s role, website and public contact details. Say what you need, where you live and any practical barriers. Ask whether the organization can help directly or will refer you elsewhere. Confirm the next action and expected response time.
Our directory currently includes general settlement, housing-navigation, health and immigration-lawyer entries; it does not yet cover every specialist service. The guides link to official specialist resources where needed. Listings are contact starting points, not endorsements or guarantees of eligibility. If you find an error, tell us which listing needs correcting.
Put this guide into action
Relevant contacts in our directory
Housing Help Durham — CDCD
Contact housing navigation for help finding or keeping accommodation.
housinghelp@cdcd.orgDurham Community Health Centre
Enquire about health-service intake and the appropriate care route.
info@durhamchc.caPublic business emails are for routine enquiries, not emergency assistance. Confirm intake, eligibility and fees with the provider.
Sources and further help
This independent guide helps you find services; it does not replace professional advice or an individual eligibility assessment. Report a correction.