As ShelterCare’s nurse, Jenny Harris works to remove barriers to health care for program participants.
For Jenny Harris, ShelterCare’s nurse, it’s often the small encounters with program participants that inspire her the most.
“There’s something about these little moments,” said Jenny. “It’s when someone slowly knocks on the door and asks for help. Maybe their roommate said, ‘Go see her, she will try to help.
“Then you might get a little bit of their story. It’s one small part, but it’s a start.”
For ShelterCare participants, many of whom are living with complex and overlapping healthcare needs, it all comes down to finding someone they trust.
And that means a big part of Jenny’s job is about making it easier for participants to get health care – building trust every step of the way.
Jenny, working at House of Friendship through a partnership with Sanguen Health Centre, is at ShelterCare in a full-time role, which means she’s become a familiar face for residents.
Jenny regularly works side by side with House of Friendship staff. Together, they celebrate small wins, check in on residents’ well-being, and build the kind of trust that makes health conversations possible. She has also organized several health seminars with the team, creating spaces where learning, connection, and care come together.
Getting to know the participants makes it easier for Jenny to support them in moving towards their own healthcare goals at their own pace.
“I want to be at a place where folks feel comfortable turning to me and saying, ‘Hey, can you check this out for me?’ That’s the goal.”
Since April 2025, when Jenny started her role as the full-time nurse at ShelterCare, she has seen steady growth, with more residents connecting to care and returning for ongoing support. The ShelterCare nursing program works closely with Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo’s dedicated health team and nurse practitioner, alongside other community partners, to provide the kind of wrap-around care that brings health to shelter.
Some of the cases have been remarkably complex.
One participant, who had been managing diabetes for years, began feeling ready to take new steps to improve his health. With Jenny’s support, he reconnected with his endocrinologist, began managing his insulin, and now continues to work toward greater well-being.
“It’s rewarding to provide individualized support and advocacy that help residents feel ready to take the next steps in their health journey,” said Jenny.
She also supports participants when they want to explore ways to stay healthier and safer when using substances. This might include connecting them to one of the two onsite addiction counsellors. Often, a warm introduction is just the starting place.
Another part of her role is helping participants navigate the complex and sometimes intimidating health care system, whether it is to set up an appointment with a specialist or to help them get a wheelchair or a cane that is sized to meet their needs.
And Jenny is enjoying every minute of it.
“It is pretty amazing to have what doesn’t feel like a job, just my passion to come to work and provide something that I’ve always wanted to do.”
Thank you for your support of ShelterCare, where men can get the help they need to get healthier and recover from homelessness.
