{"id":"u180","name":"Toronto Hardship Fund: help paying for eyeglasses, medical items, emergency dental work and medication","help":"direct","type":"program","typeLabel":"Program","what":"The City of Toronto may pay for medically based items and services such as eyeglasses, emergency dental work, medication, walkers, hearing aids, hospital beds or funeral costs.","forWhom":"Low-income Toronto residents. If you are not on Ontario Works, Emergency Assistance or ODSP, apply to the Hardship Fund; if you are, ask your caseworker for the same items.","cost":"Free","tags":["hardship fund","glasses","dental","hearing aids","low income"],"topics":["health","money","benefits","disability"],"place":{"label":"Toronto","country":"Canada","cc":"CA","region":"Ontario","city":"Toronto","scope":"city"},"website":"https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/support-for-people-in-financial-need/assistance-through-ontario-works/policies-and-procedures/hardship-fund/","sources":["https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/support-for-people-in-financial-need/assistance-through-ontario-works/policies-and-procedures/hardship-fund/","https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/health-support/","https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/health-support/medical-supplies-and-devices/"],"checked":"2026-10-08","added":"2026-10-06","verified":"checked","checkEvery":90,"deadline":null,"deadlineNote":null,"status":"listed","routes":[{"kind":"Application Support Centre phone (option 3)","url":null,"value":"416-338-8888","seen":"2026-10-06","source":"their own site"}],"primaryRoute":{"kind":"Application Support Centre phone (option 3)","url":null,"value":"416-338-8888","seen":"2026-10-06","source":"their own site"},"routeCount":1,"channels":[{"kind":"website","url":"https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/support-for-people-in-financial-need/assistance-through-ontario-works/policies-and-procedures/hardship-fund/","label":"Website","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-08","source":"their own site"}],"spaceCount":1,"spacesSeen":"2026-10-06","phone":"416-338-8888","contact":{"email":null,"url":"https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/support-for-people-in-financial-need/assistance-through-ontario-works/policies-and-procedures/hardship-fund/","route":"Application Support Centre phone (option 3)"},"qualify":["Live in Toronto","Low income","On Ontario Works or ODSP: ask your caseworker"],"needs":["Your financial information","A prescription or assessment, and a cost estimate"],"steps":["Not on Ontario Works or ODSP: call 416-338-8888 and choose option 3.","On Ontario Works or ODSP: talk to your caseworker.","Have a prescription or assessment and a cost estimate for the item.","Apply before you pay, or you may not be paid back."],"languages":["English"],"welcomes":[],"reachNum":null,"reachUnit":null,"reachKind":"none","reachSource":null,"reachSeen":null,"intents":{"reach":false,"grow":null,"job":false,"volunteer":false,"specialist":null,"opps":false,"housing":false,"money":true,"info":false,"marriage":false},"country":"CA","region":"CA-ON-TOR","currency":"CAD","lang":"en","reach":0.6,"reachGroups":["lowincome"],"reachBasis":"Low income, lives in Toronto and not on Ontario Works, Emergency Assistance or ODSP. Low income is a condition (two readers agreed): Needs low income in Toronto; a City of Toronto program, not a charity","reachSet":"2026-10-08","shelf":"health","audiences":["low-income","disability"],"payer":"government","reachKey":"low-income","hidden":false,"amountKind":"none","dates":{"deadline":"","opens":"","closes":"","nextPayment":""},"kind":"opportunity","offer":"free-goods","oldNames":["Toronto Hardship Fund (help paying for health items if you have low income)"],"mergedFrom":["u181","u183"],"serves":"all","provider":{"name":"City of Toronto","url":"https://www.toronto.ca/","source":"https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/health-support/","read":"2026-10-09"},"amount":null,"page":"/o/toronto-hardship-fund-help-paying-for-eyeglasses-medical-items/","stale":false,"staleDays":0,"checkedNote":"Facts read from the source pages on 2026-10-08; spaces read from their site on 2026-10-06; re-checked every 90 days.","spaces":[{"kind":"website","label":"Website","url":"https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/employment-social-support/support-for-people-in-financial-need/assistance-through-ontario-works/policies-and-procedures/hardship-fund/","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-08","note":null}],"missing":["organization email (not published on their pages)","follower or subscriber counts (platform pages do not expose them to readers; ask the organization or check the platform)","what they welcome from outside parties (their pages do not say)","audience number for the organization as a whole (not public)"]}