The Working Centre

The Working Centre was established in the spring of 1982 as a response to unemployment and poverty in downtown Kitchener. The Centre grew roots in the Kitchener downtown through the dedication of Joe and Stephanie Mancini, a young married couple who had just graduated from St. Jerome’s College at the University of Waterloo. They saw the potential for building a community of interest around responding to unemployment and poverty, developing social analysis and engaging in creative action. Today, The Working Centre offers an array of programming and services to a broad range of citizens including St. John's Kitchen, Recycle Cycles, Queen Street Commons Cafe, Worth a Second Look, Hacienda Gardens, as well as a plethora of community projects, access tools, job training opportunities, resources, affordable housing units, and job resources.