West Neighbourhood House (Formerly St. Christopher House)

Dear Friends, West Neighbourhood House has been heart at work building inclusive neighbourhoods! This time of the year, we ask for your financial support to sustain the community-building work of the House. West Neighbourhood House (West NH) formerly St. Christopher House, has been a multi-service neighbourhood centre serving all age groups in downtown west Toronto since 1912. Since its beginning, the organization has always been about fostering caring relationships and building bridges between people with differing views are the best long-term strategies for building a more equitable and inclusive society for everyone. By giving to the House, you can help change the conditions that drive social inequities. Join us in strengthening our community—by donating at westnh.org/donate Read the full Winter Appeal letter on the website: https://lnkd.in/gdeFFMGz

Frank has been a volunteer runner in our Meals on Wheels program since 2015. He says volunteering has allowed him to connect with members of the community. “Personally, volunteering checks a few boxes for me. I love helping people. It’s close to where I live too. It allows me to do what I love doing," he says. “I learn about how their day is going. And, how they feel about the service. Seeing how they look in the picture.” Learn more about Frank's experience as a volunteer on our website: https://lnkd.in/eVAbD6Jz West Neighbourhood House is looking for drivers and runners to join our team of volunteers. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at West Neighbourhood House and to apply, please visit: westnh.org/volunteer. You could also call our volunteer coordinator at 416-532-4828, ext. 171 or email volunteers@westnh.org for more information.

Rebekah Smylie, (she/her), Manager of Financial Empowerment at West Neighbourhood House, was honoured to give the closing speech at the recent Canadian Association for Financial Empowerment (CAFE-ACAF) event. She spoke on the importance of person-centred interventions in the financial empowerment space.

If you missed it the first time, read about Amanda's journey as a friendly visitor. Amanda began volunteering while she was still in university, in order to get more involved in the community. https://lnkd.in/gf_inuJt West Neighbourhood House is looking for volunteers to support the Visiting, Social and Safety program. Volunteers promote more engagement and social interaction, through one-on-one home visits and/or regular phone calls to vulnerable members of the community. For more information about the opportunity and to apply, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gaZZ4Q-u

Amanda began volunteering as a friendly visitor at West Neighbourhood House when she was in university, as a way to connect with her community. “It was pretty close to where I used to live and close to university. I thought that I would just give it a try. And, because I’m away from my family as well. Going to visit an elderly person sounded like a good idea to find a little piece of home,” she says. Six years have passed, and Amanda continues to see the same program participant. She says volunteering has enriched her life. “I feel relief just going to visit them, talking to them and listening to what they have to say. They also give me some advice on my life. They have experienced a lot more than I have.” “I don’t really think of it as a task. I think that’s the point of volunteering. Doing something that makes you feel good about what you’re doing. It makes you feel happier." Read more about Amanda's story here: https://lnkd.in/eqiKKjHU The Visiting, Social and Safety program provides seniors and people living with disabilities, who have limited social contacts, with regular visits from volunteers, helping to reduce feelings of isolation and promote healthier, more independent living. For more information and to apply to be a volunteer, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eSiFde-m

Ric Amis and Kelly Foote are the 2024 recipients of the Sir James Woods Award for Community Development. Through their work with the Parkdale Residents Association, Ric and Kelly keep community members updated on issues impacting their daily lives, while also advocating for more inclusive local arts, better public spaces and other community benefits. Read more about the recipients on our website: https://lnkd.in/gm9NFcqK The Sir James Woods Award for Community Development is presented annually by West Neighbourhood House to recognize individuals who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to their community. For more information, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gDydc3ts Photo: Kelly Foote and Ric Amis, with Board member Sean Meagher.

Thank you to Michael Scheianu for designing another excellent Annual Report. The wonderful graphics and layout really enhance the stories we tell.

It's a great team!

🎓 Congratulations to the First Graduating Class of the Next Leaders for Change Program! 🎓 Next Leaders for Change is a unique, cohort-based leadership development program co-designed and offered in partnership with United Way Greater Toronto and WoodGreen Community Services! A heartfelt thank you to the program team: Anne Pyke and Nina Tayoma from UWGT, and Ying-yue Zhao from WoodGreen, for their creativity and dedication. Special gratitude to Marlon Merraro for his authentic storytelling and inspiring graduation day message. Your words truly resonated with the group! Thanks to Tanya Gerber and Kidus Costa for capturing our celebration beautifully. I would also like to thank and acknowledge the graduates’ organizations who supported their participation. Congratulations to all the graduates!! ·      Alexandra Goth, WoodGreen Community Services ·      Alex Branston, LOFT Community Services ·      Amanda Freer, Blue Door ·      Chaudhry Ahmed, Street Health Community Nursing Foundation ·      Chevin Commock, The 519 ·      Dana Williams, Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC) ·      Farhannah Villanueva, North York Community House ·      Heena D., NPower Canada ·      Jackson Walker, StepStones for Youth ·      Jasbir Chandak, Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre ·      Joyce Chua, Amadeusz - The Look At My Life Project ·      Joyce Vlachos, Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre ·      Kelly White, Street Health ·      Maysam Fadel, WoodGreen Community Services ·      Melanie Hooker, Community Living Toronto ·      Melissa Furlano, YWCA Toronto ·      Navneet Kaur sandhu, Food Banks Mississauga ·      Orlando Martín López Gómez, FoodShare Toronto ·      Qaiser Khan, YWCA Toronto ·      Sadia Zafar, TNO - The Neighbourhood Organization ·      Sakina Hussain, DEEN Support Services ·      Selina A. Delimini, West Neighbourhood House (Formerly St. Christopher House) ·      Shukria Dualeh, TNO- The Neighbourhood Organization ·      Tammy Hutcheson, YWCA Toronto ·      Waheeda Ali, CAYR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS ·      Zia Wang, RPA, PLP, Street Haven Looking forward to the journey of Cohort 2 and the continued achievements of our alumni! #NextLeaders4Change

Our partners at Social Innovation Canada are launching The Possibility Space—an inspiring event series that celebrates and elevates fresh ideas driving social innovation projects, policies, and activities across Canada. Join the first session for unique insights from the Climate and Equity Lab, a collaboration between Gore Mutual Foundation, SI Canada, and York University's Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, focused on the impacts of climate change on vulnerable groups across Canada. 📆 Wednesday, July 24 🕐 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET, 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm pT 📍 Virtual Meet the Speakers: 🎙️Rowan Gentleman-Sylvester, Executive Director, CityHive Vancouver 🎙️Udanapher Nadine Green, Site Coordinator, A Better Tent City 🎙️Opal Sparks, West Neighbourhood House (Formerly St. Christopher House) 🎙️Gaby Polanco-Sorto, VP and Head, Purpose and Sustainability, Gore Mutual Insurance And even more inspiring speakers to be added! Register for free today: https://hubs.la/Q02FnFrC0