Dear Friends of the House,
The House has been bustling with activities over the last several weeks as we close the calendar year with various events to celebrate the holiday season. These events not only bring joy and happiness to those involved but also serve to establish connections within our community.
As part of the festivities, the Older Adult Centre (OAC) at West Neighbourhood House hosted several events, including a Holiday Ball. Participants also enjoyed performances from the Smile Theatre Co. Additionally, the OAC has introduced new art activities to its programming.
Our organization recently released our Winter Appeal. This year, West NH focused on the theme of togetherness and collective action. Although it has taken different forms over the years, the House has always been about community-building, fostering caring relationships, and building bridges.
As always, we want to highlight some of the incredible people who make it possible for us to enable personal and societal change.
We spoke with Emily Paradis, a long-time donor, former Board member, and Board President, as well as Dale, a dedicated literacy volunteer who devotes time to teaching English-language skills in our Adult Literacy program.
The House also wanted to highlight Fix the 6ix, a volunteer-led organization trusteed by West Neighbourhood House. Learn more about what they are doing to destigmatize and humanize homelessness in Toronto.
Read more about what has been happening at the House.
Celebrating the Holidays with Community Events
The holiday season is a wonderful time to bring people together and build connections within our community. At the Older Adult Centre at West Neighbourhood House, we recently hosted a delightful Holiday Ball at our 248 Ossington location. The event featured an afternoon of dining, music, and dancing. A special thanks to the members council for their meticulous planning and preparation.
This celebration provided a fantastic opportunity for participants to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new people from the community. We were also fortunate to have volunteers from BMO, who joined us through the United Way Days of Caring event. These volunteers helped set up the event, served meals, and engaged with attendees, adding a special touch to the festivities.
As part of the celebration, attendees enjoyed a heartwarming musical performance by the Smile Theatre Co., who sang some holiday favourites. Additionally, program participants from our Older Adult Centre and West Active Living and Learning Centre (WALLC) showcased their talents by performing “Silent Night” on their ukuleles.
The Smile Theatre Co., a charity dedicated to delivering unique, professional live musical theatre performances to seniors and other vulnerable individuals, has been a wonderful partner for West NH. Their performances bring joy and entertainment to our participants, and we are grateful for their collaboration.
In addition to the Holiday Ball, the program organized a trip to the Holiday Market at the Distillery District for participants and hosted various holiday celebrations at our different locations.
Connect with Community and Activity from the Warmth of Home
We’re excited to announce new program opportunities for the New Year! It’s a great way to stay warm, active, and connected. Starting in January, we will introduce an expanded Virtual Calendar with exercise and activities available daily, Monday through Friday, at 11 am and 2 pm. To get the Zoom link and more information, please contact intake@westnh.org or call Seniors Intake at 416-532-4828.
In addition to these virtual activities, we’re expanding our in-person art programs, bringing creativity and inspiration to our community spaces. Stay tuned for more details, and we can’t wait to see you there!
A Heartfelt Thank You for a Successful Fall Bazaar!
The House is very pleased to announce that the Fall Bazaar, held at our 248 Ossington location, raised over $2,000 for the seniors West Active Living and Learning Centre (WALLC) activities! This incredible achievement was made possible by the hard work and enthusiasm of our dedicated volunteers and staff, as well as the generous support from everyone who attended and purchased items.
Your participation and contributions have made this event truly memorable. Thank you for being a part of our community and helping us make a difference!
Life Chronicles: Bridging Generations
Funded through the New Horizons Seniors Programs, “Life Chronicles” is a community-driven initiative aimed at engaging seniors in storytelling through various media. The project seeks to bridge the gap between seniors and the broader community by amplifying their voices and sharing their stories, while also providing opportunities for them to learn new technologies in a supportive environment.
The project comprises four modules, focusing on different mediums such as painting, mixed media, theatre, writing, and storytelling. Participants create and share their stories with the support of dedicated volunteers and art instructors. This initiative not only preserves the rich history and experiences of our local senior residents but also fosters connections and creates a welcoming environment for neighbours, extended family, and friends.
On October 1st, coinciding with National Seniors Day, the House hosted an artwork showcase titled ‘Life Chronicles’ at 248 Ossington, a second event took place on November 25th at 20 West Lodge Ave. The events featured art created by participants in various art programs at the Older Adult Centre. Over 100 participants, families, and community members gathered, shared stories, art, and enjoyed refreshments and mocktails to honor the contributions of older adults to the community and younger generations.
Upcoming showcases will take place on February 25th at 248 Ossington Ave. and March 14th at 20 West Lodge Ave.
The act of creating art offers numerous benefits throughout a person’s life stages. It has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function, stimulate focus, and enhance self-confidence.
The Older Adult Centre at the House offers a variety of classes designed to stimulate older adults’ creativity by creating art together with community members.
We also want to acknowledge and thank our partners and art instructors Making Art Making Change, Julie Jacobson and Smile Theatre Co.
For more information on upcoming showcases please call Seniors Intake at 416-532-4828 ext. 146.
Emily’s Journey with West Neighbourhood House
Emily has been a dedicated member of the West Neighbourhood House community for over a decade, serving on the Board of Directors, including a term as Board President.
Emily first learned about St. Christopher House, as it was known back then, when she moved from Montreal into the neighbourhood in 1997. “I lived in the Bloor and Dovercourt neighbourhood and then moved a few blocks closer to Ossington. So, I have lived in the catchment area, for as long as I have lived in Toronto,” she says.
Her first connection with the House was through her professional work as a research assistant at the University of Toronto. She was part of a research project that explored the changing demographics of the neighbourhood, particularly the income profile of residents. This project, conducted in the early 2000s, provided valuable insights into the gentrification process.
“We looked at the ways in which our catchment area was changing, especially the income profile of residents. What was interesting was this was the early 2000s, when researchers, urban planners, and geographers were talking about gentrification. It wasn’t a widely used term at the time, like it is now,” she says.
Emily worked closely with the House staff, who were acutely aware of the neighbourhood’s evolving landscape, including rising rents and house prices. The project made a significant contribution to Toronto’s understanding of urban changes, producing detailed maps and the concept of “three cities within Toronto”.
“What was interesting about it was that the House had noticed the change in the neighbourhood including how rents and house prices were increasing, and people were moving in and other people were being displaced. The face of the neighbourhood was changing, and the priority populations of the House were facing some pressures.”
“The project ended up making a huge contribution to Toronto’s understanding, not just how the West End was changing, but really the entire city. It produced these amazing maps and this whole idea of the three cities within Toronto.”
It was also informative for the House to learn about the needs of the catchment area and consider how to reallocate resources and funding programs for specific groups.
Emily’s involvement with the House deepened in 2013 when she joined the Board of Directors. Emily’s experience on the Board was a learning journey, helping her understand the governance of non-profits and the various programs offered by the House, especially those serving seniors.
“Staff had known me from the previous experience and recruited me. It was my first experience serving on a nonprofit Board. It was a big learning process for me to kind of get to understand that role, including how non-profits are governed.”
“I got to know the House much better in terms of all the various programs, especially those serving seniors. That isn’t an area where I touched on in my own work, either front line or research. It’s not something I really knew or understood until I started hearing about all of the different services and supports that the House provides for seniors.”
During her tenure as Board President, Emily supported the transition from in-person services to remote operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was impressed by the staff’s ability to adapt to changing conditions and needs of the community. The House’s innovative approach included moving programs online and assisting seniors with technology to stay connected.
“One of the incredible things that they were able to do during the pandemic was to move the programs online which was incredibly innovative. The personal support workers were still going to see seniors in their homes and helping them with technology in order to connect them online.”
“Just through my experience as a Board member, one of the things that has impressed me the most is the way that the House is able to balance tradition and innovation. It’s this organization that has been around for over 100 years, and it’s founded in some old-fashioned values of service and charity and things that were well intentioned at the time. Yet, it’s been able to keep up and stay responsive to new ideas, new ways of doing things and new roles for community-based organizations.”
“The House’s mission has evolved with the times and now is focused on fostering people’s independence and control of their lives and their community and addressing the social determinants of issues like poverty and inequity, within communities.”
Recently, someone close to Emily has also begun to receive services from the House. It’s given her yet another way to look at the work of the House. She has seen firsthand how the House helps seniors remain in their homes and the significant difference it makes in their lives.
“I’ve kind of come full circle because it’s just in the past couple of years that my mother-in-law had begun receiving personal support worker (PSW) services through the House. And so, the one kind of connection with the House I had never had before now was someone who was participating in the services of the House.”
“That’s been another wonderful thing to see it from the other side, the side of service participants. To see just how incredibly important the work is that the House does. I see how they are helping my mother-in-law to remain in her home. And, I just think about the huge impact that has for all the seniors involved in the programs. “
Emily has also donated generously to the House over the years.
“I usually say is that the House is the campfire of the neighbourhood. That was Prasad’s (current Board President) image that he shared at a strategic planning session. That has always stuck with me. I always say to people, to add some fuel and some firewood to the fire. Please do. And, if you are looking for some warmth and a safe space, you know, the way a campfire is. The House is the place to go.”
“It’s the centre of our community that we, at times, if we are fortunate, we’ve got the opportunity to help contribute to and at times, we’re going to need some support and help from it as well.”
“The House has been a huge part of my own professional journey and my life as a community member in this neighbourhood for so long. I don’t know what I could say what the House has taught me and what I’ve brought to the House. It’s been part of everything I’ve worked on.”
Thank you, Emily, for your unwavering support and contributions to the House.
Help change the conditions that drive social inequities in our community by donating to our Winter Appeal!
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.
Read the full Winter Appeal letter on our website: westnh.org/winterappeal/
Join us in strengthening our community—by donating at westnh.org/donate.
Fix the 6ix is closing resource gaps in the shelter system
Fix the 6ix (FT6) was founded by Deanna Lentini in 2016 when she was a student at York University, through a funding grant named Agents of Change, provided through the Faculty of Health at the University.
“I pitched the idea that we would collect gift cards donations and then use them to purchase food for individuals who were experiencing homelessness. That was the initial idea, and it was approved,” Deanna says.
Deanna and some volunteers placed collection boxes around the university, asking people to donate their gift cards.
“We used the $500 seed funding to buy donation boxes, and in four weeks we collected $2,400 worth of gift cards. We saw that it was really effective, and we started asking ourselves, why don’t we do this on a bigger scale?”
They started collecting different gift cards to purchase various items that are useful for people living on the street, including hygiene products, clothing and other supplies.
“We said, why don’t we use all these gift cards to bridge critical resource gaps in homeless shelters? It became a bigger program, with a lot more volunteers. Then, we started to outgrow the capacity that we could do ourselves.”
They approached several organizations looking to discuss a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and West Neighbourhood House answered the call.
“We had been running the project ourselves for about six months, and we approached West NH about a trusteeship. We weren’t in a place where we wanted to set up our own charity since we were all students, so it made sense to exist under a charitable umbrella.”
“It was a huge help. It gave us a place to meet. We didn’t have to meet at libraries. It gave us resources, people to answer our questions and help us in managing donations.”
Eight years have gone by and FT6 is helping to close the resource gaps by providing crucial items to homeless shelters around the city and drop-ins, including The Meeting Place at West NH. To date, they have repurposed over $10,000 in donated gift cards.
Deanna says that the program has evolved in many ways since it began, expanding beyond its original goal of re-purposing gift cards.
“We also had a program that a friend of mine started, which was called Hundred for the Homies. We would collect pizza tickets after the Raptors games and donate them the next morning to homeless shelters,” Deanna says.
Braman Thillainathan started volunteering with the organization about two years ago.
“We are now doing a lot more in-person, tangible events. We have gift card donation boxes in businesses across Toronto, and we put together different care packages and kits that we donate to shelters and warming centres,” Braman says.
“We also have some incredible volunteers, including people that have worked in the public relations industry. They help leverage community connections such as large-scale brands that donate items like deodorant, face creams, soaps, and more.”
FT6 has also built a partnership with an accounting firm, which has helped them raise awareness and gather more resources. Employees took a day to learn about the issue of homelessness in the city. The company also donated towards the care packages, which employees helped pack themselves.
“I just want to stress that our volunteers are the backbone behind this and they have so many good ideas,” Braman says.
Deanna has noticed a change in the demographics of volunteers since she began eight years ago. “When we started, we were all in our early 20s. Now, most people who come to us are working professionals. That’s been a big change.”
FT6 also works to destigmatize and humanize homelessness by educating the public about the issue, including through storytelling. They have also noticed an alarming trend of more immigrants and refugees in the shelter system.
“A lot of refugees had a good life back home, but because of circumstances, like a war, earthquake or tsunami, they have relocated to Canada,” Braman says.
“As a society, we think of the homeless as having nothing, but many of these people were professionals. I’m very grateful for being able to hear their stories and build a genuine connection.”
“Organizations like Homeless Connect, West Neighbourhood House and FT6, are doing what they can to provide resources so they could rebuild their careers and get back on their feet.”
“I think it’s a really a validating feeling, and I encourage people to volunteer at a shelter for a day or weekend. It brings a lot of perspective to your life.”
Deanna and Braman believe that over the past few years, the sentiment around homelessness has gotten worse.
“It’s really hard for a lot of people right now. I think with that, the empathy has decreased for the homeless because people are finding it hard themselves. But we as an organization want to keep educating people so they’re aware that, some people have it really, really hard here,” Braman says.
They recently did some outreach at the Taylor Swift concert, by comparing the cost of a ticket with essential costs like rent. “We had some really good conversations with people who came from all over. They were shocked by the number of homeless in Toronto,” Braman says.
In 2025, they do not plan to slow down. FT6 remains committed to their mission. They continue to meet monthly at West Neighbourhood House and maintain a strong social media presence with over 7,000 Instagram followers. They also generate funds by selling official FT6 merchandise.
Looking ahead, FT6 plans to keep growing and making a difference in the community. They are grateful for the support of West Neighbourhood House and look forward to participating in events like Do West Fest.
“We’re so grateful for West Neighbourhood House for allowing us to be a part of Do West Fest (in June). It is a real staple in the summer for us. So, we’re looking forward to that as well,” Braman says.
FT6 is a volunteer committee trusteed by West Neighbourhood House. For more information, including how to get involved and donate, please visit their website: https://fixthe6ix.ca
Helping Community Members who are Homeless Get Housed through the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit
When walking through the neighborhoods of Toronto Downtown West, it’s impossible to ignore the increasing number of people who are homeless and sleeping rough on the streets.
As we begin to experience winter weather, the need for long-term housing solutions becomes critical. After a six-month wait for funding, the City of Toronto has started administering the 2024-25 Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB).
West Neighbourhood House has been designated by the City of Toronto as a referring partner, which includes two subsidy allocations per month over a period of five months.
Our organization is incredibly grateful to have the ability to add housing to our continuum of care for people who are chronically unhoused.
With access to these subsidies, our staff immediately began assisting members of The Meeting Place Drop-In to obtain stable housing. For the individuals who have received the subsidy thus far and have moved into their homes, we have seen an almost immediate positive impact on their lives.
In most cases, our participants accessing COHB are also referred to our internal Intensive Case Management program, which includes follow-ups with the members to better ensure housing stabilization. When individuals have a stable place to call home and access to ongoing support, they can focus on other critical aspects of their lives, including finding employment, accessing healthcare, and reconnecting with family and their community.
However, it is important to note that the availability of subsidies is limited, which poses a significant challenge given the scale of homelessness in our community. The 10 individuals we will be able to support in the program this year is in stark contrast to the over 150 people we see daily at the Meeting Place Drop-In, the majority of whom do not have a place to live.
The disparity between need and available resources is disheartening and emphasizes the urgent need for more robust solutions such as significant investments in not-for-profit affordable and rent-geared-to-income housing.
As a community, we must advocate for increased funding and resources for programs that will adequately address the housing crisis. Additionally, we need to push for policies that prioritize affordable housing development and social services that support people who are homeless.
Literacy tutor shares her love of reading through volunteering
A few years ago, Dale was entering retirement and had some free time on her hands. “I just got so much quieter in my life. So, I needed something to do. And volunteering works for me,” she says.
For Dale, it was her love of reading that led her towards volunteering as a literacy tutor at West Neighbourhood House.
“I like reading a lot. I also want other people to like reading.”
“I just can’t imagine what life is like without reading. It’s so basic to my happiness.”
Her love of books started when she was young, when her parents instilled in her the importance of reading and education.
“I read all the classics of the time, for boys and girls like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Treasure Island and so on. I also read Jules Verne and Victor Hugo. I read plays and poetry. Anything, I could get my hands on.”
“The library was such a huge escape for me. And it still is.”
The Adult Literacy Program helps adults learn to read and write in English, as well as do basic/intermediate math and use computers and other digital devices, through small groups and individual tutoring sessions. Tutoring sessions are available in person or virtually. The literacy staff provide support during the volunteering experience.
Dale sees two students, each once a week. She likes to build her lessons around the student’s interests.
“One of the students said they were interested in geography. We read about the Rocky Mountains. We read about Niagara Falls. So, we found a lot of short articles for them to read and they enjoyed that.”
The other student is interested in learning about health. Dale has a background in health which she says helps her with the lessons. “I could explain to him in simple terms as we go through the material,” she says.
“We read about how the eyes work and how the ears work. We read about bacteria and toxins. We also did something on skin health.”
“We are focusing on short blogs written for the general public. We also did a lot on diet and nutrition labels. I asked him to get something from the cupboard and he came back with a can of soup. So, we talked about what was in the soup, what was good and bad, and compared it with another kind of soup. And it’s all based on the reading.”
When referring to one of the students and their journey in the adult literacy tutoring, Dale says: “They write about their life now. I’m hoping that it’s a little outlet for them to verbalize their wishes and put them down on paper.”
Dale also volunteers at a local food bank and a youth shelter. “I am trying to find opportunities to stay busy. Life is more interesting with variety. “
The Adult Literacy Program needs volunteers to teach English-speaking adults language skills, reading and writing, and/or math at a basic/intermediate level. For a full description of the position and to apply, please visit: https://www.westnh.org/
West Neighbourhood House is also looking for volunteers for our tax clinic. If you are passionate about helping people of diverse backgrounds, including seniors, newcomers and low-income individuals, apply today! For a full description, please visit: https://www.westnh.org/
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The House is grateful to all our volunteers and donors for their generous support for our community work!
Wishing everyone a joyful and safe holiday season!