What's New at Family Service Toronto
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David Kelly Services receives Pride Award 2011
FST is proud to announce that David Kelley LGBTQ & HIV/AIDS Services has received this year's Pride Award, which is one of five Access, Equity and Human Rights Awards presented annually to individuals and organizations. The award was presented Dec. 8 in a ceremony at Toronto City Hall.
Community Stakeholder Feedback Report is now online!
Family Service Toronto is developing its next strategic plan that will guide its direction from 2013 through 2016. As part of the process, we heard from clients, participants and advisory committee members via interviews and focus groups about what they consider to be Toronto's strengths and its challenges. We also asked them what they value about FST and how FST can serve people even better. This report summarizes the feedback and can be used and shared among individuals and organizations as a community resource.
Family Service Toronto sponsors festival screening Nov. 6
FST is sponsoring the screening of six short films on the subject of mental illness at next month’s Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival. The Nov. 6 screening begins at 1 pm at the Workman Theatre, 651 Dufferin St. in Toronto and will be followed by a panel discussion. The annual festival features films exploring the issues of mental health and addiction and runs Nov. 4-12. For tickets and information visit www.rendezvouswithmadness.com
All-Party Ontario Election Forum on Affordable Housing
On Sept 15, 2011 Family Service Toronto hosted an All Party Public Forum on Pathways to Affordable Housing: What a Housing Benefit could do for You. Scarborough Southwest candidates Lorenzo Berardinetti (Liberal Party), Bruce Budd (NDP) and Robin McKim (Green Party) discussed strategies on affordable housing and anti poverty work, and responded to questions from local residents on how they - the local candidates and their respective political parties - plan help people living on low income. For more information on the proposal for a Housing Benefit in Ontario visit:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1045760--the-case-for-a-new-housing-benefit)
http://www.dailybread.ca/learning-centre/housing-benefit/
http://www.campaign2000.ca/Ontario/housingbenefit.html
Bringing in Women's Voices releases key messages
Bringing in Women's Voices - a Campaign 2000 and Income Advocacy project - has released the key messages expressed by women across the province about the strengths and weakness of the Ontario Child Benefit, OW/ODSP re-structuring, child support, child care, housing and other social assistance issues. The report also includes ideas and suggestions for helping women, in particular sole support parents, escape poverty. Bringing in Women's Voices is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. (July 26, 2011)
Annual Report 2010-2011- Year in Review
Our recent activities and accomplishments are featured in our 2010-11 Annual Report. The report highlights programs and services offered over the past fiscal year ending March 31, 2011 and accounts for all monies spent by the organization.
As required, the accounts and financial transactions are audited by an independent auditor appointed by FST’s Board of Directors. The audited financial statements were received at our Annual General Meeting on June 15, 2011.
Family Service Toronto recently released a series of brochures targeted to newcomer communities on the subject of abuse in close personal relationships. The project, funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, was titled If I Had Only Known. Listen to a CBC Radio Metro Morning interview with a domestic abuse survivor involved in the project:
Listen to recent CBC interviews (April 20)
Read press release (Mar. 8) and South Asian Focus story (March 17).
Canada Votes May 2
Addressing Child and Family Poverty in Canada: Where do the parties stand?
Campaign 2000 has sent a letter with 10 key questions on poverty to the leaders of all parties. Based on the responses from each of the federal parties, Campaign 2000 put together a summary of the answers in a grid, outlining where each federal party stands on poverty.
Short grid of party platforms on poverty-related issues
Summary of party platforms on poverty-related issues
Campaign 2000’s community forum on poverty reduction - It's Time for the Federal Government to Do Its Part – held March 17 in the Town of Ajax, is now available on YouTube.
The panel discussion, moderated by the Toronto Star’s Carol Goar, featured representatives from the Conservative, Liberal, NDP and Green parties. (March 23)
March 16, 2011:
Elder Abuse: It's hard for the average person to even begin to understand how an older person can be harmed — physically, financially, sexually, or even just being neglected.
Lisa Manuel of Family Service Toronto's Changing Lives and Violence Programs talks candidly about why very few seniors will go the police.
March 4, 2011: Family Service Toronto will launch on March 8 a series of publications for its If I Had Only Known project - a groundbreaking initiative that engages newcomer communities in the development of powerful messages around abuse in close personal relationships.
Read press release
Read South Asian Focus story (March 17)
March 3, 2011: FST applauds new Ontario government strategy to create stronger partnership with the non-profit sector.
“This is a dream come true for non-profit agencies in the province,” said FST Executive Director Margaret Hancock, reacting to a recommendation that the provincial government appoint a Minister responsible for the Non-Profit sector.
The recommendation is one of several resulting from the Partnership Project, a province-wide consultation tasked with finding ways to strengthen the relationship between the Ontario government and the province’s not-for-profit sector.
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