TheBulletin.ca Journal of Downtown Toronto
Toronto’s oldest and largest social service provider held its annual general meeting Sept. 25, reflecting on its ongoing work to make big changes happen in Toronto
A WoodGreen volunteer helps kids
(Photo: WoodGreen Community Services)
WoodGreen Community Services held its 71st AGM and marked the occasion by calling on all Torontonians to join together in a spirit of collaboration to solve the city’s challenges.
“Community service organizations like WoodGreen are working hard to be innovative, looking for ways to offer programs that deliver long-term, sustainable results,” said Brian Smith, President, WoodGreen Community Services. “If we are going to continue these efforts, our interests and concerns need to be shared by all Torontonians, including governments and the private sector.”
WoodGreen celebrated a number of milestones from the past year at the AGM, including a new immigrant services location at 1491 Danforth providing language training, help with credential recognition, employment coaching and other services to newcomers settling in Toronto.
The meeting marked the fourth successful year of its homeward bound program, an innovative program that helps low-income women who have been in the shelter system, and their children, to become self-supporting. Thanks to the program, there are now 45 women who have graduated with a college diploma or who are currently enrolled in college, and 37 families are now living independently.
The coming together of Meals on Wheels East Toronto with WoodGreen’s Meals on Wheels program has enabled delivery of close to 19,000 meals to seniors in the community to date in 2008, with 45,000 expected by the end of the year.
And the launch of rites of passage, an Afro-centric program for youth in Victoria Village and Warden Woods, two of Toronto’s priority neighbourhoods, which fosters self-esteem, builds resiliency and creates community advocates.
WoodGreen has set up a partnership with Real Food For Real Kids, an organization that specializes in providing nutritious meals for children in daycare programs.
WoodGreen is also expanding its service offerings at its 815 Danforth Avenue location, increasing the number of programs that are centrally located on the Bloor-Danforth subway line. These include seniors’ services, including Meals on Wheels, immigrant services, volunteer services, and developmental services.
“Our expanding presence along the Danforth is a reflection of the ever-growing and changing community,” said Smith. “In the near future, we also look forward to establishing a more permanent home somewhere along the Danforth for all of our programs and services.”
Other WoodGreen milestones from the past year include:
Wellesley Central Residence, a 112-unit apartment complex located at Sherbourne and Wellesley, which provides supportive housing to seniors in need of moderate care and people with HIV/AIDS. Wellesley Central Residence is a partnership with Fife House and the Wellesley Institute.
The Bed Bug Action Steering Committee, co-chaired by WoodGreen’s Homelessness and Housing Help Unit. WoodGreen played a leadership role in providing clear guidance and recommendations to the Medical Officer of Health, the Board of Health and Toronto Public Health for the development of a comprehensive strategy to manage bed bug infestations in Toronto.
A partnership with Mondial Energy to install the largest, most powerful solar hot water system in Ontario on the roof of WoodGreen’s 1070 Queen Street East housing location. The economical and sustainable alternative to traditional power sources will displace up to 32,000 cubic meters of gas annually, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 53 tons a year. Just recently, the project was recognized with an Innovation Award from the City of Toronto’s Social Housing Unit.
