Spring/Summer 2013

Red Roof
Homes First News Spring/Summer 2013
Table of Contents
With a Home You Can… Have a pet . . . 2
Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP . . . .2
Shu Liang – Volunteer since August 2012 3
Reg Downie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
At Home in 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Donor Honour Roll . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Personal Care Collection Campaign . . . .6
Spring Gift-in-Kind Wishlist . . . . . . . .6
New Volunteer Opportunities . . . . . . .8
Sprott 2013 Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Homes First volunteer Krystyna Crabajales organizes a trip to the Toronto Zoo for
residents of Homes First, November 2012.
Introducing Hearts & Hands
Volunteer Program
At Homes First, providing the
homeless with a home is just
the first step. The next step is
helping maintain that home.
Research shows that people
who are connected to their
community, who are engaged and
feel useful, have a much better
chance of staying housed. They
are healthier and use less social
and health services. With this in
mind, Homes First is pleased to
announce the launch of our Hearts
& Hands Volunteer Program.
community members with
opportunities at Homes First.
Michelle is a musician who lives
in the west-end of Toronto. She
wanted to give back and do
something for our residents.
Michelle was matched with
Savards, our shelter for women
with mental illness. She drops in
when she can and plays some of
her own songs and happily takes
requests. She provides a welcome
escape from life at a busy shelter.
Ron recently moved into our house
in Kensington Market – Bellevue.
He is in his late 50s and is very
organized and loves to keep things
tidy. Ron’s apartment is likely the
cleanest in Homes First. When we
created “The Caring Closet” – a
With a home
you can…
With a home you can garden.
And with a garden you can
plant flowers, grow your own
vegetables and spend time in
the sunshine. We also know
that with a garden you can heal.
Gardening has physical, mental
and social benefits and can make
a tremendous difference to the
quality of life and recovery of our
residents. It can be therapeutic for
Hearts & Hands is an
those who’ve dealt with trauma
integrated two-way initiative
and mental illness. With a garden
matching our residents with
there is hope. This spring Homes
volunteer opportunities in their
First is Putting Down Roots – a
neighborhoods and matching
Garden – continued on page 8
Hearts & Hands – continued on page 2
homesfirst.on.ca
With a Home
You Can…
Have a pet
Tanya wanders
around
Strachan
House
clutching a
black and
white kitten.
“Her name is
Snooky. She looks exactly like her
mother,” she says. I ask if she has
any toys. Tanya beams as she talks
about her plans: “I’m going to
buy some toys that I like and hang
them from the wall”.
Having a pet not only provides
comfort and companionship;
it can also be beneficial to your
health. Owning a pet can decrease
levels of depression and anxiety,
improve social interaction, boost
self esteem and improve quality of
life.
When you lose touch with your
friends and family and can’t get a
job there is little to smile about.
One of the most common links
to depression is loneliness; for
someone who has experienced
trauma, homelessness and who
may be struggling with mental
illness, the unconditional love and
reliability of a pet can make all the
difference.
Tucking the beloved kitten into
her cardigan, who much like
herself, once needed a home,
Tanya beams. Tanya has a home,
Strachan House. And with a home,
Tanya can have Snooky.
Special thanks to years of support
from Helmutts Pet Supply
Supporter Spotlight
Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP
The children of Chris Little, a partner of
Filion Wakely, assemble a Homes First
gingerbread kit
Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP
is dedicated to making a difference
in the community and is one of
Homes First’s most generous
donors.
Established in 1982, Filion Wakely
has since developed a strong
Canadian and international
presence and reputation as one
of the country’s leading boutique
management-side labour relations
and employment law firms.
Formerly Winkler, Filion & Wakely,
the firm changed its name after
one of its founding partners,
Warren Winkler, became a judge in
1993. Justice Winkler is currently
the Chief Justice of Ontario. The
firm is comprised of 34 lawyers
working in offices in Toronto
and London, Ontario, and it has
a well-established commitment
to excellence over its decades of
service to business, government
and industry.
Filion Wakely is committed to
excellence in community service
and is a proud supporter of
Homes First. Firm members take
part in charitable work across
Ontario, provide subsidized or pro
bono legal services and sit on the
Boards of various organizations.
With a particular focus in social
housing, women’s support groups
and community, the firm has a
vested interest in helping those
who need it most.
Hearts & Hands – continued from page 1
small room filled with donated
clothing and accessories open
to residents once a week to go
2 Homes First – Everybody needs a home
“shopping” (items are free), Ron
was the first person we thought
of to help organize and run the
Closet. Ron is using his skills and
abilities to help his neighbours, he
logs volunteer hours, and he has
responsibilities for the first time in
20 years.
With Hearts and Hands, everyone
can get involved and make a
difference.
This program would not be
possible without the generous
support of:
◆◆TR Meighen Foundation
◆◆Ontario Trillium Foundation
Volunteer Spotlight
Shu Liang – Volunteer since August 2012
Shu Liang isn’t your typical volunteer. She spends one day a week
at Savards, our shelter for women
with a long history of homelessness
and mental illness, teaching laughter yoga; an exercise that helps turn
frustration into elation.
Returning to Toronto after three
years away, Shu was surprised by
how many homeless people were
on the streets. A friend suggested
volunteering with Homes First.
After bonding with the residents at
Savards as an administrative volunteer, she wanted to do something
more to help the women.
Shu first turned to laughter yoga
in dealing with the loss of a
close friend. Now, as a certified
instructor, she specializes in this
unique activity combining standard
yogic breathing with exhales of
laughter through the use of eye
contact and playfulness. When a
woman in her class mentioned
she was starting a session at her
community centre, it clicked that
Shu could do the same at Savards.
As a stress reliever, she encourages
the women to laugh about a
situation that either frustrates or
annoys them.
“[A lot of people don’t realize] that
laughter is exercise, and that if you
laugh for no reason and are playful, it helps with social interaction…
we’re not laughing because something is [necessarily] funny, we’re
laughing just to laugh” says Shu.
Shu not only sees the psychological
benefits for the women, but also
for herself. “Volunteering makes
me happy.
It’s not just
about giving
back to the
community,
it’s also
about giving
back to ourselves”.
In the words of Bill Cosby: “You
can turn painful situations around
through laughter. If you can find
humor in anything, even poverty,
you can survive it”. No one believes
this more than Shu. She has not
only experienced the healing
powers of laughter yoga herself,
she has also given the women
at Savards reason to believe that
laughter truly is the best medicine.
Have a gift that you can share with
our residents? Call us.416-214-1870
Staff Profile
Reg Downie
Reg Downie has dedicated the
past 13 years to helping others as a
Homes First community housing
worker. It is his passion for making
a difference in the community that
fueled his career and has made
him a well-respected and valued
employee of Homes First.
When Reg came to Canada from
Jamaica in 1976 he first worked at
Bell Canada. He then tried various
automotive companies but none
were a good fit. He felt he should
be serving his community so he
was thrilled when the chance came
to join Homes First.
Reg’s family, who all work in social
services and are actively involved in
their Church community, were his
inspiration. “My mother worked [at
a hospital] for 21 years. And I do a
lot of community and housing work
[at my Church] especially around
Christmastime,” he says. “We
cook for people who don’t get a
Christmas…and I like that”.
Through both his Church and at
work, Reg likes interacting with
people of various cultures and experiences. To share a bit of his own
culture with others, Reg likes to cook
what he calls ‘soul food’ – a combination of rice, peas, potatoes and either
chicken or beef. It is always a hit
with the residents. “It’s always nice
when they like the meal I cook and
thank me for it”, he says humbly.
Reg believes Homes First does
a great job serving the homeless
in Toronto. We believe it is the
dedication, care and commitment
of our frontline staff that makes
Reg poses on the runway at this year’s
Homes First one of the leading
fashion show at Strachan House
housing providers in Toronto.
homesfirst.on.ca3
At Home in 2012
Cary and Patricia enjoy an afternoon of
games and decorating Valentine’s Day
cupcakes at our Scarborough Shelter
Crystal, 10, Felicia, 3, Jade,16 and Kyle, 3, make gingerbread houses just in
time for Christmas at our monthly Crafts for Kids program at Meegwetch.
Homes First resident Penny confidently
shows off her selection of second hand
apparel at Strachan House fashion show
4 Homes First – Everybody needs a home
Residents and staff at our
Scarborough Shelter sport their
home-made tie-dye t-shirts to head
out for a community cleanup on
Earth Day
As a fresh start to Spring, staff member
Misty and resident Joyce paint the
balcony at Savards on Mother’s Day
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[email protected]
Homes First staff and residents pose for a group photo before hitting the
runway at the annual Strachan House fashion show in October.
Top (L-R) Angela, Ivan, Jamie, Lesley, Janice
Middle (L-R) Tanya, Cat, Anne, Joyce, Walter, Penny
Bottom row: C-C, Anne-Marie, June
homesfirst.on.ca5
Donor Honour Roll
Thank you to our major donors
of 2012 for their generosity and
support
Akler Browning Frimet &
Landzberg LLP
Sandra Barton
Paul Beeston
Sarah Boulby
Beate Bowron
David Chernos
CHUM Charitable Foundation
Donald Dodds
Gabriel Eidelman
Graeme Clark Holdings Inc.
Robert & Ellen Eisenberg
Estate of Murray Powell
Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP
F.K. Morrow Foundation
Lorraine Gauthier
Helmutt’s Pet Supply Inc
The Home Depot of Canada
Foundation
J. David Hulchanski
J.P. Bickell Foundation
J.S Cheng & Partners Inc
Alison Mackay
Mary McCall
Carl McGee
Ontario Trillium Foundation
Paliare Roland Rosenberg
Rothstein LLP
The Paloma Foundation
School Sisters of Notre Dame of
Ontario
Scotiabank
Megan Shortreed
TD Friends of the Environment
Foundation
T.R. Meighen Family Foundation
Westaire Airconditioning &
Heating Ltd
G.R. Williams
Loreta Zubas
Personal Care
Collection
Campaign
Welcome 3 new partners!
Accenture is a global management consulting company, with 259,000
people serving clients in more than 120 countries across all industries
and business functions. Through Accenture’s Skills to Succeed corporate
citizenship focus, Accenture is committed to equipping 500,000 people
around the world by 2015 with skills to get a job or build a business.
Accenture is working with Homes First on its Personal Care Collection
Campaign. Accenture employees collect and donate those little hotel
toiletries every time they travel.
S-Trip! unites student travelers on unforgettable experiences around
the world. This year, more than 30,000 students will travel to 15 unique
destinations across North America! Check out www.s-trip.com to learn
more about the #TripofaLifetime. S-Trip! has invited over 100 of their
internal staff to collect and donate personal care items during their travel
during the March break. They have set up a donations box at their office.
We are also excited to introduce The Friends of Jesus Christ Canada in
Scarborough who have generously donated boxes full of personal care
items to our Scarborough shelter in March. This small community church
also runs a food bank in Scarborough and continues to collect personal
care item donations for Homes First.
Spring Gift in Kind Wish-list
Our residents need
some Spring items:
◆◆New or gently used
lightweight rain
jackets and rain
boots
◆◆New running shoes
◆◆New socks
◆◆Umbrellas
◆◆Garden supplies:
◊Gloves, aprons
◊Tools: Shovels, spades,
rakes, trowels, wheelbarrows,
watering cans, grow lights
◊Seed-starting and
potting: Containers,
peat moss, fertilizer
6 Homes First – Everybody needs a home
Things we always need:
◆◆Pots, pans, dishes, silverware,
coffee pots, small appliances
(toasters, microwaves)
◆◆Toiletries
◆◆Blankets, sheets
◆◆Board games
◆◆Books
◆◆Puzzles
To donate your
stuff email
[email protected]
If you’d like to help out with
our gardening program email
[email protected]
To order:
www.homesfirst.on.ca
or 416-395-0203
Tie One On
Do you have a flair for fashion or a
serious sense of style? Then don’t
miss Tie One On, our great new
fundraising event. Hosted by CTV
Fashion Television’s Jeanne Beker,
the evening features an auction of
ties and scarves once owned by
some special Canadians. Justin
Trudeau, Jack Layton, Margaret
Atwood, Shelagh Rogers, Tom
Mulclair, Serena Ryder…the list
goes on and on. With 30 famous
ties/scarves to bid on we’ll honour
thirty years of Homes First serving
the homeless in Toronto and raise
$30,000 needed for clothing and
support programs.
Guaranteed fun night out and you
might go home with the tie you’ve
always dreamed of owning.
The event is on May 8th at Revival
in Toronto. Tickets are $50 and
include a drink, food and live
music by The Swamp Yankees.
Tie
One
On
Whose tie will you buy?
May 8, 2013 - 6 PM
Revival, Toronto
Sponsors:
homesfirst.on.ca7
New Volunteer
Opportunities
Newsletter Editor
Do you have experience in writing
and editing and a passion for
working with people? We are
looking for a volunteer to assist
as an editor for our resident
newsletter. Responsibilities
include establishing a production
schedule, sourcing content
and overseeing the bi-annual
distribution.
Time commitment:
◆◆2 year term
◆◆4-6 hours/month, heavier
around newsletter publication
dates
To apply email volunteer@
homesfirst.on.ca, subject line
Newsletter Editor
Spring Cleaning Team
Are you keen to help us clean? We
are looking for teams of 6 to tidy
up some storage space and do a
post-winter grounds clean up and
annual planting at 3 Homes First
properties. Gather a group of your
friends, bring your own supplies
and dedicate a few hours of your
day to giving us a fresh start this
spring.
If you have a team in mind or want
to be part of an existing one, email
[email protected],
subject line Spring Cleaning
homesfirst.on.ca
Sprott 2013 Challenge
Double the power of your gift
to Homes First this year! The
Sprott Foundation will match any
new donation to Homes First for
Savards.
The Sprott Foundation is dedicated
to addressing homelessness and
hunger in Canada. The Foundation
has pledged to match any donation
made to Homes First for Savards
this year. Savards is a shelter for
women with a long history of
homelessness and mental illness.
With new funds we can repair
and renovate the shelter’s garage
Garden – continued from page 8
gardening program for residents
and neighbourhood volunteers.
The gardens offer a welcome
respite from the often chaotic
life in a shelter or on
the street. Residents
develop gardening
skills, get active,
and potentially add
fresh herbs and
vegetables to their modest food
stores. Horticultural programs
are a natural, inexpensive and
accessible form of treatment for
people suffering from a mental
illness. Gardening can result
in lower levels of depression, a
heightened sense of responsibility
and improved nutrition; by taking
care of a garden, residents are also
taking care of themselves.
Administrative Office
90 Shuter Street, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5B 2K6
P: 416-214-1870
[email protected]
Donations
P: 416-395-0203
[email protected]
8 Homes First – Everybody needs a home
to create a space for workshops,
therapy group sessions, nurse visits,
art classes and musicians who
come and play for the residents.
This space allows for growth,
healing and community. It creates
space for volunteers to connect with
our residents and a quiet escape for
those overwhelmed by the chaos.
To make a Sprott Challenge
Donation visit our website at
www.homesfirst.on.ca and click
“Please donate”, then select “In
support of The Sprott Foundation
Challenge”
Thank you for your support!
The gardens are a community
project for people of any age
and skill level. Whether you’re a
resident, staff or volunteer you are
invited to participate.
A special thanks to our
program funder the TD
Canada Trust Friends
of the Environment
Foundation.
Are you a Gardener?
We are looking for volunteer
gardeners for Spring-Summer 2013.
Share your knowledge and your
passion for all things green and
join one of our gardens.
Time commitment is a minimum
of once a week for 2 hours. Please
contact [email protected]
For Information on housing
applications & central waiting list
P: 416-395-0913
[email protected]
Volunteers
P: 416-395-0912
[email protected]
Charitable Registration # 86584 3932 RR0001