Our settlement services have proven to be a critical resource for the community, with an overwhelming majority of clients reporting significant benefits. 

The services not only address immediate needs such as employment support, citizenship preparation, education, access to medical services and PR, passport and citizenship application support, but also have a profound impact on clients' overall health and wellbeing. 

In January 2024, we conducted a survey with our settlement clients to understand how our clients view our services. 

• 93% of clients find our Settlement Services important and helpful. 

• 97% of clients reported that our services had an impactful effect on their overall health and wellbeing.

To understand which services our clients utilized most, we found that 48.5% of respondents participated in workshops and group programs, 47.3% came to us seeking employment support, 39.1% needed accompaniment to medical services and 37% of respondents requested food support. 

These statistics highlight the essential role our organization plays in the lives of those we serve and underscore the importance of continued support and funding to maintain and expand these vital programs.

This year, our EarlyON programming continued to provide families with community support and essential early childhood development services.

In March 2024, we received Ward 7 EOI funding from the City of Toronto to open an additional satellite location, expand our team, and enhance our program offerings. We’ve been building partnerships with external agencies to offer diverse workshops for families, including collaborations with Toronto Public Health, Black Creek Community Health Centre, Jane Finch Family Health Team, Community Living, and Surrey Place.

In November 2023, EarlyON had the exciting opportunity to register families for the “Searching for Santa” flight with Jazz Airlines. The event was a hit, with 24 adults and 31 children meeting Santa during the flight.

Through our programming and event activities, we had: 

• 252 individuals received food through North York Harvest Food Bank. 

• 537 children were registered and received winter gear through Santa Box. 

• 408 children were registered and received Christmas toys through CP24 CHUM Toy Drive.

This year, our community planning and development department continued to build strategic partnerships and lead resident-driven initiatives that create meaningful, lasting change in the Jane-Finch community — from fostering employment opportunities to shaping critical neighbourhood development plans.

Through our Black Creek Fair Economies project, we built a new relationship with the Toronto Transit Commission to improve local recruitment and job opportunities for Jane-Finch residents, and co-hosted two information sessions in September 2023.

We wrapped up our work with the City of Toronto on the Jane Finch Initiative neighbourhood planning study. Over the past three years, we coordinated the resident-led Community Advisory Committee and collaborated with several city divisions, community leaders and partners to design and facilitate engagement activities throughout each phase of the project. The resulting Jane-Finch Secondary Plan and Jane-Finch Community Development Plan were adopted by Toronto city council in June 2024.

We also began new work with the Jane-Finch Bridging Education to Employment collaborative under its Youth Opportunities Fund — System Innovations Stream — grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The collaborative’s two-year project focuses on strengthening partnerships with youth, improving coordination within the local employment ecosystem, and maximizing economic opportunities.

This year, our community wellbeing and seniors department expanded its impact by fostering new partnerships, enhancing group programming and providing vital support services — all aimed at promoting mental, physical and social well-being for seniors and community members.

Through our partnership with the Seneca School of Legal, Public and Office Administration, we delivered three Steps to Justice workshops at The Spot, with 35 youth participants. We also built a collaborative partnership with the Talk It Out, Work It Out program, a University of Toronto initiative, engaging up to 120 seniors weekly in physical and mental exercise. Additionally, there was notable growth in our Getting In Touch (GIT) group programming, with participation increasing from about 8 to 10 to 20 to 22 participants weekly.

Through our programs and services:

• About 300 wellness calls were made each month to seniors.

• Between January and March 2024, 794 hot meals were provided to seniors.

• A total of 1,171 clients participated in our Getting In Touch adult group programming throughout the year.

• Forty clients received service navigation support, including 35 referrals from our Toronto Community Crisis Support (TCCS) partnership and five through self-referral.

• 587 community members were reached through a mental health fair held in partnership with the North West Toronto Ontario Health Team (NWT OHT).

This year, our Financial Empowerment and Problem Solving (FEPS) program continued to make a significant impact, providing essential financial services and support to members of our community.

During tax season, we helped 1,978 unique clients receive more than $5 million in tax benefits, ensuring residents could access critical financial resources. Our tax clinic specifically served 987 seniors living in the Black Creek community, many of whom rely on these services to secure their financial well-being. Additionally, 327 newcomers were supported through our clinic, helping them navigate the complexities of Canada’s tax system and access the benefits to which they are entitled.

Beyond tax services, we provided 352 financial empowerment counselling sessions, offering personalized guidance to individuals seeking to improve their financial literacy and stability. These sessions helped clients develop the skills and knowledge needed to make informed financial decisions — contributing to greater financial resilience across the community.

This year, our youth department supported young leaders, fostered creative expression and expanded outreach — all while providing critical support and skill development opportunities that continue to shape the future of Jane-Finch’s youth.

The Get Her’d Girls Group nurtured a new generation of leaders, with participants demonstrating growing autonomy and leadership within the program. Youth participant Stavro Polus played a pivotal role in organizing a Jane-Finch-based documentary and screening event, showcasing the power of local youth voices and storytelling. Our expanded outreach efforts also connected with middle school–aged students, fostering partnerships with neighbouring schools to strengthen youth engagement at an earlier stage.

The Community Champions Men’s Group continued to thrive, with 15 to 20 youth actively participating. Meanwhile, our Youth Violence Prevention (YVP) program offered group therapy to eight youth over a six-week period, co-facilitated by staff and a Gestalt therapist, providing critical mental health support to those affected by violence.

Through our partnership with POV, 40 youth completed the Future Focus pre-employment training program, with 67.5 per cent advancing to the enVISION Foundation’s screen training. Over half of these graduates are now planning careers in the film industry, supported by expanded professional networks that will guide them toward future success.