Message from our executive director

The COVID-19 crisis that engulfed the 2020-21 year, transformed our agency’s work from service provision to emergency response. The pandemic intensified the systemic barriers and inequities that disproportionately impact our community, as our neighbourhood became one of the hardest hit areas in the city. 

This year, many of our neighbours who were deemed essential for the functioning of our economy, were denied critical life-saving policies including paid sick days. As COVID-19 continued to affect our community at alarming rates, we were forced to advocate for vaccine equity. The impacts of COVID-19 have taken both a physical and mental toll on our community, with burnout, anxiety and stress challenging our day-to-day functions more than ever before.

Despite the challenges, our staff and our residents continue to find a way forward. Our programs and services transformed to become fully functional online. Our residents' voices were being heard beyond the Jane-Finch Corridor in this new digital landscape, which was particularly seen with the Metrolinx land transfer in March 2021 for the building of the Jane Finch Community Hub and Centre for the Arts.

This year, we have distributed over 6,000 food hampers across the community, connected residents with mental health support, helped 2,500 clients file taxes while providing support to maintain critical financial benefits, distributed technology to families, seniors and youth to keep them connected to their community and provided vaccine booking and transportation support to senior residents.  

As we reflect on this past year, it is important for us to acknowledge and learn from our gaps and our failures to provide better support for our community. If this year has taught us anything, it is that now more than ever, we must stand for, with and by our community as advocates against inequity. Food insecurity, workers rights, access to safe public transportation, community land-ownership, vaccine equity and accessible mental health support continue to be our priorities in 2021. 

I am incredibly proud of our staff for their ability to adapt as we’ve navigated this crisis as an agency. We will continue to listen and respond to our residents to ensure our purpose will always mean showing up for our community.

Michelle Dagnino, Executive Director

Message from our Board Chair

We have experienced a year not like many before. With health, economic and social uncertainties, the meaning of community was amplified and put to the test. As board chair of of the Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre, I am proud to say that in a concerted effort, we collectively emphasized and defined the word “community”.  

Starting off with the community members: with every reason to buckle under these difficult times, the show of unity and solidarity was evident. To our frontline staff who worked tirelessly and at times unconventionally to continue to be a staple source of support.

I would like to commend our managerial  team for their collaborative efforts to successfully navigate ever changing parameters that directly affected service and program delivery. 

Last but not least, I would like to extend a heartfelt and genuine thank you to our executive leadership and specifically to our executive director, Michelle Dagnino. During a period that saw many community organizations collapse under the challenges of these unprecedented times, her leadership saw to it that we continued to meet the needs of the organization from staff to community, making sure we were able provide resources to everyone that needed them. 

To placing accountability on our stakeholders and the public alike, to ensure this tight-knit community in Northwest Toronto was not neglected. I couldn’t be more proud of this organization and of each and everyone one of you.  

I am reminded of old an African proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together” . I am confident that together we are able to survive the toughest and most unpredictable of times.

Mustafa El-Amin, Board Chair

THE ADOPT-A-FAMILY PROGRAM

In December 2020, the Jane/Finch Centre started the 'Adopt-a-Family' program to support families in the Jane and Finch community throughout the holidays. The program matched generous donors with families in the community in need of support.  The Adopt-A-Family program supported families in Jane-Finch with access to clothing, food, home necessities and gifts over the holiday season. The program raised over $5,000 and distributed over 360 bags to families in the Jane-Finch neighbourhood.

The Mancilla family was one of many recipient families involved in the Adopt-a-Family program.

The Mancilla family arrived to Canada in 2019. Upon arrival, they lived in a shelter and were only housed as of December 2020. The family, made up of 2 parents and 4 children between the ages of 2-17, experienced hardship and adversity in their immigration journey. 

Before arriving to Canada, immigration obstacles forced the eldest daughters to be separated from the rest of the family for a period of time. Once they finally arrived together in Canada, the COVID-19 pandemic caused several settlement barriers. It prevented the parents and children from attending in-person ESL classes, and the lack of access to electronic devices made it difficult to attend online programs. In addition, the family was in need of necessities for their home and proper clothing for the winter. 

Through the Adopt-a-Family program, the family received winter jackets, boots, hats, gloves and scarves for the entire household. They received items to help with day-to day functions including a rice cooker, blender, comforters and a toolkit. The support provided to the Mancilla family will assist the family long-term, as they continue to navigate life in Canada. 

In the future, the Mancilla family hopes to provide the same support they received to other newcomer families in the Jane and Finch community.

OUR FINANCIALS

To view our audited financials, please click on the button below.

To view a list of our funders from the 2020-21 fiscal year, click on the button below.

OUR PARTNERS