Community Knowledge Centre - Toronto Community Foundation

About this organization

Mission

Our Mission is to promote equity and dignity by providing services and clothing to enhance the day to day lives of the people we serve.

Our vision is to build connections and caring communities.

Our core values are: Respect, Caring, Integrity, Diversity.

History of Organization

Social workers are first to see the daily ordeal of the working poor right here in Toronto, the richest city in Canada. In 1996, Cindy Blakely, a founder of New Circles Community Services was working for the Toronto District School Board as a social worker and she recognized the emotional impact of poverty and financial stresses on many children attending school.

A community-wide drive to help those in need grew into the cornerstone of New Circles, founded in 2005 in Flemingdon Park, an area which had been designated a priority neighbourhood by the United Way and the City of Toronto the year before. The goal was to provide clothing, an annual Holiday Angel program and practical support for people in need.

We provide specialized clothing services for seniors, youth and families. 

New Circles is not just about clothing, it is about connections and community. We offer a Volunteer Development Program which engages the community through adult learning opportunities, job skills development, mentorship and English language development.

We join the vision laid down by the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights that states "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family... including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services..."

Accolades and Accomplishments

• Founder and Board Chair, Cindy Blakely was recognized for her pioneering efforts in establishing New Circles by receiving the 2009 Community Service Award from the Empire Club of Toronto.
• Collaboration with over 65 government or community social service agencies to connect our clients with the most appropriate services for their needs.
• Since 2005, we have served over 11,000 families, recycling clothing valued at over $4,000,000 annually.
• Client base is from Toronto, however 54% of our clients live within 5km radius of New Circles, in the densely populated neighbourhoods of Flemingdon Park, Thorncliffe Park and Victoria Village.
• 72% of our clients have lived in Canada for less than 5 years, 30% of whom have refugee status. Clients  originate from over 120 different countries,  including Colombia, Mexico, Afghanistan, Haiti, Canada, United States, Nigeria, Pakistan and more recently, refugees from Namibia and Hungary.
• Considering that more than 50% of our adult clients lack English language proficiency, our services are provided in English, French, Spanish and Dari. Our staff and volunteers are fluent in more than 10 languages.
• Over 150 volunteers as culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse as our clients, provide over 24,000 hours of work annually.

Programs

>Clothing Program
>Volunteer Development Program
>Holiday Angel Program

1- The Clothing Program. Our boutique style “shopping” experience provides good quality clothing in a dignified atmosphere. Our women’s, men’s and children’s sections neatly display clothing, shoes and accessories. Prom & Graduation Boutique as well as special Teen Shopping Days cater to youth in high school. The Seniors’ Mobile Mall is a unique and innovative service model, providing seniors who have limited mobility an opportunity to “shop” and socialize with their neighbours and friends.

2- Holiday Angel Program is an opportunity for some of our neediest families to experience the holiday magic and have their wishes fulfilled by generous donors. Annually about 150 families are matched with individual or group donors.

3- Volunteer Development Program provides adult learning, job skills development, mentorship and English language development opportunities to over 100 client volunteers who need support and Canadian work experience to achieve economic self-sufficiency.

Clothing Program

New Circles provides new and gently used clothing free of charge to low income and new immigrant and refugee families, who are struggling to make ends meet.

Our objective is to help our clients improve their lives, integrate socially and culturally and achieve a better future. Approximately 1,400 people walk through our door every month, receiving over 14,500 clothing items. On average New Circles takes in 85 new families every month. Once registered, they return 4 times/year to acquire seasonal clothing.

On a daily basis we receive clothing donations from individuals, community groups, businesses, and churches. Staff and volunteers help with the day-to-day operations and personally assist our "shoppers."

New Circles provided the following outcomes for our clients in 2011:

• Served over 16,000 people and distributed 170,000 clothing items-- an increase of 12.5% and 16% respectively over 2010. Women's, men's and children's boutiques respectively served 47%, 19% and 34% of our clients.
• Seniors' Mobile Mall served over 600 seniors and shut-ins in subsidized seniors' buildings.
• Served 339 youth with prom dresses and suits and 70 students with back to school clothing and supplies. Our Prom and Graduation Boutique and Teen Shopping Days is a “hand up” to teens and young adults to promote confidence, self-esteem, and social success.

Funding and Program Partners

Working without any government or United Way support, New Circles depends on the generosity of individuals, foundations and corporate donors to fund our services. The 2012 budget for our Clothing Program is $340,000, which covers facility rental and operational costs. Committed operational support comes from The Caring Foundation, The Sprott Foundation and The G.H. Wood Foundation. We thank these donors and anticipate that other donors will join in helping us deliver vital services to our community.

Program Impact

Since 2005, we have served over 11,000 families, recycling clothing valued at over $4,000,000 annually. On average, this translates into saving a family of four on social assistance over $3,000 a year. Most of our families return for our services for 2.5 to 3 years. A few need our services for a longer period of time.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“On average cost of nutritious food for a family of four in Toronto rose to $715/month in 2010. On social assistance, that family would need to spend 37% of its income on food and 69% on rent, leaving minus $133 per month for all other basic needs.” (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2010)

For a family on social assistance, our clothing program is a necessity as it reduces pressure on their limited resources.

Participant Vignette

“My family is from Haiti. I am grateful to New Circles for providing my kids with Canadian clothes which helps them fit in with their new friends at school”

As Refugees to Canada, this family has faced many obstacles to settlement and integration, including unemployment, adjusting to a new climate, social isolation, finding affordable housing and accessing education. We not only helped this family to be dressed for the Canadian seasons at no cost, but we also helped them connect with local agencies to meet their diverse settlement needs.

Our clients speak about the impact of coming to New Circles, the clothes, advice and support they receive to assist them in building a new life in Canada. Most importantly, our unique boutique style shopping experience ensures that we maintain our core values – to ensure the respect and dignity of those we serve through providing quality social services.

Volunteer Development Program

New Circles' Volunteer Development Program provides an opportunity to over 160 volunteers to contribute more than 24,000 hours of volunteer work. They represent a wide diversity of cultures. Working side-by-side, our volunteers help break socio-economic barriers and promote inter-cultural, inter-generational interaction and enrichment. The Volunteer Development Program plays a critical role in delivering job skills development and mentorship to those who want to gain hands-on experience in customer service and retail management. We also provide an environment for our clients to develop their English language comprehension and fluency and opportunities to develop social networks through Friendship Circles and Community Connect Programs. We will also match volunteer mentors to those volunteers eager for more support.

The Volunteer Development Program produces results:

• Over 100 of our volunteers, who are also clients or former clients, participate in this program. Approximately 40 of them are high school students who find New Circles a safe place to volunteer regularly after school, during school breaks and the summer holidays.
• In 2011 approximately 25 volunteer-trainees found employment or were able to continue their education as a result of support received at New Circles. The support includes but is not limited to résumé writing, interview preparation, provision of references and coaching.

Funding and Program Partners

The Volunteer Development Program needs financial resources to provide personalized services, supervision and training for our volunteers. We acknowledge the support of the State Street Foundation and Mackenzie Financial Charitable Foundation for supporting our Volunteer Development Program. Additional support is needed to strengthen the mentorship program and develop networks with businesses.

Program Impact

In 2011, we assisted 25 people with language and employment needs: résumé and interview preparation, coaching and references. Friendship Circle and Community Connect Programs are critical extensions of our services to help refugee and new immigrant women successfully settle and actively participate in our community life: to learn about the city where they raise their children and most importantly, to learn that they have the power to make changes for themselves. Weekly, 5-10 women attend Friendship Circle sessions. Another 10-15 women participate in Community Connect, by visiting Toronto landmarks and learning about the city.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“The youth unemployment rate in Toronto Region was 22.3% above the  national average in 2010”.

(Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2010)

By offering skills enrichment opportunities, New Circles directly helps marginalized individuals (including new Canadians, youth without job experience, individuals with disabilities and individuals who do not possess post-secondary education) access the labour market. To address youth unemployment, New Circles has a specific volunteer program offering skills enrichment to youth, and we deliver this program during extended business hours so school schedules are accommodated.

Participant Vignette

“I am originally from Colombia and have been living in Canada for almost three years.  My children and I left our country because our lives were in danger. In the beginning I did not know any English and when I came to New Circles to ask for a volunteer position they told me that I had to develop my English skills in order to get a volunteer job.  I started studying English at ESL school and two months later I got a volunteer position at New Circles.  Through this volunteer position and with the help of staff and other volunteers, my English skills greatly improved and I am now on staff at New Circles.” – New Circles Staff Member 

As refugees to Canada, this staff member and her family faced many obstacles to integration and settlement, including unemployment, adjusting to a new climate, social isolation, obtaining affordable housing and accessing education / training opportunities. Beginning as a client with New Circles, her story demonstrates firsthand, how the volunteer program is directly linked to lifting community members out of poverty. The mentorship and support she received as a volunteer, allowed her to develop her English language skills, build her leadership capabilities, as well as foster a passion for community service. The skills enrichment opportunity also served as the key to financial security and hope for a positive future in Canada.

Holiday Angel Program

The Holiday angel Program matches New Circles clients with donor families, who provide a one-time gift of groceries, basic necessities and other gifts for the holiday season. In 2011, we brought joy to 160 families (over 300 children), many of them new to Canada and all of them living in poverty.  Each family in need is interviewed and matched with respective donors, who offer gifts with a total value of $400-$1000 depending on family size. As a part of our vision to collaborate with other agencies in the Flemingdon/Thorncliffe and Victoria Village, we also accept referrals of families from other agencies.

Funding and Program Partners

The Holiday Angel Program is made possible by the generosity of individual donors, families and corporate employee groups.

Program Impact

Since 2005, the Holiday Angel Program has served 2974 people, 50% of whom are children. By bringing basic necessities and a few treats to these families during the holiday season, New Circles has fostered a sense of community and friendship.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

 “Toronto is becoming a divided city where 1 million people in a city of 2.7 million are living in low and very low income neighbourhoods.” (Toronto's Vital Signs®, 2010)

The Holiday Angel Program offers access to much needed food, clothing, toys and household items, which directly impacts the mental, emotional and physical health of recipients. Our recipients are pleasantly surprised and grateful to learn that there are people who don’t know them but still care about their well-being. Particularly during the winter season, which can be especially challenging for individuals living in poverty. This holiday ‘boost’ is directly supporting the overall health of community members.

Participant Vignette

 “I am truly grateful for people like you in this world. You have changed my life and I will always remember your selflessness and generosity. In these tough times, you have truly been my shining star.”

The parent is a member of the working poor, having conflicting time constraints and facing the challenges of making ends meet for her family. Struggling to meet the basic needs of her children, she acknowledged the pure joy of being provided with a morale booster during the holiday season. The Holiday Angel Program alleviated the stress and pressures of the ‘daily grind’ that so many individuals in poverty face.

Many recipients have said that this experience has turned their lives around and renewed their faith in humankind. The Holiday Angel Program is a win-win situation, supporting the basic needs of the recipients, and promoting community engagement/philanthropy among donors.