2009-2010 Annual Report - English (PDF, ~5MB)

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Annual Report
Abrigo Centre
Member Agency
United Way
Greater Toronto
900 Dufferin St., suite 104
Toronto, Ontario M6H 4A9
2009-2010
Tel.: 416-534-3434
Fax: 416-534-8026
[email protected]
w w w. a b r i g o . c a
Mission Statement:
Our Strategic Priorities:
1. Toward sustainable long-term growth, we will be…
•Collaborating with community partners
•Engaging and developing our volunteer resources
•Developing innovative funding alternatives
•Adjusting our space to meet future needs
2. Toward increasing community relevance, we will be…
•Creating/stimulating dialogue about emerging needs
•Clarifying, revisiting, and communicating our priorities
•Engaging stakeholders in necessary changes
Abrigo Centre is a multi-service, charitable organization that focuses on building
community capacity in west Toronto by
helping individuals and families achieve
their full potential
Our Vision:
We want to see our collaborative efforts
result in socially integrated and empowered individuals, families and communities.
Report from the chairperson
As Abrigo Centre starts its 20th year, I am astounded by the changes since its
humble beginnings.
It has grown from a cornerstone organization serving abused women to one
that offers a full range of services for everyone in the community...from youth
to seniors. With each program expansion, client needs are given priority.
While client focus remains solid, many other changes have been taking place
at Abrigo Centre during the first part of 2010:
Board Members:
Ofélia Isabel,
FSA, FCIA, Chairperson
Lisa Jacek,
Vice-Chairperson
We announced Cristina Santos as the new Executive Director, charging her to
lead Abrigo Centre as it stretches to serve an increasingly diverse community,
while managing pressures on funding and new methods to deliver services.
We refocused our EmployLink program to help Ontario Works clients become job ready, and we secured new funding for our youth programming.
Our friends, supporters and volunteers showed their confidence in us by attending the spring Grand Carnival Ball, raising a record $38,500.
Teresa Correia
José C. Nieves
Donna Cowan
Kevin Perry
Barbara Oliveira
Jennifer Humphries
Julie da Silva
José Medeiros
Gregory Donovan
Daniela Pacheco
Through all of Abrigo Centre’s growth…19 years and counting…the Centre
has stayed true to its mission of helping individuals and families achieve their
full potential. To put it simply, Abrigo Centre puts clients’ needs first.
Once again, a sincere thank you to our staff, our volunteers and our funders
for making it happen!
Sincerely,
Ofélia Isabel
Message from the Executive Director
Having worked with Abrigo Centre since we opened our doors to our first
client in July of 1990, it is an honour and a privilege to take on the leadership
of Abrigo Centre as Executive Director.
Abrigo Centre is a pivotal hub in West Toronto’s community, providing essential counselling, information, guidance and crisis services to all community
members. Thousands of people have sought the help of Abrigo Centre and
have been assisted professionally, confidentially and with sincere care.
Our board and staff are focused on providing the best possible services to
the community and ensuring that we fulfill our mission to build community
capacity in west Toronto by helping individuals and families achieve their
full potential. We consistently improve our role as a catalyst in bettering the
lives of individuals and families and as a contributor to the communities and
neighbourhoods we serve.
2009-2010 has been a year of change and strategizing for the future. Our staff
has continued to deliver excellent services in each of our programs, persevering through increased demands from funders, additional community needs
and changes in program mandates. Always our employees are driven by
their passion to serve our public and their dedication to be professional and
respectful. Our board members have provided leadership to newly formed
committees: Abrigo Centre Marketing Strategy Committee and Abrigo Centre
Policy Committee. Our Abrigo Centre Fundraising committee continued its
great work and dedication, ensuring our services are supported by raising a
record $38,500 at our Grand Carnival Gala on February 27.
I look forward to 2010-2011, we are embarking on our new EmployLink program, working closely with City of Toronto Employment and Social Services,
the growth of our Dufferin Mall Youth Services to include after school programming and we continue to offer our signature program services under our
Community Development and Integration, Violence Against Women, Partner
Assault Response and Family Support Programs.
With the impact of the economic down turn on both our communities and
on our funders, there is a continual increase in demand for services and pressure from funders to do more with less. Having always been a very lean and
efficient organization we have persevered and succeeded under these challenges. There are more challenges ahead but given the dedication and commitment of our board, staff and volunteers and the support of our clients and
communities, Abrigo Centre will continue to be the shining star in Toronto’s
west end.
Respectfully,
Cristina Santos
We believe our communities can be free of violence
and abuse, if we work together
This year, Abrigo Centre helped 760 women and their
children, who have experienced abuse.
They came to Abrigo Centre for immediate support
through its Violence Against Women program.
We offer safety planning and referrals to shelters. We
inform families about their rights and help them access
essential services such as medical, housing, income
support and the judicial system.
own pace. We worked with women and their families
to help make safe choices. Our counselling is offered
individually, on a family basis, or in groups.
Sensitizing the community through outreach and education on the issues of family violence is a priority as
we envision a community free of violence and abuse.
Our counselling services help people cope with the
trauma of abuse. Individuals grow through personal development and many achieve self-sufficiency, at their
By the numbers:
•An estimated one in six women are abused by
their partner each year in Canada. (Toronto City
Council, 2010).
•760 women and their children received
Abrigo Centre’s help through its Violence Against
Women program in 2009/10.
In our client’s words…
When I first came to Abrigo Centre 20 years ago, it was
a place that opened my eyes, told me I have rights,
and helped me with everything I needed. To know my
rights…as a woman abused by my husband of 19 years
and then by my own children. Abrigo Centre helped
me gain strength and courage.
Before I came to Abrigo, I was afraid to talk about my
situation, about the abuse, the verbal, physical and
sexual abuse that I lived with, with my husband and
children.
Then and now, I recognize Abrigo Centre as a place
with its doors always open to people. It gave me a lot
of power in my life to know my rights.
Throughout my life, when I did not know my rights, my
life was that of a bird trapped in a cage. After knowing my rights and that abuse is wrong, I now know that
I am a bird that is free to fly. My rights gave me my
wings. Still today I…obtain support from the staff at
Abrigo.
Maria
Together, we connect people with their community and they thrive
Abrigo Centre’s Community Development and Integration Program (CDIP) makes the staff’s and volunteer’s
know-how available to more than 2,500 people a year,
through a variety of programs that interconnect and
complement Abrigo Centre’s other services:
Top 10 reasons clients use our CDIP services:
1. Assistance accessing government or social
services
Seniors Assisting Seniors
2. Support with their immigration experience
We support a volunteer-run program helping seniors
complete retirement forms and applications for drug
benefits, citizenship and Canadian passports. We help
clarify issues about seniors’ rights and obligations.
3. To learn about their communities and
available services
We help people
General community integration services help fill in the
gaps for those who do not have the informal family and
social supports. We focus on providing assessment, and
assist with problem solving and accessing basic needs.
4. To obtain information from their peers about
services available to seniors
5. They require an advocate to deal with
government and other agencies
6. Assistance to complete forms necessary to
access services and benefits
7. Counselling and support services
8. Appropriate service referrals
9. Assistance with completing their annual
income tax or working through issues
related to their income tax
10.They trust Abrigo Centre’s accessible and
informed staff
Newcomers – First Steps
Establishing yourself in a new country is a time consuming and often frustrating process. We provide individual and group counselling to newly arrived Portuguese-speaking immigrants and refugees, primarily
from Angola and Brazil. We host information sessions;
provide referrals and liaison to government programs
and community support systems; and offer self-esteem
exercises to assist new members of our community
with establishing themselves.
We work with people so they live violence-free:
Men in Transition - Partner Abuse Response (PAR) program; we provide a 16-week group counselling service
to men who have been ordered by the justice system to
attend. Participants learn how their abusive behaviour
affects their partners, their children, themselves and our
communities. The group atmosphere balances respect
with accountability. Three English-speaking groups
run concurrently, along with one Portuguese-speaking
group. Interpreters are available to assist those who do
not speak English or Portuguese.
We provide individual counselling sessions to Portuguese-speaking women or women of Portuguese descent who have been ordered by the justice system to
attend the PAR program for domestic-related offences.
By the numbers:
•The PAR program served over 200 clients|
this year
•More than 1,500 clients have participated in
the PAR program since Abrigo Centre opened.
The course covers many of the same topics as the Men
in Transition Program. It accounts for 5 per cent of the
total number of clients served through Abrigo Centre’s
PAR Program.
In keeping with our Violence Against Women Program,
we contact the partners of the participants throughout
the 16-week PAR program to offer a variety of services
including an invitation to make use of Abrigo Centre
counselling services.
In our client’s words…
I am a client at Abrigo Centre and I completed the 16
week Partner Assault Response Program (PAR)...Over
the past 16 weeks, the counsellors have helped me to
look back on my relationship with my wife and realize where the abuse started and understand how it was
able to escalate over the years.
I have three beautiful little girls, whom I adore and love
tremendously. I have always been a very good father,
loving and caring. I would never do anything to hurt
my children in any way. While attending the PAR program, I realized that even though there was never any
abuse towards my children, the simple fact that they
were witnessing the arguments, the disagreements and
the escalations in tensions, between my wife and I, was
abusive.
At Abrigo Centre, I have learned a great deal about myself and about relationships. I have learned how to
recognize trigger points of anger and how to understand my own feelings. I have learned how to gain
better control on how I react to certain situations; for
instance, about the different types of communicators,
and the difference between a healthy and unhealthy
relationship. What I’ve learned will not just help me
with my family and my intimate relationships, it will
help me on a day-to-day basis with every relationship I
have, whether that is with friends, co-workers or other
family members.
Len
We believe small change can create fuller lives
We offer counselling services to individuals, couples
and families on issues that impact their emotional
health and well being. We help them work toward
strengthening their relationships and building new
ones.
People come to our counsellors for help with intergenerational conflicts, relationship challenges, and concerns related to mental health, substance abuse, experiences of trauma, and difficult life transitions.
We provide support to mothers, fathers
and caregivers:
In our Success by Six program, we offer parenting
support through both individual and group work to
mothers and caregivers with children six years old and
younger. 10-week session groups focus on how to provide healthy home environments to children during
their most vulnerable and most impressionable years.
In addition, we offer two 4-week workshops.
By the numbers:
•250 people came to Abrigo Centre for counselling in 2009/10
•9 parenting groups were run in 2009/10
•More than 65 mothers and 28 fathers were
seen in our parenting-support groups in 2009/10.
P.A.I – Participation, Friendship, Positive Influence
program; we offer Portuguese-speaking fathers a group
counselling program focusing on creating positive
interaction with their children. Participants discuss
parenting challenges, including: building and maintaining healthy relationships with their children; creating healthy families; and using positive discipline.
Stress management, the impact of violence on children
and the impact of stereotyping on relationships are also
explored.
Our Strengthening Families for the Future 14-week program is for families who are at risk or are dealing with
mental illness or addiction. We help them strengthen
family connections and build life resiliency skills. It is a
partnership with The Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health, The Child Development Institute, St. Christopher House, and Portuguese Mental Health and Addictions.
We believe people are employable
Our Employ-Link program helps City of Toronto Employment and Social Services clients become job ready
and employable. Through one-on-one employment
counselling, ongoing support and coaching provided
by our professional team of Job Developers, clients are
assisted through their journey.
Employ-Link emphasizes job development and tailors
job placement activities to the needs of individuals. We
offer workshops about life skills and personality dimensions and conduct mock interviews with clients, to prepare them for job interviews.
As part of this program we actively market to employers to locate job employment placement opportunities
and to maintain up-to-date labour market information
and research.
Employ-Link began in January 2010 through funding
from City of Toronto Employment and Social Services.
The program was modelled after the successful Employ-Link for Newcomers, which ran for four (4) years
and helped 85% of its participants land jobs.
19 years helping the community grow
“To my friends at Abrigo Centre, my Guardian Angel!!!
combines professionalism, ethics, and concern for humankind in one... a fantastic person.
Thank you for all the support that I had at Abrigo Centre
since I arrived in Toronto. And the most interesting thing is
that I arrived at this location, mostly by chance, not knowing exactly why or what I was looking for. That was when I
met a wonderful and very attentive person named Valéria
Sales. She facilitated the Newcomers orientation. There we
discussed many things, including the benefits I had the right
to receive from the government as I had children and reside
here in Toronto. She helped me to fill out forms and recalculate my income tax, as there was an error made by the bookkeeper. After all the forms were completed and corrections
done, everything was recalculated and retroactive amounts
were paid to me. Aside from the form filling and advocacy
work, she gave me various information including women’s
and children’s rights. She even assisted me in dealing with
the problems I was having with a teacher in my daughter’s
school. After all this, I joined the First Steps Program, where
I had the opportunity to participate in groups and make new
friends.
Afterward, by virtue of some problems that were happening
in my marriage, I then met with Cidalia Pereira, she became
my counsellor. She is a person of great understanding, who
has guided me in everything that I had to deal with, including the process of separation, dealing with the bureaucracy,
and with psychological impacts this had. She concerned
herself with helping me stay strong during the whole time to
overcome all the problems that were coming up during that
period. She escorted me to apply for Legal Aid. She assisted
with the application to welfare and with other applications
for assistance to the government, like daycare subsidy.
When I arrived at Abrigo Centre, I had no idea of the infinite
dimensions of the services that were provided by them. But
what made more of an impression is that beside the competencies of the staff, is the way in which they deal with
human beings. I do not know what would have become of
me and many other immigrants here in this city without the
help of Abrigo Centre and its staff, who little by little turn into
friends. A big hug to everyone … and thank you”
I then met Marleide Feitosa from the Employ-Link Program.
She helped me search for my first job. She is a person who
Our funding partners:
• City of Toronto
• Ministry of the Attorney General
• Ministry of Children & Youth Services
• Ministry of Community & Social Services
Maria
•
•
•
•
Ministry of Health Promotion
Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities
Direcção Regional das Comunidades, Açores
United Way of Greater Toronto
This year we have helped more than 4,500 people
We work with people on finding careers
Our new Employ-Link program assists clients in finding suitable employment and long term careers, through workshops
and one-on-one counselling. We support and coach clients
throughout their employment search.
We help people learn to make healthy choices
in their relationships
Our Partner Abuse Response (PAR) program provides group
counselling to individuals who have been ordered by the
justice system to attend. In a group setting, we give participants the opportunity to learn about the effects of their abusive behaviour on their partners, their children, themselves
and on our communities.
We encourage individuals, couples and families
to live to their fullest potential
Our Family Support services helps individuals, couples and
families with issues impacting their emotional health and
well being. We assist families with such issues as depression,
marital difficulties, intergenerational conflict, experiences of
trauma, and difficult life transitions.
We assist women and children to be safe from violence
Violence against Women program; we offer crisis services to
assaulted women and their children. This includes access to
shelters and a safety plan. We provide individual and group
counselling to women and family counselling to children
with their mothers.
We connect people with their communities
Under the umbrella of our Community Development and
Integration Program, we offer information services for newcomers, assistance in accessing government programs, and
information and referral sources.
We provide a safe place for youth
We offer a drop-in center for youth, which delivers a variety
of services to expand young people’s perspectives on healthy
relationships. Some services include: employment, information and referral, individual counselling, addictions and
mental health counselling, housing, and various life skills
services.
Thanks to Abrigo Centre funders, donors and grants, as they have provided
the opportunity for Abrigo Centre to provide many of its services free of charge.
We offer a safe drop-in place for youth:
Dufferin Mall Youth Services (DMYS) program; we offer a safe and respectful place for
youth. During the two years Abrigo Centre
has been running the program, we actively
develop programming in a safe and respectful environment where all youth can feel “at
home”.
We welcome youth to access support with
education, housing, employment, relationship concerns, and to participate in group
activities and positively connect with peers.
Programs include: newcomer groups to support youth who are new to Canada; a boys
group and a girls group focused on assisting
youth with navigating relationship challenges and celebrating life, and an anger management group and tutoring program. Dance
programming includes an urban movement
By the numbers:
•Approximately 40 youth come to
Abrigo Centre’s Dufferin Mall Youth
Services daily for a safe haven.
•DMYS served more than 685 youth
this year.
youth group that uses artistic expression to
give voice to issues affecting themselves and
their peers. Other DMYS services include
daily nutritional snacks for all youth, international cooking classes to encourage healthy
eating and cross-cultural understanding; a
gardening project where youth are growing their own healthy vegetables; and
an annual cross-cultural exchange with
peers from other provinces across Canada.
DMYS is a unique youth program
based on a collaborative model
that was the first of its kind in North
America. Programming is created
collaboratively with the youth and
with DMYS partner organizations
who provide onsite professional
resources. Our youth services are
made possible through our successful and active partnership with the following services; Arrabon House, Catholic Children’s Aid Society, Centre
for Addictions and Mental Health,
Children’s Aid Society of Toronto,
City of Toronto Public Health and
Dufferin Mall Management (Primaris Retail REIT). Abrigo Centre
has been running the DMYS program for two years.
In our client’s words…
Dufferin Mall Youth Services is a place for comfort, a
place to relax. It’s a place to be you, a place to find help.
It’s somewhere to go when you can’t go anywhere else.
It’s more than a hang out. DMYS is like a second home.
The people at DMYS are more than just counsellors.
They’re like a second family. They accept us for who we
are, no matter our race, religion or sexuality.
DMYS has helped me out since 2007. It is now 2010this shows that they are always there. When DMYS
almost closed down, my friends and I didn’t know
what to do. We love Abrigo for helping DMYS. ‘Cause
there’s no place like this that I’d rather be in’. DMYS
is special…Not only to me, but everyone else who
has stepped inside. There’s not one bad thing I can say
about DMYS…
DMYS is my home away from home. DMYS is a place
that is loved. Words can’t describe how wonderful it is
here.
Samantha
m i l e s t o n e s
Abrigo Centre celebrates 20 years in September 2010
During 19 years, Abrigo Centre has grown from an organization helping women who have experienced
abuse to one that helps everyone in the neighbourhood – from youth to seniors.
1990
•Open its doors to its first client.
Located at 1139 College Street.
There were four full-time staff. It
was known as Abrigo Centre for
Victims of Family Violence Inc.
•Holds its first annual Christmas
Drive and assisted 25 families
1992
•Becomes official federally recognized charity
•Establishes partnership with St.
Mary’s Secondary School, and delivers its first workshop on healthy
relationships to students
•Establishes Multilingual Access
to Social Assistance Program
1994
•Collaborates with Chinese Family Life, COSTI and Family Service
Association of Toronto to address
services for perpetrators of abuse
against their female partners
•Develops Youth Program services
1993
•Becomes member agency of
United Way
•Expands services to include
counselling for youth and served
over 100 youth
•Becomes founding member of
Dufferin Mall Youth Services, an innovative drop-in centre for neighbourhood youth
“As a founding member of Dufferin Mall Youth Services, we saw
the value in youth outreach to
local schools. It has an innovative approach to delivering youth
services, and has been successful
with counselling and supporting
youth and their families. This collaborative and participatory partnership works.”
Ana Marques
Administration & Finance
M.I.T /PAR Program Manager
•Receives funding from Ministry
of Community and Social Services
(Province of Ontario) to expand
counselling services to Portuguesespeaking communities, establishing Family Support Services Program
Not” children’s program, part of the
Family Support Services Program
1996
•Collaborates with Catholic Children’s Aid Society to improve CCAS
access to Abrigo Centre services
•Expands offices at 1139 College
Street to accommodate growth of
staff and new programming
•Establishes collaboration with
St. Christopher House to co-lead
groups for women
1995
•Establishes collaboration and
trusteeship with Toronto Catholic
School Board to provide the Pais e
Filhos Program. A program aimed
at providing advocacy and education to school-aged children
•Establishes partnership with City
of Toronto Public Health and St.
Christopher House for “Ready or
•Establishes a collaboration with
Pope Paul Elementary School, further developing workshops on
healthy relationships for children
•Creates the Homens em Transicão Program, which later becomes known as the Partner Assault
Response Program
1997
•Partners with nine other Toronto
agencies to found the officially rec-
2001
•Along with Child Development
Institute, providing program for
children who witnessed domestic
violence
•Establishes collaboration with
Direcção Regional das Comunidades, Açores by participating in
the first international conference of
social services
ognized Ministry of the Attorney
General roster of Partner Assault
Response Program, which is recognized by the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto
ing Company and IBM to provide
“Techknow Kids” Program, introducing young people to education
software
•Starts employment program, with
the name Targeted Wage Subsidy
Program
•Moves to new location on ground
floor of Dufferin Mall, becoming
more accessible to clients
•Officially adopts
Abrigo Centre
the
1999
name
1998
•Collaborates with Bishop Romero Secondary School and begins to
offer in-school workshops to students on healthy relationships
•Takes trusteeship of Dufferin
Mall Youth Services
•Starts “Success by Six” group
services under Family Support
Services Program to reach caregivers with children under the age of
six. Funded by the United Way
and a collaborative venture between Abrigo Centre, St. Christopher House and College Montrose
Children’s Place
•In collaboration with St. Anthony’s Catholic School, The Learn-
“By moving to the Dufferin Mall,
we reached out to our clients by
providing them with an accessible, community friendly location
to connect with support services.
The move has also helped us to
develop our relationships and collaborative working partnerships
with businesses and other social
service agencies located in the
Dufferin Mall .”
Paula De Jesus
Counselling Programs Manager
2000
•Establishes Settlement and Post
Settlement Program
•Expands Partner Assault Response Program to deliver groups
for English-speaking men, as well
as for existing Portuguese-speaking
individuals
2002
•Renames Settlement and Post
Settlement Program as Community Development and Integration
Program, to provide outreach and
comprehensive settlement services
to Angolan and Brazilian communities
2003
•Hosts second annual International Conference for Social Services,
sponsored by the Direcção Regional das Comunidades, Açores
“The introduction of these programs was the start of an expansion for Abrigo Centre that continues to challenge us in many
positive ways. Our target group
and client base have grown significantly thus providing the community with varied much needed
services .”
Maria Jose Levy
CDIP Programs Manager
2009
•Starts after-school programming
for youth at Dufferin Mall Youth
Services thanks to funding by the
Ministry of Health Promotion
(Province of Ontario)
2004
2008
•Establishes collaboration with
Direcção Regional das Comunidades, Açores and organizes the
Saudades dos Açores Program.
A program designed to facilitate
Azorean seniors in traveling back
to their homeland of Açores and
reconnecting with their roots after
many years of being abroad
•Re-opens Dufferin Mall Youth
Services (DMYS) and takes full responsibility for the drop-in youth
centre two months after it closed its
doors in July 2008
•Secures ongoing funding from
Direcção Regional das Comunidades, Açores to co-ordinate the
Saudades dos Açores Program from
Canada
2010
•Launches new employment programming with the City of Toronto
•Raises record $38,500 at second
annual Grand Carnival Ball
2006
•Establishes EmployLink for Newcomers, to deliver job developing
services to people new to Canada
2007
•In conjunction with Catholic
Children’s Aid Society, begins serving Portuguese Speaking fathers
through the P.A.I. - Participation,
Friendship, Positive Influence
“I remember when we attended an Open House for a local branch office for
the City of Toronto Employment Social Services. Upon our arrival, we introduced ourselves and our agency. Many of their office staff and other partners
there congratulated us on the success of our program, as well as our outstanding work ethic. Their feedback included talking about how we go the
extra mile for our clients, from assisting them with their job search, to providing them with snacks when attending workshops. It really showed our clients
value and contributed to their overall success. Receiving such a compliment
brought great value to our own staff and really showed us how our hard work
did not go unnoticed. It reinforced the program’s objective of remaining clientfocused, to assist people with meeting their own goals and gainful meaningful
employment”
Ricarda Ventura
Employ-Link Program Manager
•After two decades of dedication
and service, Ed Graca steps down
as Executive Director.
Cristina
Santos is announced as new
Executive Director
2009-2010 Staff:
António Amaro
Paul Basgan
Neno Caídio
Angie Cole
Diana da Costa Correia
Lina Costa
Marleide Feitosa
Rosane Fernandes
Anabelle Gonçalves
Ed Graça
Paula de Jesus
Shani Kipang
Maria José Levy
Mario Lourenço
Ana Machado
Ana Marques
Susana Marquês
Hugo Mestre
Cidália Pereira
Valéria Sales
Anderson Salvador
Cristina Santos
Marília dos Santos
Yemi Thomas
Ricarda Ventura
Volunteers 2009-2010
Ademar Lopes, Alesandra Souza, Almerinda Amaral,
Ana Luisa Sales, Andrea de Almeida, Andrew da
Silva, Aria Supervile, Ashley Chu, Barbara Oliveira,
Brittany Marie Fernandes, Camila Almeida, Carlos de
Sousa, Catia Amara, Catia Maia, Celia Simoes, Chantel
Amaral, Christina Sebastiao, Cirlene Silva, Clementina
Pereira, Daniel Jorge, Daniela Pacheco, Dina Guarda,
Domingos Lopes, Donna Cowan, Donzilia Veiga,
Doroteia Amaral, Eli Marques Azevedo, Elizabeth
Martinez, Elizabeth Menezes, Elizabeth Pereira,
Emanuel de Melo, Enir Bassani, Fabiano Sales, Fabio
Eymael, Fabio Tavares, Francisca Rangel, Graca Victor,
Grace Levy, Gregory Donovan, Helen Resendes, Irma
Grilo, Jaymini Wickramasinghe, Jennifer Humphries,
Jilisa Mitchell, Jordan Santos-Sparrow, Jose Medeiros,
Jose Nieves, Joshua Gomes, Julie da Silva, Kamilah
Khelili, Kevin Perry, Kristel Mitchell, Lauren Morettin,
Lena Barreto, Lidia Lourenco, Lisa Jacek, Lucas Hunter,
Luis Miranda, Maria das Gracas Conzaga, Maria
Eduarda Soares, Manuel Almeida, Marcos de Oliveira,
Maria da Graca Correia Victor, Maria Fernando
Conduto, Maria Sofia Goudinho, Mariana Reis, Marilei
Gregorio, Marina Campos, Marinela Fonseca, Mario
Lourenco, Marisela Umana, Mark Goncalves, Michael
Cesar, Nadiejda Santos, Naly Lima, Nancy Chaves,
Natalie Araujo, Nelson Correia, Neusa Costa, Nicky
Miguel, Odair de Oliveira, Ofelia Isabel, Patricia
Menezes, Patricia Grilo, Paula da Paz, Paulo Nogueira,
Priscella Millwood, Raquel Correa, Richard Silveira,
Rick Phillip, Robert Lyttle, Rosangela Moracci, Saivon
Jenkins, Samantha Cruz, Sara Gomes, Shane LaTouche,
Shaneka Kelsow, Shaquille Willis, Sharifah Mabayeke,
Sinara de Oliveira, Solange Souza, Stephen Savon, T.J
Baldwin, Tania Nunes Oliveira, Tanysha Benjamin,
Teddy B. Samuels, Teresa Correia, Teri-Lynn Michelle
Gaudaur, Venilde Ferreira
Your generosity helped Abrigo Centre improve 4,500 people’s lives
Our Funding Partners:
•City of Toronto
•Ministry of the Attorney General
•Ministry of Children & Youth Services
•Ministry of Community & Social Services
•Ministry of Health Promotion
•Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges
and Universities
•Direcção Regional das Comunidades,
Açores
•United Way of Greater Toronto
Financial Sponsors and In Kind Donations:
Able Transport Ltd., Alberto-Culver Canada Inc., Angela Martella, Banco Santander Totta, Barbara Oliveira,
Benefit Cosmetics, Brasil News, Brasil Remittance, Brazil Bakery and Pastry Inc., Bulger Dentistry Professional,
Canada Pure, Cardinal Funeral Homes Ltd., Carlos Lourenco, Cataplana Restaurant,
Centennial Chiropractic & Rehabilitation, Chiado Fine Dining, CHIN Radio, Cidalia Pereira,
CIRV Radio International/FPTV, Corpap Inc., Correia Aluminum, Councillor Adam Giambrone, Cynthia Pilgrim,
Dixie Ford Sales Ltd., Dr. Jose Silveira, Dr. Renato Harari Dental Clinic, Dr. Susan da Cruz & Associates,
Dr. Tomás Ferreira, Drywall Acoustics Lathing & Insulation Local 675, Carpenters Local 27, Dufferin Mall,
Elementary Teachers of Toronto, Elisete Bettencourt, Emanuel de Melo, En Vogue Salon & Spa, Ferrero Rocher,
Flow 93.5, Fortuna Optical, Fossil, Insurance Shuttle Services, Joe’s No Frills, Judy Black, Karen’s Fine Jewellers,
KCs Hats, Lena Barreto, Lisa Jacek, Lisbon by Night, Louro Jewellers, Louise Galego, Lula Lounge,
Macedo Wine Grapes Juice Ltd., Manata Jewellery, Mansfield Ski Club, Marca College Hair & Esthetics,
Mastermind Toys, Melo’s Foods, Melo Immigration & Paralegal Services, Mouro, Frank & Associates,
New Casa Abril em Portugal, Norine Nathanson, Ofelia Isabel , OMNI Diversity Television,
Ontario Provincial District Council L.I.U.N.A, Portuguese Cheese Co., Post Milenio, RBC Royal Bank,
Rouly Antonpoulos, Royal Doulton Canada, Rui Pimentel, Scotiabank, Seraphic Massage Therapy,
Target Drywall & Acoustics, TD Canada Trust, The Body Shop, Trican Masonry Contractors Inc.,
Unicer Food Ltd., VC Jewellery, Viper Team Tech Support/Graphic Design, William Etzkorn, Wine Rack
Grand
Carnival
Ball 2010
Glamour met with big hearts at the 2nd annual Grand
Carnival Ball, proving that a night of festivities can make
profound impact on the lives of those served at Abrigo
Centre.
With more than 350 people in attendance, the event was
held on February 27, 2010 at Renaissance by the Creek
Convention Centre. In addition to our emcee, comedian
Elvira Kurt, the evening was lit up with featured performances
by the 2008 National Rhythm Champions, Cynthia Pilgrim
and Carlos Lourenco, the Samba Connection Dancers and
live music by Symp@tia Band.
This year’s ball raised a record $38,500. The funds will help
us assist more than 4,500 Abrigo Centre clients.
On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Staff of Abrigo
Centre, thank you to everyone who assisted in making the
event a success.