The $50 million Strong Start, Great Future Capital Campaign is our promise to bring essential services, opportunity, and community to more people by building more Ys across the GTA.
Too many people in the GTA are being held back by barriers that are impossible to overcome on their own.
Mental health is suffering, children and youth are “socially malnourished” after years of lockdowns and physical distancing, there aren’t enough child care spots to go around – these challenges and more are taking a toll on people’s health, well-being, and prospects for the future.
As the King-Spadina neighbourhood ballooned, growing thirty-fold since 1996, the City of Toronto identified a shortage of healthy infrastructure to support this dense community.
The new McDonald Family Y will help fill this gap, co-locating relevant programs for easy access all under one roof.
The Y delivers essential services, from licensed child care to employment services, shelters for unhoused youth, camps, and more. But many of these programs can't happen without a safe, brick-and-mortar place. After all, there’s no such thing as virtual child care. Unhoused youth need somewhere to sleep. Kids can’t learn to swim on their iPads. When we build a new YMCA, it means more people in more neighbourhoods can access these essential services they need to thrive.
When you give to help bring a YMCA to a new neighbourhood, you open access to these essential services…
YMCA Teen Night is a free weekly drop-in program that provides youth aged 13–18 with access to YMCA Health and Fitness Centres. The need: Many youth in our communities are facing systemic barriers, from racism to low income, disengagement, and a lack of opportunities for physical activity. Many cannot afford the for-profit activities that give youth from wealthier neighbourhoods friendships, community, and healthy ways to spend their free time. How the Y helps: 50% of our Teen Night participants come from lower income households. When they come to Teen Night, they get active, meet positive role models, make new friends, volunteer, and more, ultimately discovering the sense of community and inclusion they might otherwise find in gang membership and participation in risky behaviours, such as substance use.
Programming Each YMCA has a Teen Council comprised of young leaders who work with YMCA staff and volunteers to develop and deliver Teen Night programming based on the needs and interests of youth in their local community. Some of the opportunities they have offered to date include:
The YMCA Youth Leadership Development (YLD) program is a free, structured, weekly program designed to help young people reach their true potential. The need: The last three years brought unprecedented layoffs, job insecurity, and financial struggle. Even pre-pandemic, a precarious labour market was keeping many skilled, educated people in low-paying, unstable jobs. How the Y helps: In YLD, youth build the skills they need to succeed in school, work, and life; grow a network of friends and adult allies; and find a sense of community and belonging.
Programming Programming is tailored to participants’ needs and can include:
Free Newcomer & Refugee Youth Groups are designed to help newcomer youth and their parents have a positive settlement experience. These groups provide safe, supportive, and fun environments where youth can meet new people, build new skills, and get involved in their new community. The need: Youth often face multiple barriers upon arrival in Canada after fleeing war, violence, and other challenging circumstances. Over 60% of youth in our newcomer groups, and even more young people in our refugee groups, describe their household incomes as low or low-to-middle. How the Y helps: Our groups tailored for newcomer and refugee youth help them improve language skills, build social networks, get involved in the community, and support their overall settlement journey.
Programming Programming can include:
You can make a real difference in your community by donating to the Strong Start, Great Future Capital Campaign.
Make your donation online, or contact Tony diCosmo, Vice President, Campaign Giving to discuss your gift:
Tony.diCosmo@YMCAGTA.ORG
416-305-2792
$5,000,000-$9,999,999 David Braley Charitable Foundation
$3,000,000-$4,999,999 Jenifer & Steve McDonald Daphne Wagner, David Green, and Michael & Lita Green
$2,000,000-$2,999,999 Michael Cooper & Krystal Koo Anonymous (1)
$1,000,000-$1,999,999 BMO Financial Group Martine M. Irman Steve & Sally Stavro Family Foundation TD Bank Group
$500,000-$999,999 CIBC Cortel Group Longo Family Foundation Estate of Adrienne Dympna Magennis OPUS Homes Scotiabank Toronto Blue Jays — Jays Care Foundation Eric Tripp & Maria Smith Anonymous (1)
$250,000-$499,999 Estate of Valerie Brook Nesbitt & Lawlor Family Ontario Trillium Foundation Tim & Pat Penner Helen Sinclair & Paul Cantor TACC Group/De Gasperis Family David & Shelagh Wilson Anonymous (2)
$100,000-$249,999 Paul Bailey Brampton Brick Limited Janet & Bryan Dawson Deloitte Fleet Complete Barry & Laurie Green Family Charitable Trust Gucciardi Family Kinross Gold Corporation Paul & Elizabeth Langill Jon & Nancy Love Ann & Medhat Mahdy Steven & Sharon Ranson Chris Shepherd Diane & Rick Sinhuber David & Michelle Skurka TD Securities Underwriting Hope Foundation in honour of Martine Irman The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company Anonymous (4)
$50,000-$99,999 Bolton Railings Inc. The Brain Family Katherine Cochrane-Brink & Paul Brink Employees of Miller Thomson LLP Roger & Kevin Garland Giovanni & Concetta Guglietti Family The Haynes-Connell Foundation Lynn & Ewout Heersink Moti Jungreis Henry Labatte Luca & Loren Lettieri LiUNA Local 183 LiUNA Ontario Provincial District Council Robert & Patricia Lord Rob Moubarak — Sutherland Law Steve & Sue Murphy Power Corporation of Canada Margot L. Ritchie The Jacqueline Rosevear Fund SigNature Communities, Andiel Homes & Plaza Corp The Henry White Kinnear Foundation Anonymous (2)
$25,000-$49,999 Aberdeen Asset Management Charitable Foundation Michael Adams Aird & Berlis LLP Jennifer Babe Rich & Nancy Bailey The Harold E. Ballard Foundation Andre Craig & Family Anne & Ron Fawcett Four Point Financial Corporation Graywood Developments Patrick Hodgson Family Foundation Melanie Laflamme Irene Markus Wendy & Chris McDowall Judy McLeod Mosaik Homes Onex Carl, Julie, Scott & Haley Oxholm Reliance Home Comfort Sheena Macdonald & Phil Schmitt Mark & Jody Shulgan Brian Valvasori Wenda Yenson & Ken Hurdle
$10,000-$24,999 Altas Partners Katherine M. E. Alyea Renee Beneteau The Bitove Foundation Cavendish Farms Corporation The Chee-Wong Family Dr. Gordon J. Chong Linda Cottes & Family Desjardins Estate of Amy Mary Downs Sakina Fazel Sharon, Paul & Carlyn Ferriss Diane Flanagan Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. David & Judy Galloway General Electric Canada Goldman Sachs Gives Jack & Linda Goodwin Mickey & Janet Jawa Ali Kashani Eve Lewis & Woodcliffe Landmark Properties — In memory of David Layton Leanne & George Lewis James P. Long Rahima Mamdani Mansteel Rebar Ltd. Masters Insurance Ltd. MNP LLP Ontario Realtors Care Foundation Dean L. Prevost George & Ann Rodger Debbie & Glenn Sevenpifer Manjit K. Sharma Rania Shuggi Jeff & Leah Snowden Soil Engineers Ltd M. Spears Earl Stuart Trevor & Judie Thom Toromont Industries Jeff Watchorn Vicki White & Damien Cox Leslie E. Woo Tom & Ruth Woods Anonymous (1)
$5,000-$9,999 Sam Balsamo Komal Bhasin Kaye Bland David G. Broadhurst The Brookfield Foundation Chum Charitable Foundation Vilma Cortellucci-Fiuza Don Cranston Michelle Digulla Enterprise Canada Sid Finkelstein Dr. Erica Fischer & Mr. David Harrison Dilprit & Rajbinder Grewal Scott Henshaw Highland Farms Inc. Darlene Holowachuk Jauernig Family Sandra & John Kalpouzos Lenczner Slaght LLP John Macfarlane Don & Susan McCreesh David McCullum Etienne Middleton Margaret & Rhiannon O’Brien Rogers Communications Margaret Taylor-Sevier Zobeiry Family Anonymous (1)
We continue to accept gifts to our Strong Start, Great Future Capital Campaign and are grateful to all of our donors who have given since this list was compiled on March 31, 2022.
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