900 Dufferin St., Suite 104Toronto, Ontario M6H 4A9

Tel: 416-534-3434Fax: 416-534-8026

info@abrigo.cawww.abrigo.ca

Changing to meet your needs

Annual ReportApril 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011

United WayGreater Toronto

Member Agency

Abrigo Centre gratefully acknowledges the contributions of our program funders and individual donors.

•City of Toronto – Community Service Partnerships

•City of Toronto – Employment & Social Services

•Direcção Regional das Comunidades, Açores

•Ministry of Children and Youth Services

•Ministry of Community & Social Services

•Ministry of Health, Promotion and Sport

•Ministry of the Attorney General

•Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

•Service Canada

•The Ontario Trillium Foundation

•United Way of Greater Toronto

Accountpro Systems Inc., Alberto Culver, Allwood Carpentry Manufacturing, Ana Paula Lopes, Arnold Santos, Banco Santander Totta, Barbara Oliveira, Brazil Bakery, Brisa do Liz Bakery, Carpenters District Council of Ontario, Chiado Fine Dining, CHIN Radio, Churrasqueira Do Sardinha Inc., Cidalia Pereira, CIRV Radio International/FPTV, Corpap Inc., Costco, Daniel Correia, Daniela Pacheco, David Pearson, David Rendeiro, Doce Mel Bakery, Doce Minho Bakery, and Pastry, Dr. Susan da Cruz & Associates, Dr. William Etzkorn, Du�erin Mall, Dundas Portuguese Bakery, Edward Jones, Elmwood Spa, En Vogue Salon & Spa, Fernando Costa, Frank Antunes, Friends of Du�erin Park, Gillian Johnston, Gisel Bettencourt, Gregory Donovan, Hildebrando Silva, J.M.C.C., Jack’s Bakery, Jade Acoustics, Joe Nunes, Joe’s No Frills, Karen Baker, Floral Design & Event Planning, Karen’s Fine Jewellery, Kevin Perry, Lindt & Sprüngli (Canada) Inc., Lisbon by Night, Lusitania Supermarket Ltd., MacDonald’s Du�erin Mall, Manata Jewellery, Mans�eld Ski Club, Maplehurst Bakery, Marbles of Portugal, Marca College of Hair & Esthetics, Maria Helena Monteiro, Maria Salome Alves Silveira & Jose Dias da Silveira (In honour of ), Marinela Fonseca, Mario Silva, MP, Mastermind Toys, New Casa Abril em Portugal, Nova Era Bakery, Ofelia Isabel, OMNI Diversity Television, Praia Mira Bakery, Royal Doulton Canada, Scholastic Canada, Scotiabank, Seraphic Massage Therapy, Shaw Festival, TD Bank, Tom’s Place, Universal Workers Union Local 183, Valeria Sales, Venezia Bakery, Viper Team Tech Support & Graphic Design, William Ashley China, Wine Rack, Winners, Zellers Galleria Mall

Our Funding PartnersA big thank you goes out to our Financial Sponsors and In Kind Donations

United WayGreater Toronto

Member Agency

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List of Board Members (April 1, 2010 – March 31, 2011)

Kevin Perry, ChairDonna Cowan, Vice ChairBarbara OliveiraDaniela PachecoGregory DonovanJennifer Humphries

José MedeirosJosé C. NievesLisa JacekMarinela FonsecaOfelia IsabelTeresa Correia

Mission Statement

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.

Vision

We want to see our collaborative e�orts result in socially integrated and empowered individuals, families and communities.

Strategic Priorities

1. Towards 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. Towards increasing community relevance, we will be…•Creating/stimulating dialogue on emerging needs•Clarifying, revisiting, and communicating our priorities•Engaging stakeholders in necessary changes

Report from the Chairperson

Abrigo Centre continued to serve a vital role in the com-munity. After 20 years of helping individuals and families achieve their full potential the need for Abrigo Centre’s services continues to grow.

We continue to see an increase in the number of people that feel the impact of tough economic times. From youth to seniors, Abrigo Centre provides client centred services that are supportive and e�ective. Abrigo Centre has man-aged funding pressures and program mandate changes with partners and community input. Our EmployLink pro-gram has been successful in helping Ontario Works clients facilitate long-and-short-term employment goals. Abrigo Centre’s Grand Carnival Gala continues to raise much needed funds for our vital programs.

Throughout the year Abrigo Centre sta� and volunteers have grown to service a diverse community. We would like to thank our sta�, volunteers, individual donors and funders for contributing so much to the success of so many of our service users.

Kevin Perry Chairperson

Abrigo Centre has recently achieved an important milestone having served the community with passion and caring for two decades! Our 20th anniversary celebration at Du�erin Grove Park was great fun with multi-cultural family entertainment, cotton candy, hot dogs, and Portuguese sweets. Over 500 people were in attendance for the unveiling of our new logo and the welcoming of our next decade of service to the community. There could be no better way to celebrate our 20th anniversary than to be assured that we are helping our communities achieve their greatest potential.

Not only have we continued to deliver our signature services at the level of ‘excellence’ but we also achieved some new programming during this very successful year of 2010-2011. Our board, sta� and volunteers con-tinued to demonstrate their commitment to making this organization even better. With �nancial support from Service Canada this past year, we hired a Researcher to conduct an independent and thorough evalu-ation of our programs. We learned a great deal throughout the process and were pleased with the fact that we achieved an outcome success rate of 95%.

We enhanced our services to both seniors and youth with additional funding this past year. As a result of a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, we were able to recruit a signi�cant number of senior volun-

Report from the Executive Directorteers who helped us develop a new program providing an array of social activities bene�ting a core group of 60 older adults. The Ministry of Health Promotion funded the development and im-plementation of a new leadership program for youth focusing on issues surrounding alcohol, substance abuse and mental health. We are very excited by the drama and video presentations that these students are releasing later this year.

Surprisingly perhaps, our successes were not just at home. We also worked hand in hand with the Portuguese government. We worked in partnership with the Portuguese Consulate provid-ing services and workshops to the Toronto community. We also worked in partnership with the Portuguese Azorean government in the coordination of the “Saudades dos Acores” program where we have helped over 50 seniors make their �rst trip back to the Azores since they arrived in Canada. We formally presented at the 6th International Social Services Conference of the Azorean Government in Sao Miguel, Portugal.

All these are just a few highlights of our 20th year. Our biggest achievements are in those con�dential moments when our sta� connect with clients and assist them in their individual transfor-mations. Thank you to each of our clients, volunteers, funders, sponsors, donors, board members and sta� for working together to make our community the growing success that it is.

Respectfully,

Cristina Santos Executive Director

Violence Against Women

Abrigo Centre’s priority crisis services are available to assaulted women and their children. This includes access to shelter and ensuring a safety plan. Our Violence Against Women program also provides individual and group counselling, in both Portuguese and English, to women and coun-selling to children with their mothers focusing on strengths and wellbe-ing. We assist with many of the emotional, physical and institutional chal-lenges faced by women and children who experience family violence. Information and access to essential services such as food, shelter, medical services and the legal and judicial system are provided. Emotional sup-port and counselling are provided to enable our clients to achieve per-sonal growth and development. Sensitizing the community to the issue of family violence is a priority for this program with the vision of one day seeing a community free of violence and abuse. This past year, we served 773 women who have been abused.

Supporting Individuals, Couples and Families

Abrigo Centre provides counselling services to individuals, cou-ples and families regarding issues that impact their emotional health and wellbeing. Counsellors assist families with such issues as parenting challenges, intergenerational con�ict, couples coun-selling, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, coping with trauma and di�cult life transitions. Abrigo Centre served a total of 250 individuals by providing them with the support required to navi-gate through their life issues and make informed decisions and changes in their lives. Success by Six is a parenting group o�ered, in Portuguese, to mothers or female caregivers of children age 0-6 years of age. This group, runs for 12 weeks and focuses on how to provide healthy home environments to children during their most vulnerable and most impressionable years. This past year we ran three parenting groups, engaging 55 mothers.

Strengthening Families for the Future

In partnership with the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH), Women’s Habitat, The Four Villages Community Health Centre and St. Christopher House, Abrigo Centre o�ers a 14 week parenting program, Strengthening Families for the Future. The group is for Portuguese speak-ing parents with children aged 7-11 years of age. This prevention program speci�cally addresses issues of mental health and addiction by helping families strengthen family connections, build children’s resiliency and life skills, increase positive and e�ective parenting and improve family com-munication.

Employ-Link

The Employ-Link project assists unemployed individuals currently receiv-ing Ontario Works in securing employment. Clients are referred to us for hands-on assistance in helping them secure employment in their pre-ferred �elds. Our team of Job Developers provides direct links to employ-ers, one-on-one employment counselling and coaching assistance every step of the way for a period of six months. This project is innovative in that it emphasizes job development and job placement activities that are speci�cally tailored to the needs of each individual client. Workshops are also made available to every participant covering topics such as: e�ective resumes and cover letters; understanding the labour market; network-ing; marketing transferable skills; researching job leads and information on speci�c employers; cold calls to perspective employers and mock in-terviews. 171 individuals bene�ted from these services.

Men in Transition - Partner Assault Response Program

Abrigo Centre provides a 16-week group counselling service to men who have been ordered by the justice system to attend. Participants learn how their abusive behaviour a�ects partners, their children, themselves and our communities. The group atmosphere balances respect with ac-countability. 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. All of our participants are provided with an opportunity to take responsibility for their abusive behaviour and make positive sustainable changes in their lives. We also 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 o�ences. In keep-ing with our Violence Against Women Program, the partners of the par-ticipants are contacted throughout the 16 week program and o�ered a variety of services including an invitation to make use of Abrigo Centre counselling services. The PAR program served 192 men and 9 women this year.

P.A.I. – Participation – Friendship – Positive In�uence

The P.A.I. group program is a parenting program for fathers of Portuguese speaking background. The program engages men in considering how they can become more positively involved with their children and invites fathers to discuss their parenting challenges with other fathers. Clients are eligible for this program if they do not have any charges pending and are involved with the Catholic Children’s Aid Society. Topics include Building and Maintaining Healthy Relationships With Your Children; Healthy Families; Positive Discipline; Stress Management; Impact of Violence on Children; Impact of Stereotyping.

Community Development and Integration Program (CDIP)

Newcomers – First StepsCounselling and support is provided individually and in a group setting to newly arrived, Portuguese speaking immigrants and refugees, primarily from Angola and Brazil. Information sessions, referrals & liaison to government programs and community sup-port systems, and self-esteem exercises are provided in an e�ort to assist new members of our society to establish themselves. 118 newcomers were provided with these orientation services last year.

Seniors Assisting SeniorsLast year, a dedicated team of volunteers helped 960 seniors complete retirement forms and other related documents such as applying for drug bene�ts, Canadian citizenship and Canadian passports. They also assist in clarifying issues related to seniors’ rights and obligations. Our Seniors Assisting Seniors volunteers also played a major role during our income tax clinic completing an additional 450 pension income supplement forms.

Free Income tax clinicThe volunteer income tax clinic completed 945 tax returns for low income families and individuals. Our partnership with Revenue Canada continues to �ourish and we look forward to continuing to facilitate this much needed service delivery.

Information and ReferralIn combination with our other programs we provide general community integration services, in both Portuguese and English. This program ben-e�ts individuals who do not have the informal family and social supports and therefore need assistance to access such services as disability pen-sions, housing and employment insurance bene�ts. Our primary focus is to provide assessment, teaching of problem solving skills and facilitate access to basic needs. A total of 2,769 individuals were assisted this past year.

Reaching Out to Youth/ Du�erin Mall Youth Services (DMYS)

We continue to o�er our Youth Outreach Program, which delivers a variety of services that aim to expand young people’s perspectives on healthy relationships. Our youth services are free and con�-dential. Services include: employment, information and referral, leadership and anger management groups, individual counselling, addictions and mental health counselling, housing, and various life skills services. In collaboration with 10 local schools, and community volunteers, Abrigo Centre pro-vided individual consultations and conducted in-class peer-lead workshops and multimedia presenta-tions on topics relevant to emotional well being, mental health and addictions to over 1,500 students.

Last year, we also connected with over 300 youth as a result of our involvement with Du�erin Mall Youth Services (DMYS). DMYS is a unique youth outreach model where programs are created by com-bining forces with other youth serving organizations at a location that is safe and accessible for youth. Our DMYS partners included 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 Du�erin Mall Management (Primaris Retail REIT).

Seniors Recreation ServicesWe are very proud of the seniors’ volunteer workgroup committee who this past year organized and continued to assist in the implementation of the Recreational Program for Portuguese speaking se-niors. Named by its member, the “Life and Hope Group” (Grupo Vida e Esperança). This group started less than 6 months ago, and has grown to over 100 registered members with an average of 45 seniors participating every week. The program includes socializing, �eld trips, information sessions, support groups, exercise and dance including nutrition information and other wellbeing activities such as mas-sage and meditation.

Volunteer ProgramThe community and service recipients have greatly bene�ted from funding received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. This grant has made it possible for us to formalize and expand the recruitment of volunteers and delivery of services. We have recruited 106 new volunteers of which 98 have been providing direct services. This new group of volunteers has infused a tremendous amount of energy and skill into our agency.

Community Development and Integration Program (CDIP)

Volunteers Adriana Abreu, Alessandra Nicholas, Alexandra de Sousa, Altair Silva, Amalia da Rosa, Aman Banwait, Ameris Dias, Ana Beatriz Mogollon, Ana Claudia Bravo, Ana Mogollon, Andre Kidunaga, Andrea Almeida, Andrew da Silva, Annamay, Antonio Melo, Ashley, Ashley Pariag, Axe Capoeira (Brazilian Capoeira), Aztec Dance of Mexico, Barbara Oliveira, Brazil Dance World, Brendan Fernandes, Camila Almeida, Celia Oliveira, Centre Ori Capoeira (Angolan Capoeira), Christianne Da Cruz, Cirlene Silva, Claudette Pereira, Daniela Pacheco, Daniele Fernandes, Dayse Correa, Deepinder Bassi, Dina Guarda, DMYS-Urban Movement Dance Crew, Donna Cowan, Donzilia Veiga, Eduarda Soares, Elisabete Dias, Emilia Camara, Erelys Madruga, Fabiana Spehar, Fabiano Sales, FAMZ, Gary Godinho, Gisely Signoretti, Grace Levy, Gregory Donovan, Ilda Santos, Irma Grillo, Ivone Duarte, Jack Bilo, Jacob Ventura, Jennifer Humphries, Jesse Chrysley, Joao Apolonia, John Esteves, Johnny Righteous, Jordan Santos-Sparrow, Jose Barbosa, Jose Medeiros Barbosa, Jose Medeiros, Jose Melo, Jose Nieves, Junior Perry, Kamilla, Kayla Carreira, Kevin Perry, Lauren Hogan, Leonilde Marques, Lisa Jacek, Luisa Cabral, Lyrical Chemist, Margarete Almeida, Margarida Pedro, Maria Carla Alcantara, Maria Claudina Souza, Maria Fernanda Conduto, Maria Fernanda Couto, Maria Gomes, Maria Isabel Peca, Maria Silva, Maria Teresa Moura, Maria Zelia Tavares, Maria Zelia, Marinela Fonseca, Mario Lourenco, Mateo Barboza, Mateus Almeida, Miko Sobreira, Nadieja Dos Santos, Naly Lima, Neuza Costa, Nuno Cristo, Odair Costa, Ofelia Isabel, Pamela Souza, Patricia Castro, Patricia Dos Santos, Patricia Menezes, Paula da Paz, Priscila Correa, Rancho Folclorico os Camponeses de Toronto, Raquel Teixeira, Richard Castro, Rosa Pontes, Rosalice Vieira, Rosangela Moracci, Rosangela Oliveira, Roseli Pinto, Roseli Santos, Sabrina Eliadis, Samantha Hansch, Sanskriti Arts (Bollywood Performance), Sara Celeste, Sergio Dias, Silvada Furtado, So�a Godinho, So�a Rodriguez-Dos Santos, Sonia Oliveira, Sophie Rodrigues, Stephanie Bento, Steve Sparrow, Taciana Teixeira, Tayna Oliveira, Teresa Correia, Tyrese Machado-Gordon, Venilde Ferreira, Viviane Silva, Viviane Torre

Sta� Alessandra MarquesAna MachadoAna MarquesAnabelle GonçalvesAnderson SalvadorAngie ColeBlair KieleyCidalia PereiraCristina Santos

Diana da Costa CorreiaDiana RodriguesGina BanwaitHugo MestreJulia CalabrettaLina CostaMackenzie KinmondMaria José LevyMarilia Dos Santos

Mario LourencoPamela SnellPaula De JesusRicarda VenturaRosane FernandesSehr AtharShani KipangTeresa EmmanuelValeria Sales

A big thank you to our volunteers for all their contributions

Colour, warmth and energy gathered at the Palais Royale at the 3rd Annual Grand Carnival Gala. On February 26, 2011, about 300 supporters came out on a cold, snowy and windy night to celebrate generosity of spirit.

We enjoyed delectable food, and excellent entertainment that included the Samba Connection Dancers, Aztec dancers, Fernando Tavares quartet and DJ Dynamic Vibe. The event was emceed by Teresa Pavlinek, a renowned comic, writer and actress who, together with fellow artists, presented an excerpt from Women Fully Clothed, a sketch troupe that toured across Canada to sold out audiences.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Sta� of Abrigo Centre we would like to thank everyone who assisted us in making the event a success. Please mark your calendars for the 4th Annual Grand Carnival Gala, on March 3, 2012 at Palais Royale. Check out our website at www.abrigo.ca for more details and to purchase your tickets!

GRANDCARNIVALBALL

GRANDCARNIVALBALL

Staff , clients and supporters celebrating Abrigo Centre’s 20th anniversary. There was food and entertainment at Duff erin Grove Park. A good time was had by all.