2020 / 2021
2020 / 2021
COMING OUT STRONGER
ANNUAL REPORT
We dedicate this annual report to the memory of Sasha Hashi – beloved colleague, friend, sibling, and community member – and to the many lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
YOUR COMMUNITY CENTRE Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, The 519 has been responding to the most urgent needs of our communities. Prioritizing the health and safety of those we serve, our staff mobilized quickly, showing up on the front lines.
ABOUT THE 519 The 519 built a response model that is vital to the health and well-being of our communities, including access to food, hygiene supplies, clothing, and other essential programs and services. We expanded our offerings virtually to continue providing legal clinics, crisis counselling, tax clinics, and support to newcomers and refugees among others. The challenges of the pandemic allowed us to reimagine how we could serve our communities, not just in the Church and Wellesley neighbourhood, but across the city and province. Our commitment to serving 2SLGBTQ+ communities through the pandemic has remained firm. We have shown up. Every single day.
Today, The 519 is more than just the valuable and vibrant hub it has been to communities in Toronto since 1975; we are an army of lovers that takes action, and never stops. We have shown up to ensure that our communities are supported. We continue to advocate for 2SLGBTQ+ human rights. We are a community centre that responds to our communities’ needs in innovative and meaningful ways. We are YOUR community centre.
LEARN MORE AT THE519.ORG 3
This annual report is somewhat different from our usual reports. Rather than offering a glimpse inside the organization and our work, we have instead opted to tell an evolving story of how we faced, managed, and changed in the face of uncertainty. It is a reflection on our work and the ways in which we adapted in circumstances of crisis. It is a testament to the dedication of our staff and the resilience of our communities. It is a stark reminder of the losses we are still grieving and the realities of how inequality and injustice are made even more acute in a public health crisis. Perhaps most importantly, it is our commitment to learning from the last 18 months, building a stronger and more impactful organization, and continuing to fight for the rights of 2SLGBTQ+ communities while committing to the hard work of justice for all marginalized people everywhere. True leadership recognizes that our success as an organization comes from the many people who contribute their time, energy, and labour to the big and small things we do every day. From funders and donors who make the choice to invest in our work, to the countless volunteers who have shown up – even in great uncertainty – to help us deliver the programs and services that our communities rely on. From the members of
our Board of Management who have dedicated countless hours to ensure that the organization has everything it needs to be effective, to our community partners who have worked alongside us to build strength and capacity. And, most significantly, we recognize the work of our staff who have taken the notion of providing frontline services to another level. This, of course, includes our Trans People of Colour Project (TPOC) and Breaking the Ice (BTI) peer teams who have continued providing onsite and in-person outreach to some of the most marginalized of our communities. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when access to our building was limited, our staff served hot takeaway meals on our patio in frigid weather, distributed clothing and harm reduction supplies through our front window, ensured emergency access to inperson counselling and support, developed countless virtual support and engagement options, organized memorials, facilitated access to emergency housing, distributed emergency financial support, kept the building sanitized and safe for everyone, orchestrated pop-up health care and vaccination options, and sat supportively in spaces of great anxiety, sadness, and grief. While we all had our roles to play, showing up was everyone’s job.
The work of The 519 staff has always been essential, and we are deeply grateful to them for their work over this past year. We cannot thank them enough. As we write this, our world still faces great uncertainty in the context of an ever-unfolding public health crisis. Our communities are also calling for accountability and justice as we move forward with the important work we do, requiring that we all engage in the critical work of anti-racism, decolonization, reconciliation, and social justice. The Board of Management and our senior leadership team have made commitments to advancing this work urgently and transparently. We look forward to reporting on this, as well as sharing important work going on within our programs and services and amongst our community-led groups, in our 2022 annual report to the community that we will be releasing in the spring.
LEADERSHIP MESSAGE
LEADERSHIP MESSAGE
AN ARMY OF LOVERS TAKES ACTION
Once again, we offer our deepest gratitude and appreciation for everyone who has contributed to our organization over the past year, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon. In solidarity,
MAURA LAWLESS Executive Director
PAM HRICK Chair, Board of Management
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COVID-19 RESPONSE JUNE 2020 - JUNE 2021
ESSENTIAL SERVICES
4,972 referrals provided by the Front Desk
7,205 clothing items distributed through our clothing window
FOOD SECURITY
60
20+
folks supported through
COVID-19 resources
our Friendly Check-in
developed, including
Program via phone and
housing; medical; mental
health; emotional self-care; caregiver and respite; grief,
57,709 meals (hot and frozen) distributed on site to community members
bereavement, and end-of-
12,814 harm reduction, safer sex, and hygiene supplies
life; parent and caregiver; family, youth, seniors; and refugee and newcomer resources
distributed
71,100
780
meals distributed to other
people signed up for
community organizations in
weekly Frozen Meals
Toronto's Downtown East and
pick-up
the GTA through our Second Harvest partnership
25,000+ grocery and pantry
74,100 lbs of food rescued and repurposed for our communities
items distributed
Top: A volunteer readies meals to be frozen and distributed at our Frozen Meals program. Right: A staff member distributes hygiene, harm reduction, and other supplies at our Takeaway Meals service window.
*All numbers reported are from June 2020 to June 2021, unless specified.
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EARLYON CHILD AND FAMILY CENTRE
5,257 visits by families, caregivers, and children to our virtual programs and services
574
285
people attended various EarlyON workshops
people joined The 519 EarlyON Facebook group (as of July 2021)
90 Glitterbug sessions held with our EarlyON partners across Toronto
1,169
93 families signed up for weekly Frozen Meals pick-up
books, toys, and art and craft kits distributed
Individual Support:
150+ people received AVI case management. These supports include resources and referrals, letters of support for ODSP, OW, housing matters and parole, support with HRTO applications and hearings, as well as justice system navigation such as assisted reporting with police services of experiences of violence, assault, and harassment
people received singlesession, solution-focussed drop-in counselling
600+ clients served through The 519’s general summary and specialty legal clinics
ANTI-VIOLENCE INITIATIVES
360+
ACCESS TO JUSTICE
Group Support:
90
350
people participated in 6 public legal education workshops
134
166
people attended our private Mock Hearing Practice plenary webinars
people registered for our Mock Hearing Program for LGBTQ+ Refugee Claimants
93 people served through the Trans ID Clinic
people received virtual Self-Defense training
Top Right: An EarlyON staff member supports a family during Frozen Meals and craft kits pick-up.
40+ volunteer lawyers supported our Access to Justice services
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LGBTQ+ NEWCOMER SUPPORT*
940 refugees and newcomers received one-on-one settlement support
196
44
people attended Among Friends Refugee Support Program and 2 partnership newcomer forums
people received counselling supports
*Asylum seekers, convention refugees, protected persons, government-assisted refugees, permanent residents, live-in caregivers
202 clients served by 26 volunteers
HOUSING SUPPORT
68 2SLGBTQ+ youth accessed housing support
4
25
settlementrelated workshops conducted (since January 2021)
2SLGBTQ+ youth were placed into housing (including shelters, transitional housing, supportive housing, Rent-Geared-to-Income support, permanent housing, and market rent)
TAX CLINIC 2020 In-person:
Tax Clinic appointment cards and other resources distributed during our meal service
Virtual:
436 inquiries about the Virtual Tax Clinic
170 clients assisted across 148 sessions by 10 volunteers
Trans advocate, organizer, and artist Eva Simone speaks at the Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR) vigil, 2020.
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partnerships created with other housing support service workers and agencies
37 2SLGBTQ+ youth received referrals to other services and agencies, including The 519 Legal Clinic, case management supports, furniture banks, etc.
TRANS PROGRAMMING
311 61 visits to in-person and virtual Cooking with Trans People of Colour (TPOC) weekly drop-in
2 Spirit, trans, and nonbinary folks received support through the Pay It No Mind Fund
107
4
accounts joined us during our virtual Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR) 2020 for 3 hours of programming with the participation of 16 performers and speakers
organizations supported through the Kyle Scanlon Memorial Fund
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A WORSENING CRISIS The 519 has been an active, vibrant, and beloved community centre for over 45 years. Before COVID-19 hit, we welcomed hundreds of thousands of people into our space every year. We delivered dozens of programs, facilitated access to community space, and worked to advance countless advocacy efforts to improve the lives of 2 Spirit, queer, and trans people everywhere. Participation was high, and our building never felt quite big enough to hold everything our community needed and had to offer. We are a space where everyone belongs, and most who come through our doors understand right away that we are unique. At every stage of the COVID-19 crisis, in the face of constantly shifting information and changing public health direction, we have had to make time-sensitive and thoughtful decisions about how to remain present and available to everyone who relies on us.
The impact of COVID-19 on our communities was immediate and devastating. We know that 2 Spirit, queer, and trans people gather strength and security as a collective, and draw safety from numbers. Our communities, many of them already marginalized by poverty and violence, now faced isolation as a result of a shutdown that we barely understood. Daily, we heard from people worried about their housing, access to health services, employment, access to food, immigration status, and most of all, a deep and relentless loneliness. We felt the pain of queer collective life being taken away — the life that reminds us of hope and possibility, that 2 Spirit, queer, and trans people, and their allies are a force for good, for justice, for beauty, and joy too. We were tasked with finding new ways to build connections, under extraordinary circumstances, at a time when our communities needed it most. We were required to show up. And we did.
Below: The 519 ballroom - a usually vibrant and busy part of our building - looks very different in a post-COVID-19 world, prioritizing safe physical distancing for the health and safety of people that interact with the space.
“All are welcome as long as they understand and affirm who we are. The 519 is a place of belonging, where you are treated with respect and honour as a 2 Spirit, queer, or trans person. That's a very important part, the dignity, that’s why the people keep coming back.” – Lisa Duplessis, Director, Community Access and Engagement 8
ESSENTIAL SERVICES Under great urgency, in the first months of the pandemic, we built an emergency response model that served the needs of our communities seven days a week. Wherever possible, we redeployed staff from every department to stand shoulder to shoulder on the front lines, providing much needed access to critical supports and information.
Even during the pandemic, our Front Desk continued to be the first touchpoint for community members and other organizations seeking information and resources. In the past year, our Front Desk received 7,958 calls, and provided 4,972 referrals.
We distributed two hot takeaway meals twice a day, seven days a week, offered emergency clothing and basic hygiene products, and ensured access to harm reduction and safer sex supplies. This was particularly critical given that many community-serving organizations in our local neighbourhood and across the city shut down or stopped providing frontline or in-person services due to limited or no capacity. We kept our phone lines open every day for emergency support and referrals and created onsite access to emergency counselling, settlement, and housing support. Our Front Desk staff spent hours on the phones helping people navigate insecurities and fears while our maintenance team took extreme care to clean and sanitize the building. They redesigned the entire front lobby, changing its layout and erecting plexiglass dividers so that staff and community members accessing emergency support were kept safe. We also developed our Friendly Check-in Program, a reliable, weekly phone call or email from our staff, especially geared towards supporting our most socially isolated participants, like older adults living alone. This program inspired other organizations in our network to set up their own similar initiatives, and many of those who signed up have joined other relevant programs as a result of the initial connection.
“To everyone working at The 519 during COVID-19, thank you so much for the hot meals. I greatly appreciate the food. Keep up the good work you are doing, please stay safe.” – A note of love and appreciation from a community member 9
For our staff working on site, providing services looked different during the pandemic. They were divided from our communities by a computer screen, nonetheless facilitating affirming and essential community spaces.
A NEW GEOGRAPHY Once our emergency response was in place, we turned our attention to reimaging how to effectively run our existing programs and services amidst this new reality. How do we reach our communities again, and more importantly, address increasing isolation and uncertainty? The necessity of going online during numerous COVID-19 shutdowns brought with it big questions about accessibility and tech equity. We knew that many of our participants did not have access to computers, phones, data plans, or reliable internet at home. Many of them were also accessing our virtual services out of non-affirming households. The history and fabric of The 519 was made in the flesh, person to person, community to community, over decades of struggle. How do you translate this onto a screen? The 519 staff worked tirelessly to bring a majority of our key programs to thousands of participants virtually while also maintaining options for those needing more direct in-person supports.
“Were it not for The 519 Trans People of Colour Project (TPOC), I would have no community, none! I hope this program continues. It helps individuals like me who are alienated simply for who we are.” – Participant of The 519 Trans People of Colour Project (TPOC), one of the many critical programs to go virtual during COVID-19
Right: TPOC peers preparing a meal in the Kyle Smith Scanlon Community Kitchen at The 519.
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ANTI-RACISM AND EQUITY WORK Despite the pandemic, we have continued to invest in leadership development at all levels of the organization to advance our commitment to anti-racism and equity initiatives and policies in ways that support the leadership of our communities as well. To lead this important work, we have hired a Director, Strategic Partnership Initiatives to advance these commitments. Over the past year, we have continued to expand the work that is being led by our Trans Engagement Strategy (TES) committee – who continue to develop, shape, and lead our commitment to 2 Spirit, trans, and non-binary staff and communities. It is no secret that 2020 was witness to devastating impacts on Black communities both locally and internationally, as well as Black 2SLGBTQ+ community members. We continue to see this reality today. In response, and following the murder of another Black individual – George Floyd in Minnesota, USA – The 519 Black Collective was formed by the Black staff members at all levels of The 519. The Collective is committed to advancing and amplifying queer Black voices, businesses, and advocacy initiatives. They are working with our senior leadership to dismantle anti-Black racism. As part of our commitment to Black 2 Spirit, queer, and trans communities, we have also hired a number of front line positions that are dedicated to working directly with Black communities, specifically in the areas of our newcomer and settlement and legal supports. As we find ourselves collectively reminded of the devastating reality of countless Indigenous and 2 Spirit lives lost within the residential school system – and as we continue to witness this loss of life in the present day – organizationally, we know that more must be done. The path to reconciliation requires commitment and actively engaging in the practice of decolonization. During Pride Month 2021, we committed to donating 25% of all funds raised to Indigenous and 2 Spirit-led organizations. This amounted to $50,000 dollars. The pandemic has exacerbated the inequities and racism that our Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour communities experience daily. This holds particularly true for our 2 Spirit, trans, and non-binary communities. As we look ahead, we are committed to advancing this work to ensure that we continue to advocate and fight for 2SLGBTQ+ human rights.
In February 2021, The 519 Black Collective launched Black History Month with a statement.
“The 519 Black Collective realizes that it begins with us, each of us, to come together, to see, to be the change we need. To our siblings - Black and Indigenous communities and people of colour; we see you, and we love what we see; a readiness to fight against the injustice we all face.” – Extract from The 519 Black Collective’s statement
READ THE FULL STATEMENT
ACCESS TO JUSTICE Our Access to Justice department - which facilitates access to legal support through general summary advice and specialty clinics - immediately pivoted our in-person model to offer phone-based supports and virtual services. This included developing legal clinics focusing on employment, criminal, immigration & refugee, and family law. The pandemic only deepened the need for our work, as our communities faced job loss, evictions, and barriers to health care amidst an unfolding crisis. We also found ways to move our Trans ID Clinic online, supporting 2 Spirit, trans, and non-binary participants to amend their legal identification documents in the areas of sex designation, gender markers, and name changes. This program was in high demand and it was critical that we found ways to ensure we could continue to offer these services virtually. We know that members of trans communities typically experience extensive barriers to accessing affirming health care and social services. In a public health crisis, this continues to carry grave consequences, and accurate legal identification becomes an increasingly urgent matter.
All told, we were able to move an incredible volume of legal education and support online, all while maintaining basic in-person services where necessary.
600+
350
clients served through general and specialty clinics
people participated in public legal education workshops
6
166
public legal education workshops
individuals received support through the Mock Hearing Program
134
93
individuals received supports through group-based mock hearing webinars
people accessed Trans ID Clinic supports
Below: Various flyers from The 519 Legal Clinic on the community notice board at The 519.
“The pandemic compelled us to reimagine what it means to provide access to justice and legal services to 2SLGBTQ+ communities. We’re now able to serve clients across the province. We have folks from remote communities and smaller towns reaching out for legal advice. If we were a drop-in space only, they wouldn’t be able to do that.” – Justin Khan, Director, Public Interest and Legal Initiatives 12
ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS
LETTERS & STATEMENTS
AN ARMY OF LOVERS Watch Justin Khan’s Interview with CBC News around The 519's response to COVID-19.
CCLA AND THE 519: LETTERS TO THE PM Read our letter about the alarming increase of 2SLGBTQ+ abuse during pandemic.
FOOD SECURITY Food advocacy campaign during April 2021 in support of The 519’s food security initiatives. PAID SICK DAYS Call to action in support of paid sick days for all.
PRIDE VIRTUAL PRIDE 2020 Watch Justin Khan’s interview with Breakfast Television about the impact on pride month amidst a pandemic and anti-Black racism protests. PRIDE 2021 Read “The Future is Queer. The Future is Now,” our 2021 Pride statement.
BLACK LIVES MATTER THE 519 BLACK COLLECTIVE Read the first public-facing statement from The 519 Black Collective. MY BLACKNESS IS Watch The 519's "My Blackness Is" campaign video series.
SAVE THE VILLAGE Read our letter to government officials urging government action required to save Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ Village. INCREASED POLICING DURING LOCKDOWN Read The 519 Legal Clinic's statement and call to action in response to April’s Province-wide changes in policing announcement. ENCAMPMENT EVICTIONS The 519 and Army of Lovers' statement and calls to action Re: encampment eviction and trespass notices announced by the City. HANLAN’S POINT 2021 Read The 519's statement related to the attack on a community member at Hanlan’s Point.
HOUSING FOR ALL Read The 519's statement related to affordable housing for all. Images: A selection of designs from The 519’s advocacy campaigns and social media.
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ANTI-VIOLENCE INITIATIVES (AVI) Well before the COVID-19 crisis threatened our communities, the reality of violence targeting 2SLGBTQ+ communities was shockingly real and apparent. Over the years, we have built programming that responds to violence, offering an array of administrative and legal supports for participants navigating government bureaucracies and the criminal justice system. These include police accompaniments and court support, human rights complaints, and systems navigation. We know that for 2 Spirit, queer, and trans people, violence is not just physical, it is economic and political too. It has the capacity to seep into all facets of our lives. The AVI department also concerns itself with mental health and wellness, understanding that responses to violence, and pathways to healing require a holistic approach. As such we offer mental health counselling as well as immediate crisis and grief counselling alongside referrals to a diverse array of services offered by other organizations and agencies.
Throughout COVID-19, our AVI work continued both in person and online. This was critical, as we saw instances of violence and targeted homophobia and transphobia increase in the first several months of the pandemic. With less people out in the streets and going to and from work, many in our communities were made more vulnerable and exposed. While we continued to offer in-person support including access to computers and phones for virtual appointments, we also established an array of virtual services including court accompaniment, emergency and drop-in counselling, as well as crisis support. Our self-defence instructor began offering online classes and we developed a number of innovative ways to acknowledge collective grief and trauma through virtual healing spaces. “As mental health professionals, staff, and community we saw an absolute decline in mental health. We witnessed so much death and illness in our communities, especially among Black trans women. People’s lives were devastated by unemployment, evictions, and homelessness. It was a postponement of the life that 2 Spirit, queer, and trans people were struggling to build.“ – Kay Mehrizi, Manager, Public Interest and Legal Initiatives
Breaking The Ice (BTI) - a community engagement and outreach program focused on supporting people who use crystal meth in Toronto’s Downtown East - features their logo and colouring activities.
“Thank you so much for being a safe space for queer people, and queer people of colour.” – Words of appreciation from a community member 14
NEWCOMER AND SETTLEMENT PROGRAMS If a person is coming to Canada as a refugee, and has a claim based on persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, they will likely get referred to The 519's Newcomer and Settlement programs, whether through attorneys or word of mouth. While the primary focus is a successful claim, including gathering sufficient evidence and preparing for the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB)'s hearing process, the program also supports broader settlement planning including: schooling, housing, employment, and financial systems navigation (e.g. banking). In addition to offering individualized support, we also focus on community engagement, building pride through programs and events that gives participants a place to bond and find belonging.
Above: A message of appreciation for our staff from our community members.
Moving our settlement work online was no easy feat. We needed to consider the particular vulnerability of refugees and newcomers, many of whom do not have access to technology and/or are not out in the homes they share with others. We continued to ensure that we had staff on site at The 519 to offer emergency support to those who had urgent needs or who could not connect with us virtually. We then set about moving our services online, including building safe and confidential spaces for individualized support and reaching out personally to a roster of thousands of program participants. We found new ways to work virtually - which includes having clients fill forms and sign documents digitally - paired with creating spaces for groups to come together and engage. From conversation circles to peer-based mental health supports, we have cultivated empowering and safe virtual spaces for our refugee and newcomer communities.
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EARLYON AND GLITTERBUG Thousands of families with young children visit our EarlyON program every year. Many among them rely on donations of gift cards, clothes, toys, shared with a dignity difficult to find elsewhere. Dozens of other EarlyON centres look forward to a visit from Glitterbug: our 2SLGBTQ+ EarlyON mobile program that travels across the GTA offering guidance on how to build a gender-affirming space through direct modelling, storytime, and new materials. When COVID-19 hit, there was a lot at stake, a lot to lose at a time when families needed us most. It was particularly challenging to restructure children’s programs for virtual platforms. It took passion and climbing a steep technological learning curve to accomplish it for both our staff and families. Through the dedication and tenacity of EarlyON staff, we produced hundreds of hours of recorded videos and live virtual circle time sessions online. We developed new programming in an effort to engage with diverse families more intentionally, including offering African diaspora and Indigenous storytelling, Japanese story and circle time, and Rhythm 'N' Rhyme sessions in Mandarin
and Cantonese. Recognizing the accessibility gaps, we developed an iPad lending library, and distributed craft kits, books, clothing, and frozen meals in addition, so that more families could join in. We also developed phone support and referrals for parents and caregivers who were struggling with isolation and without the regular support systems they had come to rely on pre-COVID-19. This included working with a network of other organizations and partners to ensure that our most marginalized parents and caregivers were not left behind. More recently, we were able to bring some of our previous in-person programming back on site. We took advantage of our splash pad space to welcome our families back through a variety of activities, including, dance, yoga and Tai chi. We had many volunteers reach out and offer to support the program, hoping to do something meaningful and necessary to help support our diverse families. “The 519 has always supported my family ever since I started attending EarlyON programming five years ago when my child was one. During the pandemic, the Frozen Meals program and weekly activities gave us extra strength and energy to survive this tough time.” – Participant, EarlyON programming
The in-person EarlyON programming screening and sign-in area
“How did we want to show up for our families? We needed to do what we loved, so the passion would come through the screen to our families, just like it would in person." – Sharn Peters, Manager, Child and Family Programs 16
COLLABORATION AND LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY VACCINE ENGAGEMENT Our Community Vaccine Engagement project is perhaps the clearest example of how our leadership and initiative within the COVID-19 crisis resulted in the creation of vital services for our communities. More importantly, it has also been an opportunity to both build and reinvigorate relationships with remarkable partner organizations and agencies leading COVID-19 responses within Toronto's Downtown East (DTE) and across the city. As part of a city-wide vaccine engagement push, The 519 is the lead organization among a cluster of 20 other Downtown East health and social service agencies. This committed team is working together to increase confidence in COVID-19 vaccination for diverse residents of Toronto's DTE, as well as finding innovative ways to
foster low-barrier access to vaccination opportunities, information, and clinics. Additionally, the project team is passionate about building cross-organizational relationships and infrastructure that can be quickly mobilized in the future, ensuring that communities have the most effective access to information, and strong, community-based public health infrastructure that outlives the COVID-19 pandemic. “The partnerships that have blossomed, I’m in complete awe. There’s a new sense of collaboration in the sector that is so full of promise. We are not competing for the same grants, but working together, so many brilliant people that see each other and want to make the greatest impact.” – Jaymie Sampa, Director, Strategic Partnership Initiatives
Our staff at Regent Park Community Centre supporting one of our first vaccination clinics.
“Thank you to @The519 for hosting such a wonderful pop-up clinic - I got my second dose and got to be surrounded by my community on what would have been our pride weekend.” – A tweet from a community member
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FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVES While The 519 has always provided access to food for those attending our programs, our experience with COVID-19, and the dire need within our local neighbourhoods around access to food, have changed how we think about our food security work. We offered two hot takeaway meals per day to members of our communities and our local neighbourhood in the first several months of the pandemic, but we knew that we were only scratching the surface of a profound need within our communities. We also knew that coming out twice daily to stand in line for a hot meal was not an accessible option for those living a distance away, or those who have children at home, and/or have compromised health. We heard through a community partner that Second Harvest was looking for help with the distribution of frozen meals to community agencies across the city. We were excited about the prospect of scaling up our food production to support other organizations while creating the necessary infrastructure to pivot our own hot takeaway meals program to a frozen meal option that would allow folks to pick up a week’s worth of food in a single trip. While we still offer a hot meal on Sundays and will continue to provide meals within our in-person programs, we now offer our Frozen Meals pick-up to over 1,200 individuals and families while simultaneously producing
nearly 3,000 meals a week for other organizations across the city to distribute. Through this model, we have been able to expand on the kinds of food we can offer, ensuring that we provide balanced, nutritious meals while meeting the dietary and cultural needs of our diverse meal program participants. We have also created meaningful volunteer opportunities for those wishing to give back while ensuring that our kitchen staff, previously tasked with preparing food for our social enterprise café and catering business, stay employed. Staff from our various programs participate in the distribution of food so that they can connect with participants from our other programs and provide referrals and support where necessary. We have received incredible feedback from those accessing our food programs, acknowledging that while the food has been a critical tool for getting through these hard times, the kindness and hospitality from staff and volunteers has been life-saving. “This was a time of experimentation and perseverance. We had to deliver. We would reach for something, try it, and then do it again and again until it worked for our people.” – Carl Kannegiesser, Manager, Community Engaged Food Programs Watch Carl talk about food security in relation to our communities. WATCH THE VIDEO
Below: Many of our staff and managers were redeployed during the early days of the pandemic to support our emergency response services - including supporting our meal prep and service.
“I am proud that we are serving our communities, making a difference through our work, and I am humbled to be a part of this Army of Lovers. It is overwhelming, but it is beautiful and satisfying.” – Donna Platon, Lead Cook 18
TRANS LEADERSHIP Trans people, particularly trans women of colour, have certainly faced the gravest violence and suffered great losses through this pandemic. Bound up in this reality is that it is at once remarkable, and unsurprising, that trans leaders and communities are driving the essential responses to numerous ‘off-shoot’ crises COVID-19 has exacerbated. We created the “Pay It No Mind Fund”, a pilot project that succeeded in getting $25,000 into the hands of 2 Spirit, trans, and non-binary people who needed it most, as quickly and as equitably as possible. It was a low-barrier fund, meaning that participants accessing it did not need to answer extensive questions about their situation or needs. The money was distributed efficiently through a referral network of key partners providing frontline supports to eligible community members in ways designed to afford fund recipients the highest degree of dignity in access. We worked with community partners including Maggie's Toronto, Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations, and The Neighbourhood Group to aid in getting widespread referrals to the fund. Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR), made particularly poignant this year during the pandemic, was another challenge we met with both strength and sensitivity. We knew we had to make the event go virtual in order to be able to present the entire ceremony to the hundreds of community members who gather annually. Yet, we also understood that there were many folks whose only access would be through the Barbara Hall Park, our usual venue. We decided to run a hybrid model, centred around an Indigenous 2 Spirit opening ceremony with a sacred fire, and access to traditional Indigenous medicines - including the 2 Spirit Big Drum, healing songs of the Circle of Cedar Singers, and a community Jingle Dress dancer. The whole event was live-streamed and attended by 107 accounts. It was the first large virtual event hosted by The 519 with support from Pride Toronto. While we continue to navigate significant grief in the face of the loss of our trans siblings, we were able to steward this event beautifully, an example of how, with the right leadership, we can hold onto the things that matter most even while navigating significant crises. Our Trans People of Colour Project (TPOC) team continued to find creative ways to run their programs, keeping the spirit of their drop-in programming alive online. Certainly the translation to the virtual space lost
something that cannot compare to weekly in-person cooking and sharing of food. However, the program team – including four peer leaders, found innovative ways to still incorporate food, mingling, sharing of experiences, and ensuring access to sexual health promotion information. This work was integral to nurturing relationships and being able to hold onto key pieces of how we understand ourselves and our role in community amidst a world that fell apart around us. The leadership and efforts of the TPOC team are to be commended. Peer co-facilitators from TPOC also continued education and training for health and social service providers, supporting their journey as practitioners in how to provide affirming care to 2 Spirit, trans, and non-binary clients. We understood that access to meaningful and affirming healthcare for 2 Spirit, trans and non-binary communities was of paramount importance during this time. TPOC also produced a stunning, original cookbook, to international acclaim! Based on years of cooking and sharing food and understanding how vital food is to building community, they launched Cooking with Trans People of Colour which shares their experience, their journeys, and their wisdom with a wider community of trans people and allies. Producing the cookbook was a major labour of love; not just recipes but an expression of identity, history, family, and tactics for surviving poverty and violence with smarts, swagger, and joy.
Top: Cooking with Trans People of Colour cookbook. Watch a media interview featuring the book. Right: Indigenous community leader Maybella King Reynolds speaks at the Trans Day of Remembrance vigil, 2020.
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VOLUNTEERISM We know that large numbers of volunteers come together when we make the call. And in the specific case of our COVID-19 response, they were eager to get down to working with us. Volunteers expressed two things consistently: firstly, that they felt compelled to be in service of their community. Secondly, that their work with us kept them grounded and focused, and gave them meaning at a time when we all faced uncertainty and isolation.
302 volunteers donated 4,769 hours to The 519, of which 3,576 hours were dedicated to supporting essential services.
40
26
volunteers supported our Access to Justice initiatives
food security volunteers donated 2,000 hours
4 TPOC peers and 1 graphic designer worked hard on the cookbook launched by our TPOC program
11 volunteers supported our EarlyON programs
41 volunteers supported our essential services
Volunteers pack meals for the Frozen Meals program.
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“We’re tired but optimistic. We now have a hybrid model for programs, in-person and virtual. We are able to reach many more people. We have meaningful partnerships with other organizations that will let us meet the complex needs of our communities better. Our work was siloed, now we can learn from one another.” Staff member Susan Gapka and Board member Biko Beauttah sitting on the newly installed bench in Barbara Hall Park.
THE FUTURE IS NOW Our communities have high expectations of us and we want to exceed those expectations. We want to continue to navigate this global pandemic and rebuild ourselves in ways that push the definition of what a community centre can and should be. Our staff, program participants, funders, and partners know that The 519 is a unique organization. We are simultaneously rooted in the histories and futures of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Importantly though, that is where we start; not where we end. We are committed to being open and responsive to what our communities need at their foundation. We are committed to listening carefully to what our communities are saying, and innovating our work in order to be responsive and relevant. This is where resilience comes from. From purpose and community. Never just defaulting to what is easy or familiar, and remaining vigilent and present in the face of crises.
– Justin Khan, Director, Public Interest and Legal Initiatives
We have a greater capacity than we think, another key learning we have made during these difficult times. Virtual programming, in the first instance was a steep challenge, but once we found our stride, it revealed something we would not have otherwise been able to see clearly: that there are many 2SLGBTQ+ communities across the province, many in rural areas and smaller towns, that are drawn to the kind of work we do, and experience great meaning through connection to the services and supports we provide. These are our people too. We are slowly welcoming our communities back into our physical building spaces, and thinking about how we can support each other to process and heal from the grief of all those we have lost. However, we hold tightly onto the hope and resilience rooted in all that we have learned through this crisis, and endeavour to keep building on our strength and purpose – that we will show up for each other. Our strengths and our survival have always been rooted in our commitments to one another, and our steadfast belief in a better world for everyone. An Army of Lovers Shall Not Fail.
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PHILANTHROPY We are thankful to our communities for the various ways in which they showed up in support during this challenging time. Sonia got her workplace Manulife to join in her support of our work.
Callem Schaub’s Open Heart painting was sold in support of our communities.
Our Honorary Patron Salah Bachir celebrated his 65th birthday by hosting a virtual gala that raised $450,000+ for The 519.
Our free clothing bank has been supported year-round by community members.
Volunteer Vanessa Raquel Raponi’s video shows how she created the hygiene kits she donated to our essential services. WATCH THE VIDEO
Thanks to Dr. Elaine Chin and her #MaskingTogetherChallenge donation of PPE to our essential services.
Gillian Riley - President and CEO, Tangerine and Maura Lawless - Executive Director, The 519 with Tangerine's generous donation to support our essential services.
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PHILANTHROPY HIGHLIGHTS 2020 was undeniably a very difficult year for us at The 519, and for the communities we serve. But through your generous support, we were able to weather the storm, and respond to the most urgent needs of our communities. From our hearts to you, thank you! With love, from all of us at The 519 to you, the #HeartOfOurCommunity.
DIRECTED DONATIONS 2020 4% 15%
For every $1 of core City funding, The 519 raised $3.06 to support our programs and services. 49% of our program revenue was generated through donations and fundraising. 68% of directed donations were allocated, by donor request, to our COVID-19 essential services.
2% 2% 7%
68%
2%
COVID-19 Response
Children & Youth Programming
Access to Justice & Legal Initiatives
Trans-Specific Services
Trans People of Colour Project (TPOC)
Newcomer and Refugee Support
“People WANT to make a difference wherever they might be. If you can get them involved and interested in your cause, they will help you. So, don’t stop.” – Karen, organizer of KORPSCON, an annual third-party fundraiser for The 519
Other Initiatives
Staff and a volunteer working in the kitchen.
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DONOR RECOGNITION 2020 Our heartfelt gratitude to all the individuals, and community groups who supported our work through one of the most challenging years on record. Their thoughtful donations and involvement made a major difference in the lives of the hundreds of people who rely on The 519 each week to provide services and support. This donor list reflects donations received from January 1 to December 31, 2020. The 519 makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of our donor list. For any inquiries, please email Giving@The519.org.
INDIVIDUALS Visionary Circle ($25,000+) Anonymous Salah Bachir & Jacob Yerex Emmanuelle Gattuso Andrew & Valerie Pringle Suzanne & Edward Rogers Gary & Donna Slaight Patrons Circle ($10,000-$24,999) Anonymous (x 2) Paul Austin Shane & Linda Carter John & Myrna Daniels Alex Filiatrault & James Burn Nancy Lockhart Sylvia Mantella Martha L.A. McCain
MAJOR FUNDING PARTNERS
Leadership Council ($1,000-$9,999) Anonymous (x 9) Brian Amaral Gail & George Anthony Jason Arbuckle Doug Arcand & Alnoor Karmali David Arcus Kira Ashwin Bob Aziz Jingyang Bai Jacqueline Baldwin Robert Bartlett Paul Bent Cecilia Berkovic Barbara Black Scott Bomhof Jonathon Borland Andrew Braithwaite & David Morris Darren Cooney & Robert Brien Amanda Burcul Alexandra Calhoun
Dean Carlson Brian Cartwright Elaine Chin John Clifford Lindsey Crymble Justin Delwo Paul Devereaux Mark Dilworth Howard Dover Mathieu Dubuc Marg Foy Kate Garand Oliver & Gloria Goldman Terry & Bernadine Goldman Laurie Goodman Hon. William Graham Daniel Greenglass & Joe Brennan Marianne Guizzetti David Haines Luc Hartwick Leo Hill Wanda Ho Wayne Horchover Pam Hrick
Alexander Hu Blake Hutcheson Phillip Ing Ellis Jacob Darrell Jensen Benjamin Kaasa & Alwin Kong Evan Kelly Stacy G. Kelly & Mark Julien Michael Kicis Blair Kissack & Chris Holm Robert Kleysen Philip Kocev Charles Lacroix Rahim Ladha Ricky Lau Mary Ellen Lawless Maura Lawless Dave Lazzarato Heather Lee Tristan Lee Jamie Lefkovics Tim Leonard Matthew Logue Jonathan Luetkehoelter
AN ARMY OF LOVERS
AN ARMY OF LOVERS
HONORARY PATRON Salah Bachir, C.M., O. Ont.
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AN ARMY OF LOVERS
Donna Turner & Lara Shewchuk Grant Van Rensburg Samara Walbohm Annesley Wallace Joseph Walton Edward Wang Christopher Wannamaker Jason Ward David Williams David Williamson Rodey Wing Mike Zaranyik Benefactors ($500 - $999) Ashley Abbott Elamin Abdelmahmoud Angele Abromaitis Erminia Agueci Donald Ainslie Colleen Alcorn Donald Altman Core An-Tine Raphael Arens Alex Arsenych Odunayo Ayeni Daniel L. Bain Jorge Barillas Monge Justine Becker Eric Belanger Jean-Paul Bevilacqua Anne-Emanuelle Birn Linda Booker Tim Boychuk Jason Boyd Kelly Braendel Nancy Bramm Elizabeth Brandt Darcy Bruce Renee Brunton Cameron Bryant Daniel Buchanan Mitchell Buchanan Craig Burgess Kim Bursey Stuart Bustard Andrew Butcher Roy Cain
Iain Campbell Cathy Carlin Susan Cavan Elena Cesaroni Rosina Cesaroni David Chan Mark Chemij J Clark Andrew Clumpus Andrew Coimbra Don Colbourn Kevin Conway Kevin Cormier Brad Crafton Anne Creighton Logan Crowell Josephine Cruz Chelsea Cruzada Anderson De Paula Cassimiro Marina De Shane Jonathan Dewald Aman Dhesi Adam Di Pardo Philip Doiron David Doucette James Douglas Mat Dubuc Jeff Duford Eva Dusome Natalie Edwards Margot Fabre Daniel Faria Dylan Feist Steven Francis John Galbraith Jake Tobin Garrett Miguel Gauthier Zale Geller Olusegun George Mat Glessing Glenn Goddard Paul Goldberg Noreen Goraya Robert Green Sheila Gregory Frances Griffin Jennifer Guerard Neil Guthrie Katherine Hamara
Jeff Hanemaayer Ron Harris Josh Hass Ray Hepditch Rodney Hill Gillian Hnatiw Zaid Hoosain Lynne Howarth Bicheng Huang Brianna Hudon Jason Hudson David Hughes Andrew Hui Geoff Hunnisett Peter Intini Richard Isaac Abraham Jacob Fiona James-D’Ambrosio Natasha Jansen Heidi Janson Connor Jessup Ian Johnstone John Jordan Philip Junek Charlie Keil Douglas A Kerr Hugh Kidd Matthew Klar Douglas Knight Jeffrey Knowles Samrat Kochhar Lane Krainyk Geoffrey Kulawick Rahul Kulkarni Russell Laishley Jesse Langille Randy Langlois Igor Lazarevski Orlena Lee Rachele Levin Greg Lichti & Garth Norbraten Sara Liden Jennifer Lillie Julia Lo Suzanne & Ted Luck Kristina Luu Rodney Macdonald Jason Macintyre Graham Mackay
AN ARMY OF LOVERS
Richard Lyle Ian Mackenzie Craig Malloy Kelly Mccraw David Mccullum Cody Mcgee Tracey Mcgillivray Kerry McGrath Sean Mckenna Ken Miner Adrian Mitchell Henning Moerke Cynthia Moull Sarah Munroe Curtis Murphy Natasha Negovanlis Boris Nikic Paul Noble Janice O’Born Irobeta Okojie Adam Palmer Stuart Payne Trevor Pedler Taylor Peter Lynda Prince Brian Provini & Ron Harris Satish Rai Vanessa Raponi Daniel Rendall Molly Reynolds John Ribson Brian Rieper Louis Roberge Sadia Rodriguez Michael Rolland Sheilagh Ryan Callen Schaub Jim Scott & Jim Robertson Jad Shimaly Jonathan Simmons Stephen Stohn Ron Struys Andrew Szewczyk Ah Tan Timothy Thompson & Matthew Campbell Rudy Ticzon & Randy Dawson John Tovey Elizabeth (Dori) Tunstall
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AN ARMY OF LOVERS
Justin Schurman Richard Schwartz Julie Scott Carol Scurfield Betty Seldon-MacFarlane David Shaw Erik Smith Samita Smith Stephen Smith Lee Sneddon & Kris Fortomaris Karen Somerville Byron Sonberg Tom Spence Adam Stikuts Andrew Stikuts Daryl Stilson Jeff Straw Richard Sutton Ammar Taimuri Robert Taylor Brian Terry Patty Anne Valenti Michael Viveros Laura Vocat Greg Voisin Chloe Von Dersch Gordana Vrbanc Duquet Kai Wang Tom Warner Jaime Watt Brooke Wayne Lee Weissling Hanna Wheeler Alex Wierzbicki Brian Wilding & Brian Mckeen David W. Williams Geoff Wilton Evan Young Justin Zelasko Advocates ($250- $499) Anonymous (x 5) Souvik Adhya Tawakalitu Ajibola Liliana Alexander Michelle Amenta
Ruth & Annie Anderson Mejia Fay Antoniou Rodrigo Arias Brendan Bailey Thea Barber Lisa Barclay Victoria Bautista-Hodgson Silvana Bazet Nicholas Beale Samantha Beiko Donna Berry Mark Bette Tim Bettino Alexander Bishop Eric Blais Robert Israel Blanshay Giselle Bloch Janet Bodley Nathaniel Boersma Dary Bojorge Delgado Vicki Borenstein Adrian Borrmann Michèle Breton Linda Brett Richard Brien Thomas Brown Kathryn Bryce Eric Buan Gina Bucci Christopher Bunting Ross Burnett Ashley Burns Sara Anne Campbell Jolie & Dave Carey Fiorentino Caruso Steven Casey Caryn Cathcart Ari Caylakyan Mackenzie Chapin Megan Charlish Sally Chen Michael Cherny Kevin Cherry Anselina Chia Andrea Chiu Lina Cimarrusti Julia Cistera Don Cole Edward Cole
Meri Collier Alex Cooling Tanner Cormier Dave Cox Robert Cripps Jason Crowder Sarah Cunningham Alaina Cyr Cherie Daitchman Mike Dalla-Giustina David Darby Michael Darcy Samir De Oliveira Patrick Dean Andrea DeBruijn Caitlin Decarie Karen Decker Pascal Dessureault Jordan Di Pelino Carolyn Dimaria Xudong Ding Luise Docherty Matthew Doggart Michelle Dowling Madison Downey Ashwin Duggi Brian Dunphy John & Kathryn Durdan J. Charles Durette Leigh Dutemple Atom Egoyan & Arsinée Khanjian Ralph Escamillan Kenneth Evans Jane Farrow Jacqueline Feeney Sara Fegelman Marnie Ferguson Dennis Findlay Joan Flood James Forrester Katherine Fry Scott Galbraith Sandra Gandola Greg Garbacki Andrew Garde Ian Gibb Timothy Giguere Cyndi Gilbert Andrew Gillespie
AN ARMY OF LOVERS
Daniel Maeda Peggy Mak Patricia Malain & Jeanne Van Bronkhorst Daniel Malen Paul Maranger Naomi Mares Kelly Marshall Graham Mcleod Karen Mcnally Mark Medland Luiz Fernando Meirelles De Aro Connor Mellegers Dan Menchions David Metcalfe Anil Mohabir John Montague Kieran Mulroy Andrew Murphy Michelle Nash Daniel Navarro Patricia Olasker & Brett Ledger Jordan O’Reilly Shannon O’Reilly Zack Osborne Oyeyinka Oyeyiola David Palumbo Catalina Parada Brandon Pedro Adam Peer Luke Pettigrew Miss Pippa Linda Plumpton Kerry Pond Tom Powers Brendan Primeau Lesley Pysklywec Dartanhan Ramos Guy Ridgway Kristin Ritchie Brian Rosborough David Ross Millard Roth Emily Rowe Lisa Rubini-Laforest Eli Sagner Dylan Schoenmakers David Schroh
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AN ARMY OF LOVERS
Danial Lam Nicholas Landry Alison Lang Bronwen Lathrop Sherry Lee Lorna Lennox Lexy Leung Luc Levasseur Kyle Lima Jane Liu Julian Liurette Stanley Livingstone Aj Lockhard Paul Lockhart Wai Mun Loke Michelle Longo Grant Lopatriello Chris Lorway Gaelan Love Jennifer Lukas Allie Lum Jacob Macarthur-Stevens Brenda Macdonald Gilles Marchildon Kimberley Markle Brianna Marshall Patrick Martin Brian Martins Jeremy Maunder Eric May Danielle Mcbride Nancy Mcconnell Robert Mccullough Terry Mcgurrin Jim Mckenna Shane Mcmackin James Mcmahon Kathleen Mcmillan Jason Mcmurtrie Patrick McNeill & Raymond Vong Skylar Media Chris Mejaski Alexis Melchiorre Mike Minicucci Nicki Monahan John Moore Lee Moore Aidan Morishita-Miki Jacob Morris
Bryan Morrison Chris Morro & Jonah Strub James Morrow Jonathan Moscardini Alex Murphy Elizabeth Murphy Liam Musgrave John Narvali Mustafa Nazarali Jason Neill Katharine Neufeld Reena Newman Eric Ng Hieu Nguyen David Nichols Charlotte Nurse Flora Nwakobi Jessica Oddi Jeremy Opolsky Adrienne Pacht Evan Pacht Steven Paisley Philip Parker Hannah Pashkovsky Michael Pawliuk Antonio Perez Jennifer Phang Darryl Pieber Elizabeth Pierre Leah Pinsent Thomas Pobojewski Samantha Polidoro Ken Popert Alex Privitera Catherine Prowse Jennifer Pryde Arlene Puliyodil Andy Radhakant Prasanna Ranganathan Marc Ranger Lauri Reesor Will Reid Juan Camilo Rendon Ocampo John Ricco John Rider Allison Ridgway Kimberly Robertson John Roeleveld Crystal Roth
Christos Rousakos Martin Roy Thomas Sadowski Brian Sambourne Mark Samuel Raphael Sanchez Laura Sandler Marc-Antoine Saumier Dany Savard David Scandiffio Daniel Scarfone Erik Schannen Brian Schmidt Tanya Schuh Elizabeth Seldon Max Shapiro Mandira Sharma Laura Shea-Hrebeniuk Thea Silver Matt Simas Tika Simone Karl Siu Judith Skinner Danny Smith Michael Smith Nicole Smith Elaine Sonberg Jason Sordi Dale-Andre Spence Matthew Stanley Marina Stavropoulos Justin Stayshyn David Steinberg Jordan Stewart Gord Tanner Connor Taras Andrea Taylor David Taylor Gary Taylor William Thoms Ihor Tomkiw Marc Trimbee Daniel Turko Julia Tyios Philippe Van De Maele Martin Josh Vandezande Sandra Vaughan Paul Verschuren Sinduja Vivekananthan
AN ARMY OF LOVERS
Catherine Gillespie David Gillespie Genna Gingerich Claire Girvin Lisa Goodlet Brandon Gowe John Greyson Rachel Guloien Barbara Hall Beth Hamersma Or Har-Gil Kathleen Harquail Sarah Harris Scott Harrison Norman Hatton Emma Haydon Charles Hayter Lynsey Culpan Hayton William Henbest Scott Henderson Ann Hildreth Kameron Hilroy Michael Hines Kate Hixson Lauren Hodgson Omar Holder Claire Horsnell Kathleen Hughes Ruud Huyskamp Laura Iliescu Karina Iskandarsjah Claire Janik John Jansen Lauren Jelicic Evan Jensen Greg Johns Keith Joseph Christopher Killam Montana Kimel Deborah Kimmett Kris Kinsey Lisa Kisber Rachel Knox Dror Koltin Brian Komonko Joshua Korngut Johanna Kozak Debra Kriger Taylor Kristan Marc Lafleur
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Jeremy Walker Joshua Walsh Arlene Wang Nicholas Ward Ian Watson Alfred Whitehead David Whitney Timothy Wichert Ryan Wilson Melanie Wood Shauna Woods Alysha Zawaduk Ethan Zmenak
A huge thank-you to the 3,097 Supporter-level donors who collectively donated $266,134 to The 519! The full donor list is available at the519.org/supportthe-519/supporters. CORPORATE, FOUNDATIONS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS Luminaries ($50,000+) BMO Financial Group Daily Bread Food Bank Greenrock Real Estate Advisors Medavie Health Foundation P&G Canada Rogers Communications Scotiabank TD Bank Group The McConnell Foundation Toronto Foundation
Canadian Women’s Foundation Canopy Growth Donnelly Foundation Labatt Brewing Company Tangerine Bank Champions ($10,000-$24,999) Anonymous Bell Media Better Toronto Coalition CIBC Community Food Centres Canada General Mills Foundation Google Canada Innisfree Canada JTI-Macdonald Corp. KORPSCON McCarthy Tétrault Pride and Remembrance Foundation Reitmans Taxi The Law Foundation of Ontario The Sabourin Family Foundation TikTok Canada TELUS Communications Leaders ($1,000-$9,999) Anonymous Aaron Waxman and Associates Bearded Villains Toronto BenefAction Foundation Bounteous Canada Inc Cadillac Fairview CaleyWray Lawyers Canada Helps CGI Inc.
Charities Aid Foundation of Canada CN Employees’ and Pensioners’ Community Fund Coors Light Canada Craig’s Cookies Edit Audio Inc. Ever New Fiera Capital Foundation Forsman & Bodenfors Framar International Full Heart Strategy Consulting Global Public Affairs Gore Mutual Foundation Grant Thornton LLP Graywood Developments IATSE Local 873 INVIVO Communications Iron Lion Training Klick Inc Leaside United Church Lori Kennedy Inc. Lorraine MacDonald Fund Marilyn Denis Show Mathers McHenry & Company McCall MacBain Foundation MediSystem Pharmacy Microsoft Mint Media Group Moody’s Analytics Foundation Bill Morneau & Nancy McCain Foundation Narayansingh Medicine Professional Corporation Pride at OMERS ERG Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants Outpost Coffee Roasters Oxford Properties Group Paris & Company Paul Bronfman Family Foundation Pop Music Private Giving Foundation
Proof Strategies R&M Lang Foundation RBC Capital Markets Rebels Refinery Robert D Howe Professional Corporation Roselle Desserts SGGG Fund Services Inc. Shoppers Drug Mart SingingOut! Society of United Professionals Sour Puss St. Eloi Jewellery St. Stephens Community House Starlight Investments TD Securities The 519 Board of Management The Hunny Pot The McLean Foundation The Starbucks Foundation Toronto Education Workers Toronto Public Library Workers Union Yohomo Supporters (up to $999)
AN ARMY OF LOVERS
AN ARMY OF LOVERS
Supporters ($20 - $249)
Trendsetters ($25,000-$49,999)
6IX Cycle + Duet Dance Co AA Toronto South Central District 10 Access Planning Ltd. Active Media Services Canada Adobe Inc Canada All Day Fit AMAPCEO AMD Inc. Apple Inc Architech Astrologyal Avanade Inc. Aviva Canada Baby’s Basement & House of Drool Bandit Brewery Bereskin & Parr LLP
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AN ARMY OF LOVERS
Flavelle Family Foundation Fresh City Farms Fruit Market Gender Reveal podcast Give Foundation Glendon Women’s Education and Referral Centre Green Circle Food Hub Handmade Revolution Hillrom Canada Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. HOME Salon Hot Shot Chocolate Humanist Association of Toronto Hundo P Games Hunter Handmade Knits IATSE Local 822 Impact Cleaning Services Indeed Indigodragonfly Design & Consulting Innis College, University of Toronto INSIGHT Wealth Management Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario Intact Financial Corporation Integrate.ai Intuit Canada Kijiji Kings of the World Kinky Salon Toronto Lasagna Does Lasagna Leezou LGBTQ+ Less Than Boutique LinkedIn Canada LODE Store Major Tom Agency Manulife Financial Mark Barrera Consulting Inc. Marsh & McLennan Companies Mbiotech McCann Worldgroup Canada McKesson Foundation
McMaster Students Union Medtronic Foundation Michel’s Bespoke MK Disability Lawyers Modern Niagara Group Inc. Modes Identity International Mudanca Clothing Munk School, University of Toronto Myplanet Narcotics Anonymous Naughty Florals Nordstrom US Northgrave Architect Inc. Not Even Coffee Roasters Octopus Garden Queer and Trans Yoga One Academy Onex Corporation Ontario Risk and Insurance Management Society Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation ON-TEK Electric Services Limited Overeaters Anonymous PAK Toronto Inc. Passionknit Patricia J. Fleming (FBG) Fund at Toronto Foundation PCMA Canada East Penguin Random House Canada PepsiCo Canada Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School Pigeon Coop PLANTA Queen Plastic Havas Playground Inc Prairie Girl Bakery Presidential Gourmet Pride Toronto Staff Prime Timers Toronto Project Xposed Proof Inc Pureblink Inc Rad Plant Shop Rainbow AA Friday Group
Recover from Debting DA Toronto Redwood Strategic Inc Roadmunk Roaming Focus Rotaract GTA Connect Royal Street Pride Parade Salesforce Foundation Sausage Party Toronto ServiceNow Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous Sexual Compulsives Anonymous Shaw Communications Sheer Simple Laboratories Inc. Sid Lee Toronto Sirius XM Canada Inc. Skin and Bones Film Company Skywalk Immigration Inc SMART Recovery Soft Landings Psychotherapy Soulpepper Theatre Company Spruce Court Co-Operative Inc. Spun Fibre Arts Inc. Starbucks (North York Centre) Sun Life Financial Suncor Energy Supernova Sites Sweet Jones Swingin’ Out Club TakingITGlobal TalentMinded Ten Thousand Coffees The Bone and Biscuit Vaughan East The Church Street Group AA The Clorox Company The Emmet Ray The Globe and Mail The Good Bar The Home Depot Foundation
AN ARMY OF LOVERS
Best Buy Canada Bishop Reding Secondary Blue Sky Learning Blush and Bloom Book*hug Press Brampton Multicultural Centre Brisbin Entertainment Inc Brittany G Photography Bryn Gray Professional Corporation Burberry HR Yorkdale BYUS BOX Canada Life Assurance Company Canadian Chinese Youth Athletic Association Charitable Impact Foundation Canada Charities Aid Foundation America CHG Bloor Holdings Inc. Chi Junky Yoga Studio Chosen Vintage Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association CITIZN Inc. Cjartcanada Critical Mass Agency CUPE 2485 Curiosa Inc. CW Health Pharmacy Debtors Anonymous Deloitte Canada Dieter’s Metal Fabricating Ltd. Distribution Learning - The Cooperators Dundas Fruit Market Earl of March Secondary School Staff Elite Digital EP Canada ULC Etobicoke School of the Arts Euclid Farms Fair Trade Jewellery Company Ltd Fidelity Investments
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The Imperial Court of Toronto The Promises Group The Sustainable Florist The UPS Store 1 Tips Nail Bar Total Cleanse Trauma Education Essentials Triangle Squares Two Gays Shoegaze Umbrella Mental Health Network
UnObscured Open Mic Upper Canada College Venture Out Wave Financial Inc. Wildeboer Dellelce LLP Women & the Law Workday Inc Canada Xerox Xpand Inc. Yas Petit Poulet Yoga Tree Your Healthy Best
CONTACT US If you would like to learn more about giving to The 519, including making bequests, gifts of securities, or other directed gifts, or to get your organization involved, please contact Giving@The519.org.
AN ARMY OF LOVERS SHALL NOT FAIL
Portrait Day at The 519's Older 2SLGBTQ+ Adults drop-in program
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FINANCIAL SUMMARY 2020 REVENUE
2020
2019
$1,588,148
$1,571,619
682,311
606,734
United Way.
378,285
378,509
Government of Canada.
941,663
665,704
Others.
150,000
431,974
Province of Ontario.
126,876
207,073
3,867,283
3,861,613
1,914,153
1,164,657
448,666
1,526,494
Café.
97,786
509,249
Education & Training.
89,007
241,699
Rental fees.
8,320
38,455
Other revenue.
5,248
11,547
Interest.
7,025
21,883
Amortization of deferred capital contributions.
9,053
20,204
6,446,541
7,395,801
Salaries and wages.
3,450,630
3,598,492
Employee benefits.
894,359
879,463
1,040,551
1,980,313
634,350
1,062,674
24,323
37,578
6,044,213
7,558,520
$402,328
($162,719)
Grants.
City of Toronto
Core.
City of Toronto
Grants.
Total Grants Revenue Donations. Fundraising.
TOTAL REVENUE.
EXPENSES
Purchase of services. Materials, supplies, and services. Amortization of capital assets. TOTAL EXPENSES.
NET REVENUE OVER EXPENSES
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BOARD OF MANAGEMENT 2020-2021
Pam Hrick Chair of the Board
Paul Jonathan Saguil Vice-chair of the Board
Sarah Zerihun Secretary of the Board
Biko Beauttah Member of the Board
Michael Cherny Member of the Board
Brett House Member of the Board
Paul Noble Member of the Board
Juan Camilo Rendon Ocampo Member of the Board
Tom Spence Member of the Board
Erika Voaklander Member of the Board
Tom Warner Member of the Board
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam City Councillor For Ward 13 - Toronto Centre, And Exofficio Member of the Board of Management
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In loving memory of Sasha Hashi
The 519 is Canada’s most prominent 2SLGBTQ+ community centre and service provider. We are committed to the health, happiness, and full participation of our communities in Toronto, and beyond. Join us in our work! DONATE TO THE 519 The519.org/donate THIRD-PARTY OR IN-KIND SUPPORT Write to Giving@The519.org JOIN OUR ARMY OF LOVERS ArmyOfLovers.ca
519 Church Street, Toronto, ON, M4Y 2C9 Info@The519.org 416-392-6874 The519.org @The519
Front & Back Covers: Flags bearings messages of affirmation and community action, flying on the front facade of The 519 building on Church Street, Toronto. Designed by community artist Mikiki.
The 519 is an agency of the City of Toronto. Registered Charity No. 11931 0761 RR0001