As a nimble and responsive organization, Moorelands has adapted flexibly to Toronto's changing needs and was frequently among the first to identify trends and emerging social issues. Programs may have varied according to the needs and the times but the desired outcomes have remained essentially the same - to support the vulnerable and build a stronger, safer, more connected city.
We invite you to join us as we celebrate our 100th Anniversary. In the coming weeks we will post a schedule of events and begin uploading videos and archival materials that you are sure to find fun and interesting. Please check back frequently.
With the incredible generosity of the Moorelands family, which includes you, we were able to help every family that asked for assistance.
Your partnering with us at Christmas helps strengthen our connections and relationships with the families whose children we work with.
Thank you for working with us. We value your continued support and hope you will join us again next Christmas or maybe even during the year as we celebrate our 100th anniversary!
Moorelands Christmas Sharing Team
Our goal for next year: 100 participants - one runner/walker for each year of Moorelands' history. Please mark your calendars for October 2012 and start training...
"Today we see not one city united but the emergence of three cities in Toronto resulting in over one million people in a city of 2.7 million, living in low and very low income neighbourhoods. If these trends continue as predicted, by 2025 low and very low income neighbourhoods will cover 60% of our city."
"In one year, poverty in the Toronto Region rose 22% and the rate of child poverty was up by more than 43%. For those struggling, the Region offers one of the most severely unaffordable housing markets in the world, ranking 75th least affordable among 325 markets surveyed."
"The youth unemployment rate in the Toronto Region was 22% above the national average in 2010."
Alice Moulton, a long-time supporter of Moorelands Community Services, celebrated her 100th Birthday surrounded by her family and friends at a grand event held on Sunday, October 2nd, 2011. Born in Newfoundland and raised in Nova Scotia, Alice graduated from the University of Toronto in the early 1930s and had a 35 year career at the U of T Library. Still very actively engaged in her community, Alice planted the seed that crystallized support for the rebuilding of the Hub recreation centre last year at Moorelands Wilderness Camp. In recognition of her dedication and generosity to Moorelands, Patricia Jacobs, Executive Director, presents Alice with the Moorelands Character Award for Outstanding Citizenship.
Moorelands City Summer Day Camp operates out of Grenoble School in Flemingdon Park for seven weeks each summer. This year, we offered 24 leadership spaces for youth aged 13-15 in addition to the 448 spaces for campers aged 6-12.
The 24 youth in this pilot program attended one of two 2-week sessions. During this time they participated in activities to fine-tune their leadership skills which included planning and leading a themed activity with the younger day campers. They also made a video and went on field trips together to challenge themselves and bond as a group. Ten of our LEAP campers enjoyed camp so much that they stayed on as volunteers for the rest of the summer!
The program will be expanded to 42 summer leadership spaces next year.
The camp is for children from Toronto and its inner city suburbs where poverty, crime and difficult family situations are among the challenges children face. Moorelands offers them a safe and secure summer getaway from the city.
Physical and program changes over the past decade at Moorelands have also improved self-esteem among campers, according to studies. Simple changes such as re-designing cabins and washrooms, improved counsellor training and the introduction of some non- athletic activities have made a big difference in improving self-esteem and reducing anxiety, said Patricia Jacobs, executive director Moorelands Community Services. To read the full article please click here.
An innovative evidence-based approach is guiding Moorelands Community Services' re-design of its 94 year-old Wilderness Camp. With a 10-year rebuilding process finally complete, many of the changes have been initiated by self-esteem studies and associated interviews conducted during reconstruction. While initial findings were surprising - improvements aren't a given - changes to programming, counsellor training and the physical structure are significantly improving self-esteem scores.
Click here to listen to Matt Galloway's interview with our executive director Patricia Jacobs
For the second year running, the McCarthy Tétrault LLP Annual Charity Beach Volleyball Tournament commenced in late May to raise funds for Moorelands.
Articling students from most of Toronto's law firms have again chosen Moorelands as the recipient of funds from this year's tournament.
Read more...
In 2012, Moorelands will celebrate its 100th anniversary of work with children and families living in some of Toronto's poorest neighbourhoods. From its beginnings as a relief and friendly visiting organization to the vital child and youth agency it is today, we have much to celebrate.
We are currently working on plans for what we hope will be a year long celebration and invite you to provide us with your email address so that we can keep in touch and update you. We'd also love to hear your stories and your ideas. Help us celebrate 100 years of service in Toronto.
An unprecedented decision by our generous supporter, Mackenzie Financial, to approve a three-year funding commitment, will launch a new Summer Youth Leadership program in July 2011.
A natural extension of the Youth Leadership programs we run during the school year, this program will offer youth the opportunity to spend part of their summer as mentors for children in Moorelands City Summer Day Camp. The pilot intends to build capacity in the low income, under-served and high needs communities of Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park by training participants for employment and volunteer opportunities at Moorelands and beyond. Young people between the ages of 13-15 living in the neighbourhood will have the opportunity to hone their leadership skills, develop a closer connection with their community and learn about recreational program design.
For Mackenzie, this is the first time that multi-year funding was approved, which highlights not only the importance of such a program, but also the level of collaboration we have developed over the years between our two organizations.
We are delighted to announce that His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, has accepted our invitation to become Patron of Moorelands.
Supporting children and families is extremely important to the Governor General and forms one of three pillars to achieve his vision of a nation where all Canadians can succeed, contribute and develop their talents to their fullest potential. His Excellency is profoundly aware that there are very many children in this country who do not have the same opportunities in life as his own grandchildren and we are proud and honoured to have him as our Patron in our work with disadvantaged Toronto children.
Anyone who's been to Moorelands Wilderness Camp knows the Hub is the main indoor recreation space. It's used for talent shows, indoor camp fires, movie nights and rainy day activities and is big enough to hold 170 people. The original, built in 1945 and plagued by dry rot and carpenter ants, was in very poor condition.
All that changed this summer when Moorelands Wilderness Camp was selected to receive federal/provincial Infrastructure Stimulus funding. Demolition of the old Hub began as soon as the ice was off the lake in early May and construction started later that month. Read more...
To read our latest issue of ECHO please click here