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Annual Report 2022

After a year of so much unknown, we started to transition back to a new normal for the community we have always taken care of. Above is how 2021 looked for SCHC and a teaser of what you can expect to read below.

A Message from

The CEO &

The Board President

From Jeanie Argiropoulos, Chief Executive Officer, and Jane Rumleskie, Board President

This past year we continued the rollercoaster ride of pandemic waves, but SCHC is resilient, and we are so proud of how our staff and volunteers adjusted and provided even more critical services to an increasing number of Scarborough residents.  We continued our work in the fight against COVID by opening and operating a community vaccination clinic that provided over 39,000 vaccines and we continue to provide wrap-around support, including financial, testing, accommodations, personal protective equipment, and treatment to individuals impacted by COVID. 

SCHC is a people business, and it is very important for us to serve people in person, but also to incorporate virtual services, where appropriate and appreciated by our clients. The pandemic taught us that offering services in a variety of ways can effectively increase accessibility.  As a result, we have successfully implemented a hybrid service delivery model for our clients and a hybrid work environment for our staff and volunteers.    Our volunteers continue to be a critical part of our ability to serve Scarborough communities and have contributed over 33,000 volunteer hours to our many programs and services!

We have shifted our focus from the COVID-19 response to ensuring the recovery and sustainability of our services to foster resiliency in potential future waves of the pandemic. As an organization that prioritizes the holistic health and wellness needs of people with a foundation in not just treating illness but addressing the social determinants of health, we stepped up efforts to address food insecurity, homelessness, and social isolation. We are also committed to addressing gaps in preventative health, such as cancer screenings and chronic disease management, like diabetes care, and to improving our response to growing mental health needs.  Of course, we do not do this work alone; SCHC is one part of a robust health system.  We continue to be a strong partner within the Scarborough Ontario Health Team.  The relationships formed in this endeavour are breaking down barriers, as we come together to create a system of care, with our community as the priority.  The diversity of partnerships represents the diversity of our communities, and we are proud to actively support moving this work forward.

SCHC is committed to the ongoing advancement of our organization’s Anti-Black Racism Strategy and supporting a culture of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for all of our stakeholder groups.  We have recently completed a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process with the intent of building a more just culture and continuing our journey of understanding and learning to actively be allies for our diverse communities.  This work will also inform us as we engage in Strategic Planning and community consultation in the development of our priorities for the coming years with a spotlight on reducing the health inequities that exist for many Scarborough residents.

Of course, we could not achieve any of our goals without the support of our staff, volunteers, board members, donors, partners, and funders, including Ontario Health East, United Way Toronto, York Region, and Peel, the City of Toronto, and The Ontario Trillium Foundation.  We extend our sincerest appreciation to them as it is their generous contributions and support that allow us to make health care accessible to Scarborough’s most vulnerable.

News for the Community Health Centre (CHC) in 2021 included:

  • SCHC and STRIDES (YWHO) partnership: A case Coordinator is hired and stationed at the HUB to provide access to all Youths requiring Mental health and case coordination services

  • COVID at Home Program: Designed to assist with providing clients with a pulse oximeter at their home when they are first diagnosed with COVID

  • Off-Loading Devices: Provide Cost-free offloading devices to Diabetes or pre-diabetic clients

  • The Sheppard/Kennedy CHC location was relocated to 520 Ellesmere. Get the new site tour from the video below.

SCHC’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

SCHC committed to making a change in developing a strategy that includes having conducted a cultural assessment and providing anti-black racism training for all staff, management, and board of directors. SCHC also appointed a new Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Shola Alabi.

Accreditation Canada Exemplary Rating

SCHC achieved Accreditation Exemplary status with zero unmet criteria. To celebrate, we had food trucks at several locations so staff and volunteers could enjoy themselves with complimentary food.

2021 was a year focused on Covid-19

Out of Home Campaign: Answering the Concerns & Confusion About Covid-19

TTC Bus Shelter Ad
TTC Exterior Bus Ad

At the beginning of 2021, there was still a lot of confusion and concern about Covid. We were approaching close to year one of the pandemic and many Scarborough residents of all backgrounds were being bombarded daily with news about the virus. To give them access to the right information, we created an out-of-home campaign so that Scarborough residents could contact us and SCHC could continue keeping our community educated, safe, and healthy.

Town Halls

As part of ongoing education on the virus and to answer questions, SCHC hosted three informative virtual town halls to better inform the community and dispel circulating myths. See below for a recording of the two town halls with guest speakers and a brief recap of the town hall we hosted specifically for youth.

Covid Equity Action Project & High Priority Community Strategy got support where it was most needed.

One of the community vaccine ambassadors, Shreya, assembling an SCHC outreach kit.
One of the community vaccine ambassadors, Shreya, assembled an SCHC outreach kit.

SCHC was selected as one of the organizations to deliver these projects to those most impacted by Covid. Recognizing the higher impact and needs in our Scarborough communities, the outreach team went door to door to provide essential supplies and information on resources available. Accomplishments included:

  • A total of 30,736 PPE kits distributed
  • Outreach to 38,141 individuals sharing information on vaccination clinics, COVID safety information, self-isolation, and wraparound services
  • A total of 384 referrals clients and their families who had COVID or clients with post-COVID conditions who received wraparound support
  • Over 27, 280 Rapid Antigen Tests distributed in 2 months

Vaccine Engagement Team & Covid Ambassadors

SCHC was selected by the City of Toronto as the lead organization for the Vaccine Engagement Team project in South Scarborough. Collaborating with 10 other organizations, including grassroots groups, community ambassadors utilized a variety of strategies to increase vaccine confidence and access. The focus on equity-based engagement and mobilization was extremely successful in increasing vaccination rates in neighbourhoods most impacted by the pandemic. Accomplishments include:

  • 9,686 hours for on the ground work by ambassadors.
  • 98,060 people reached.
  • 6,528 people assisted with registering for vaccine appointments
  • Over 80 events hosted in the community including information tables and mobile vaccine clinics
  • 2,477 vaccines were administered through our mobile community clinics and thousands were referred to home vaccination and nearby clinics and pharmacies.

Pictured above are vaccine ambassadors in the community at various outreach events, information booths, and pop-up clinics.

Hub Community Vaccine Clinic

A tour of the vaccine clinic guided by Project Manager, Danielle Rawls, and Clinic Manager, Deby Kanagarajoo

In partnership with our Scarborough Ontario Health Team (OHT), the Vaccine Clinic at the Hub was launched in April of 2021 and it had a significant impact on getting our community vaccinated, being one of the most popular vaccine clinics.

  • A client survey at the clinic had over 1,300 responses and indicated an average rating of 4.8/5 for overall experience and likeliness of recommending our clinic.

  • 36,721 vaccines were administered and over 15 pop-up/mobile clinics were held.

Above is a tour of the vaccine clinic when it first opened and below are images from the various pop-ups and the media attention we received including a special visit from the Mayor of Toronto, John Tory. Staff were deployed from other departments for this major project and they, plus volunteers, worked on the front lines tirelessly to help get Scarborough vaccinated and lead us out of this pandemic. You can read more about what some of the team members had to say in this post.

John Tory at SCHC’s vaccine clinic
pictured are some of the volunteers at the vaccine clinic.

Last year, 48 volunteers at the vaccine clinic volunteered close to 8,500 hours. Thanks to their dedication and friendly engagement, residents found the SCHC clinic to be a very positive experience. 

Communications and Marketing

SCHC’s social media continued to grow exponentially as we gained 2,081 new followers across all of our social media platforms to make a significant impact beyond just Scarborough. Original content and series were produced, such as campaign videos for the SCHC Food Fight (see below) and rebranding the holiday campaign, A Gift To Remember. The team also provided up-to-date factual information and helpful resources on covid vaccination through multiple channels to help keep the community educated, safe and healthy.

Through our social media, we gained following and engagement from prominent organizations such as Toronto Public Health, Greater Than Covid, This is Our Shot Canada, Vaccine Hunters, and more. We created new content series such as “#SCHCWellnessWednesday” and also spotlighted different program areas to attract new clients and volunteers including EarlyOn, Seniors Health and Wellness, Diabetes Education and Prevention, and many more. Because of all these quality marketing initiatives, we were able to see the incredible numbers below and even received a blue checkmark on our Twitter profile to show that we are officially verified!

social media stats for schc as of december 31, 2021 compared to november 30, 2020
Above is the social media stats/highlights from SCHC’s social media platforms.
Facebook: 1,301 page likes. A 31.68% increase compared to November 30, 2020. Engagements: 960 Clicks:743
YouTube: 335 followers. A 520.37 % increase compared to November 30, 2020. Views: 25,467 Watch Time (Hours): 1,800
LinkedIn: 1,300 followers. A 28.59 % increase compared to November 30, 2020. Engagements: 495 Clicks: 484
Instagram: 1,205 followers. A 145.92 % increase compared to November 30, 2020. Engagements: 2,325 Clicks: 1,557
Twitter: 1,300 followers. A 28.59 % increase compared to November 30, 2020. Engagements: 493 Clicks: 369
*For Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn stats from Jan 1 – Oct 9 are missing due to a change in social media planning platforms*
Above is the food fight campaign video.

Community Health Promotion Teams

Pictured is the youth enjoying their "Pool Noodle Olympics"

Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities in partnership with the City of Toronto presented the HYPE program which stands for Holistic Youth Programming and Education that was introduced in the Markham & Lawrence and Thorncliffe Park area. The program has HYPE ambassadors who are acting as youth representatives from the community to share ideas and ways we can build meaningful relationships and reduce violence in the community.

Community Violence, Wellness, and Recovery Pilot (CVWRP) program provides mental health support through a trauma-informed lens while helping clients transition to longer-term mental health support to address the trauma they have experienced. Together, SCHC & Unison Health and Community Services supported 29 individuals who had been impacted by community violence through case management, systems navigation, and/or counseling and supported 4 community debriefs following incidents of violence that reached a total of 84 community members. 

SCHC New Mobile Health Unit

Pictured above is a look at the new mobile health van/harm reduction van
Pictured above is a look at the new mobile health van/harm reduction van

In January 2022, the SCHC Mobile Health Unit made its first official stop in a neighbourhood where residents experience barriers in access to healthcare and other basic necessities. There were cheers from people and comments like, “We’re so glad you’re here!”. People lined up to get grocery gift cards, needed hats, scarves or gloves, or personal hygiene supplies like shampoo, deodorant, and toothpaste. Staff had an opportunity to meaningfully ask, “How are you doing?”. As trust is built, community members may feel comfortable enough to say “I’m feeling very despondent”, or “My feet are sore”, so that staff can bring specialists like mental health counselors or chiropodists on-site and/or help them get a family doctor.

SCHC outreach staff ready to take out the new Mobile Health Unit
Jey and Jam distributing essential items at one of the sites the Mobile Health Unit visits

“It is so important to be where the need is” says Tina Kumar, Interim Manager for the Community Health Teams. “Pandemic lockdowns and extreme hot and cold weather make it particularly difficult for residents to go to appointments. Families are economically disadvantaged and find it challenging to make ends meet. The mobile health unit is the best way to reach those most in need. All played a huge part in getting the wheels on the road. We are now in three different locations (both LEPP buildings, 10 Glen Everestand 50 Tuxedo Court), and have expanded the team to include other providers to support local needs. This team has worked feverishly to perfect the process and the organization involved in getting out to the most vulnerable residents of our community. We have been able to distribute harm reduction supplies including socks, blankets, food, water, and personal care items. The team is doing a great job representing SCHC values out in the community and is looking forward to coming to a community near you as we continue to grow”

This project was made possible because of funding provided by the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund and Toronto Foundation.

Volunteers & Student Placements

SCHC would not be able to do the work we set out to do without our volunteers. See below for some incredible stats that speak to the contributions volunteers make to deliver needed programs in Scarborough.

33,028 total hours contributed by volunteers + placement students (who contributed 7,112 hours of the total)
220 Volunteers = 178 volunteers and 42 placement students. The vaccine clinic volunteers contributed 8,452 hours, with 11 people contributing over 300 hours each. The active volunteers can be found in programs & positions such as Meals in Wheels, Food Bank, Furniture Bank, Admin Support, Hospice Palliative, Bereavement Support, Friendly Visiting, and Board of Directors. If we paid volunteers a minimum wage of $15, this would equal $495,420.
Stats from 2021-2022 vol. experience survey: 
91% state feeling valued and appreciated by SCHC 
94% state volunteering at SCHC meets their expectations 
96% state SCHC is a good place to volunteer

Quality & Innovation

SCHC is committed to hearing and learning from our clients, we are after all a people business. Here’s what our clients had to say about us, plus data on our services provided.

97% indicated staff always explain things in a way that is easy to understand, 88% indicated staff always or often spend enough time with you, 95% indicated that SCHC services have helped improve your health and well-being, 95% would refer a family or friend to SCHC
Top Row: 1,177 transportation clients. 11,976 rides provided. 37,747 meals delivered
Middle Row: 3,389 individuals served in our CHC. 2,448 DEP clients with 7,063 Service Provider Interactions in our Diabetes Program
Bottom Row: 39,652 food bank visits.3,149 unique Food Bank clients. 6,107 Palliative Community Care Team visits

Community Support Services

As the pandemic stretched into year two and needs became greater, SCHC continued to flex and adapt to meet the changing needs of the community. Here are a few highlights from the Community Support Services programs.

Client Story

janet and her mom, client of the tamil caregiver wellness program

Janet is a client at SCHC’s Tamil Caregiver Wellness Program. She came to Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities to help her mother find an opportunity to learn new skills and connect with her community. Learn more about her mother’s journey and experiences in this program and how it helped her during the pandemic here.

EarlyON Child and Family Centre

In 2021, the EarlyOn team saw 2,604 adult visits and 2,416 child visits in-person and online. They collaborated with the community and partners on 32 different occasions and saw 246 adults attend parent/caregiver educational sessions and workshops. In partnership with our Food Bank team, we provided approximately 90 winter coats to families this season thanks to a wonderful project called Coats for Kids and Operation Warm. At the EarlyOn holiday event (as seen on the right), 95 children received a toy and special picture with 43 families receiving a $25-$50 grocery gift card and a gingerbread house donated by No Frills. We also created a TikTok to show what you can expect at the EarlyOn program here.

Food Bank

food bank employee preparing a hamper

Our Food Bank continued to support the thousands of Scarborough residents by providing 3,238 hot meals and 1,474 food hampers. In coordination with the Hub additional hot meals were served and a pop-up food bank was launched. The Food Fight campaign was rebranded to help support the food bank during the summer drought.

The furniture bank reopened despite pandemic limitations and served 200 families.

 SCHC witnessed a surge of support for Scarborough in 2021.

Above is the different funding we received in the past fiscal year. $249,175 in foundation grants, $132,400 corporate donations, and $134,00 individual donations

Partnerships and Community Support

SCHC is grateful for the key partnerships and community support received to help achieve our goal of keeping Scarborough safe and healthy. The offers of help kept us going through a challenging year. See below for some examples of the amazing support we received in 2021.

Ontario Trillium Foundation

In 2021 we recognized funding provided by OTF for Lawrence East Partnership Program (LEPP), a Resilient Communities Grant and seed funding for a Youth Bereavement pilot program. Watch the video below for the speeches from the event including an assembly of all 6 Scarborough MPPs (Mitzi Hunter, Dolly Begum, Vijay Thanigasalam, Hon. Raymond Cho, Aris Babikian, and Christina Mitas) (as well as Hon. MP John McKay) for what might have been the first time in OTF history.

As mentioned in the video above, one of the outcomes of the OTF grant was the LEPP Garden project. Watch the short video below to learn more about the project and its impact on one of the LEPP residents.

LEPP Garden Program
Engin Ogut and Lisa Conrad of Peerage Capital help stock up the food bank pantry. More pictures can be seen in their story.

Peerage Capital continued to assist our annual holiday program and also supported various SCHC initiatives to help the many residents of Scarborough. This year they became the title sponsor for our winter holiday program, “A Gift To Remember”

Read to learn more about them and how they assist SCHC here.

Youth Entrepreneurship Partnership Program

Thank to the Northpine Foundation funding the Youth Entrepreneurship Partnership Project (YEPP), which was formerly known as Youth Entrepreneurship Opportunity (YEO) continued into 2021. Youth ages 16-29 years old in the GTA complete a 12-week program that provides them with an opportunity to work on their business idea with exclusive access to Shopify services while receiving one on one mentorship to help create a business plan and has their business idea come to fruition. Other key partners include Ryerson Enactus Group, Peerage Capital, and Shopify. See below for our interview with an alumnus of the program, Khalil, as he shares the significance of the program, youth mental health, and more.

Watch above as Khalil talks about his growth and how the YEPP program has helped him

Recognition for our Donors

Above is a list of corporations and businesses that donated to SCHC in the amount of $500 or more.
Above is a list of individuals who donated to SCHC in the amount of $500 or more.

Statement of Financial Position/Operations 

Please see below for the statement of operations and the statement of financial position of SCHC for this past fiscal year (ended March 31, 2022). To view the full report please click here. To view the full report please click here

Above is the statement of operations and comparison from this fiscal year to the prior.
Above is the statement of financial position year ended March 31, 2022.
Above is the breakdown of revenue and expenses for 2021-2022.

Thank you to everyone who made 2021 an incredible year for SCHC!