Together Project
Blog
Photo: Sarah Bodri

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Newcomers and volunteers working together to build more welcoming communities.

Pathways to Prosperity: Together Project Presentation on Remote Social Support for GARs and Refugee Claimants

Interested in learning about how Together Project adapted its in-person Welcome Group Program for online delivery?

This Pathways to Prosperity presentation explains how Government-Assisted Refugees and refugee claimants have been connecting with volunteers virtually at Together Project.

To watch this webinar, click here!

2022 Impact Report

In this year-end report, we are excited to share a snapshot of the work that we have accomplished in 2022. Thank you to our program participants, partners and supporters for helping us build more welcoming communities; we can’t do our work without you! We look forward to working with you to grow our impact in the year to come.

To download our 2022 Impact Report, please click here.

Interview with TD Welcome Group Volunteer Jas Bassi

When Jas Bassi joined TD Bank Group (TD) in 2020, she began her career in consumer protection. While she helped people during her day job, she felt inspired to help others outside of work, too. 

She was excited to find out about the TD Ready Commitment,  the Bank’s corporate citizenship platform, and the opportunities it offers for colleagues to volunteer with local community organizations.

“Working at TD can be really rewarding, and I love that TD supports so many initiatives that colleagues can get involved with and give back to the communities where we work,” she said. 

When her manager forwarded her an opportunity about Together Project, a MakeWay charitable initiative, Jas saw that this was a perfect opportunity to honour the people who had helped her own father forty years ago.

Read more here!

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Flashfood & Too Good to Go: Two Free Apps for Low-Cost Food

In Toronto, Mississauga, Ottawa, and Surrey BC, two free apps are providing innovative options for low-cost food: Flashfood and Too Good to Go.

To explain how refugee newcomers and volunteers who are seeking low-cost food in their neighbourhoods can use these apps, we spoke with Together Project volunteer Sue Anderson.

As an avid user of Flashfood and Too Good to Go, Sue is eager to share these opportunities with others. “I’m always trying to save money, and these are great!” she said.

For more, click here!

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A Guide to Clothing and Food Banks

With the coming winter weather, many newcomers are seeking community resources to keep them warm and nourished. We’ve made a list of food banks and clothing banks currently accepting clients in Central Toronto, East York, Etobicoke, Mississauga, North York, Scarborough, Ottawa, and Surrey.

With food banks offering free delivery, online food banks that allow clients to select items in advance, and an organization that gives free snowsuits to children, and two free apps that promote low-cost food, we’ve found a wealth of resources to share. Check it out here!

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Celebrating Community Health and Well-being Week with CCI Ottawa’s Anneke van Nooten 

For Community Health and Well-being Week, we’re shining a spotlight on our partnership in Ottawa with CCI!

For this article, we spoke with Anneke van Nooten, Client Support Services Program Coordinator.

With her enthusiasm for community health, Anneke reflects on winter challenges for Ottawa newcomers, the lasting impact of committing to help others, and how the Welcome Group Program gives both volunteers and refugees a chance to contribute to community health and well-being.

“The impact of the commitment is huge— particularly for somebody who’s coming as a refugee, who had to leave their country, whose government wasn’t supporting them, whose family wasn’t supporting them— something went wrong for them. So when a complete stranger makes a commitment and they stick by it, that means something.”

Check it out here!

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