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Creating Community Programs, Together

July 26, 2020 by Melanie

*We need to hear from you!*
PROGRAM FEEDBACK SURVEY

Creating Together began over 40 years ago thanks to parents in the Parkdale community working with agency workers to bring resources for children and their families. Even it’s name “Creating Together”, implies it’s origin – a community organization that was literally created, together.

For 40 years now, we have been responsive to the needs of our community, adjusting our programs and offerings based on what we hear from the people who use our services. Now with an incredible network of donors and community partners behind us, we are more ready than ever to support the Parkdale families we serve.

These are challenging times in the world, and we all need to work collaboratively and creatively, together, to create a community of wellness, support, and thriving.

It’s imperative that our planning processes continue to be informed by Parkdale parents and caregivers, so we are asking for your help in completing the following Program Feedback Survey so we can discuss the results at our AGM on August 8th.

Please take a moment to complete this survey, by August 7th 2020 at the latest, so we can continue to make our programming the very best that it could be!

PROGRAM FEEDBACK SURVEY

Lunar New Year Celebration

January 22, 2020 by Melanie

The Lunar New Year, Chinese Chunjie, Vietnamese Tet, Korean Solnal, Tibetan Losar, also called Spring Festival, is celebrated during the second new moon after the winter solstice, usually between January 21 and February 20 on the Gregorian calendar.

The festival is typically celebrated in Asian countries, beginning with the first new moon of the year and ending on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 days later.

Chinese New Year, January 25th

This year’s Chinese New Year begins January 25th, as we move into the Year of the Rat. Here are a few rituals that are traditionally done to celebrate the Chinese New Year:

Visit family and friends – This tradition is so crucial that LNY travel is annually heralded as the ‘world’s largest human migration’. In 2019, 3 billion trips were projected to be made during the holiday season.

Share wealth with family – Red packets carrying cash gifts are given to friends and family. It is also tradition for children to give a gift to their grandparents / elders.

Clear out last year’s clutter – In the days leading up to the Lunar New Year, the last year is washed away: windows, walls and furniture are all cleaned and dusted. However, all cleaning stops on the first day of the Lunar New Year, so good fortune is not swept away.

Hang red decorations – it is said, according to lunar new year mythology, that red is hung to ward off Nian – a lion-like monster that is afraid of the colour red.

Watch a traditional dance – Further to the red decorations, Nian also doesn’t like loud noises, so drums and cymbals accompany a flying lion dance outdoors.

You won’t want to miss the festivities in Chinatown this Saturday from 12-5pm: https://www.chinatownbia.com/eventsnews/lny2020/

Come and Celebrate with Us!

We hope you’ll join us this Friday at Creating Together to celebrate with some food and origami mouse activities! Take a look below for a tutorial on how to do this at home!

Happy New Year!

Next month, we’ll be celebrating Tibetan Losar as well, which fall this year on February 24-26. Stay tuned for more information on that!

Apply to be a Board member with Creating Together Family Resource Centre

March 12, 2018 by Melanie

HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT JOINING, DEADLINE COULD BE EXTENDED

If you are passionate about strengthening families and making a difference in the Parkdale community, consider supporting the Creating Together Family Resource Centre by joining our team as a volunteer member of our Board of Directors.

The Membership and Board Development Committee is currently accepting applications from individuals interested in being recommended at our spring 2018 Annual General Meeting.

All board members must be:

Committed to supporting Creating Together and its mission “to support the healthy social, cognitive, emotional and physical development of children 0 to under 6 years and their families.
Currently a resident of the Parkdale community.

Preference is given to individuals who use or have used our services in the past. Previous experience with Boards and non-profit organizations is an asset, however, it it not required.

The Board of Directors consists of 9 members drawn from various segments of the community. A variety of backgrounds, skill sets and perspectives are valued. The term of office is 1-2 years.

Board meetings are held monthly (excluding August and December), usually the third Wednesday at 7:30pm, although this is negotiable. Board members also participate in board committees and are involved in periodic strategic planning sessions and community events.

How to Apply

To apply, please complete submit a cover letter and current resume to creatingtogether@rogers.com

The deadline to receive applications is 11:59 pm on Sunday April 15, 2018, however, if you are really passionate about joining, dedline could be extended.

Interviews will be held and selected prior to the Annual General Meeting, at which successful applicants will be voted in.

Join Us March 8 for International Women’s Day

March 4, 2018 by Melanie

Each year, the team at Creating Together puts on a special day for the women of our community, for International Women’s Day (IWD).

This Thursday March 8th, join us at for homemade facials, hand softness and a special snack for all!

We hope do see you there!

What is International Women’s Day?

International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. (https://www.internationalwomensday.com)

Origins of International Women’s Day

We can trace the beginnings of International Women’s Day back to labour movements in North America and Europe in the early twentieth century, with a growing force for women to take part as equals in society. The first International Women’s Day was observed on March 19, 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. That day, more than one million women and men showed their support by participating in public events. In the years that followed, other countries began to observe and celebrate this day. The United Nations began celebrating IWD in 1975, later adopting March 8 as the official International Women’s Day.

This Year’s Theme: Feminism

Each year, IWD carries a different theme, and this year, the theme is Feminism. According to the Government of Canada, “Feminism is simply about equality – equality for women, men and people of all gender identities. Achieving gender equality means that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.” (http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/commemoration/iwd-jif/theme-en.html).

This year’s theme, #MyFeminism, is inspired by the role feminism and celebrates the feminists, activists, advocates and allies to lead the way to global change.

Other Ways to Get Involved

Here are ten ideas from “The Status of Women Canada” for how you can celebrate International Women’s Day:

Take part in an International Women’s Day event in your community.
Participate in the #MyFeminism campaign by providing your answer to the question: What does feminism mean to you?
Recognize the achievements of an exceptional woman in your community by profiling her in a local paper or online platform, making a donation to a charity in her name, or nominating her for an award (such as the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case).
Print the International Women’s Day poster to display in your office, home or community.
Share the International Women’s Day infobites across social media.
Encourage youth to get involved through classroom discussions and activities, using the Educators’ Toolkit.
Learn more about the challenges facing women around the world from international organizations like UN Women.
Donate your time to a local, national or international organization that supports women and gender equality.
Talk with men and boys about their role as advocates and allies for gender equality.
Plan a fundraising event at your workplace or school for a charity that works with women or works to advance gender equality.

January is Family Literacy Month!

January 21, 2018 by Melanie

This month, the Toronto Public Library is celebrating “Family Literacy Month“, and on January 27th ABC Life Literacy Canada celebrates a national awareness initiative, Family Literacy Day, to raise awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family.

Did you know that early literacy begins before a child can read? According to research by the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network, children who are successful readers have usually engaged in many early language and literacy activities before starting school. In fact, hearing and engaging with books read aloud to them is one of the most important activities for infants, toddlers, and pre-school children.

Until the last 30 years, children were seen as non-readers until they entered school. Now, children’s attempts to read and write before they reach school age are seen as important steps in developing reading and writing abilities.

It takes a village to raise a child – so we invite you to join us each Monday at 9:30am at Creating Together for “Literacy Mondays“, where we all work together to support healthy, fun literacy development in children. This program is designed for one-on-one or small group storytelling, featuring developmentally appropriate books and CDs. It gives children the opportunity to read and sing along with parents/caregivers and a staff member, and children also have a choice to listen to a story with headphones on their own.

Also, please get involved with our ongoing Toy and Book drive, where you can donate and purchase books – and all funds raised go towards supporting the work we do at Creating Together.

In addition to Literacy Mondays at Creating Together, take a look at these opportunities to promote literacy in your children:

Parkdale Library offers a Baby Time on Fridays from 10:30-11am as part of the “Ready for Reading” series. Baby Time brings bouncing and tickling rhymes, songs and stories for babies from birth to 18 months with their parent or caregiver.
Children’s Book Bank provides free books and literacy support to children living in low-income neighborhoods across Toronto.
Toronto’s ReadUP‘s mission is to provide children with access to free reading support that complements and consolidates the literacy learning they receive in school.
Enjoy your favourite children’s stories any time with Dial-a-Story and OverDrive eBooks & eAudiobooks for Kids.
Barbara Reid, award-winning Canadian author and illustrator, is the Honourary Chair of Family Literacy Day for ABC Life Literacy Canada. Read a Q&A with Barbara Reid and download Barbara’s activity sheets for ways to learn at play with modelling clay: English Français
Handbook of Language and Literacy Development