Our History
Over the past 26 years, Abrigo Centre has grown from an organization helping women who have experienced abuse to one that helps everyone in the neighbourhood – from youth to seniors.
Here's a brief historical look at our history.
1990
- With four full time staff, Abrigo Centre for Victims of Family Violence Inc., opens its doors at 1139 College St. to its first client.
- Holds its first annual Christmas Drive and assists 25 families
1992
- Becomes an official federally recognized charity
- Develops Youth Program services
1993
- Becomes member agency of United Way
- Expands services to include counselling for youth and serves over 100 youth
- Becomes founding member of Dufferin Mall Youth Services, an innovative drop-in centre for neighbourhood youth
- Establishes partnership with St. Mary’s Secondary School, and delivers its first workshop on healthy relationships to students
- Establishes Multilingual Access to Social Assistance Program
1994
- Collaborates with Chinese Family Life, COSTI and Family Service Association of Toronto to address services for perpetrators of abuse against their female partners
- Receives funding from Ministry of Community and Social Services (Province of Ontario) to expand counselling services to Portuguese-speaking communities, establishing Family Support Services Program
- Expands offices at 1139 College Street to accommodate growth of staff and new programming
- Establishes collaboration with St. Christopher House to co-lead groups for women
1995
- Establishes collaboration and trusteeship with Toronto Catholic School Board to provide the Pais e Filhos Program. A program aimed at providing advocacy and education to school-aged children
- Establishes partnership with City of Toronto Public Health and St. Christopher House for “Ready or Not” children’s program, part of the Family Support Services Program
1996
- Collaborates with Catholic Children’s Aid Society to improve CCAS access to Abrigo Centre services
- Establishes a collaboration with Pope Paul Elementary School, further developing workshops on healthy relationships for children
- Creates the Homens em Transicão Program, which later becomes known as the Partner Assault Response Program
1997
- Partners with nine other Toronto agencies to found the officially recognized Ministry of the Attorney General roster of Partner Assault Response Program, which is recognized by the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto
- Starts employment program, with the name Targeted Wage Subsidy Program
- Officially adopts the name Abrigo Centre
1998
- Collaborates with Bishop Romero Secondary School and begins to offer in-school workshops to students on healthy relationships
- Takes trusteeship of Dufferin Mall Youth Services
- Starts “Success by Six” group services under Family Support Services Program to reach caregivers with children under the age of six. Funded by the United Way and a collaborative venture between Abrigo Centre, St. Christopher House and College Montrose Children’s Place
- Collaborating with St. Anthony’s Catholic School, The Learning Company and IBM, Abrigo Centre presents the “Techknow Kids” Program, introducing young people to education software
1999
- Moves to new location on ground floor of Dufferin Mall, becoming more accessible to clients
2000
- Establishes Settlement and Post Settlement Program
- Expands Partner Assault Response Program to deliver groups for English-speaking men, as well as for existing Portuguese-speaking individuals
2001
- Along with Child Development Institute, Abrigo Centre provides program for children who witnessed domestic violence
- Establishes collaboration with Direcção Regional das Comunidades, Açores by participating in the first international conference of social services
2002
- Renames Settlement and Post Settlement Program as Community Development and Integration Program, to provide outreach and comprehensive settlement services to Angolan and Brazilian communities
2003
- Hosts second annual International Conference for Social Services, sponsored by the Direcção Regional das Comunidades, Açores
2004
- Establishes collaboration with Direcção Regional das Comunidades, Açores and organizes the Saudades dos Açores Program. A program designed to facilitate Azorean seniors in traveling back to their homeland of Açores and reconnecting with their roots after many years of being abroad
2006
- Establishes EmployLink for Newcomers, to deliver job developing services to people new to Canada
2007
- In conjunction with Catholic Children’s Aid Society, begins serving Portuguese Speaking fathers through the P.A.I. - Participation, Friendship, Positive Influence Program
2008
- Abrigo Centre takes on the role as lead agency for the drop-in youth centre, Dufferin Mall Youth Services (DMYS). Leadership would be handed over to St. Christopher's House in 2011
2009
- Starts after-school programming for youth at Dufferin Mall Youth Services thanks to funding by the Ministry of Health Promotion (Province of Ontario)
- Secures ongoing funding from Direcção Regional das Comunidades, Açores to co-ordinate the Saudades dos Açores Program from Canada
2010
- Launches two new employment programming with the City of Toronto and Service Canada
- Raises record $38,500 at second annual Grand Carnival Ball
- After two decades of dedication and service, Ed Graça steps down as Executive Director. Cristina Santos is announced as new Executive Director
- Staff, clients and supporters celebrate Abrigo Centre’s 20th anniversary with a fun filled day of food and entertainment at Dufferin Grove Park. During this celebration, Abrigo Centre unveils its new logo
- With funding provided by Service Canada, Abrigo Centre hires 4 participates to work under the Career Focus project
- Following the commitment and dedication of a seniors’ volunteer work group, Abrigo Centre implements a recreational and educational program for Portuguese speaking seniors naming it Grupo Vida e Esperança (Life and Hope Group)
- Working hand in hand with the Portuguese government, Abrigo Centre partners with the Portuguese Consulate to provide service and workshops to the Portuguese community
2011
- Abrigo Centre hosts its last Grand Carnival Ball at the Palais Royale
- Resulting from a 2-year grant given by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Abrigo Centre is able to establish and recruit a significant number of volunteers to the Volunteer Program
- After providing Abrigo Centre with much care and passion, as well as nearly 20 years of service, Cristina Santos resigns to pursue other endeavours
- August 2011, the Board of Directors of Abrigo Centre announce the appointment of Ed Graça as Executive Director
- Funded by the Ministry of Health Promotion, “Fried Eyes” company, a leadership program for youth, focuses on issues surrounding alcohol, substance abuse and mental health
2012
- FORA , Friends Out Reaching for Acceptance, a support group for LGBTQ youth and allies is established
- Abrigo Centre awarded a grant from the Youth Philanthropy Initiative (Toskan Casale Foundation), which is used towards a partnership with Central Commerce High School
- Hosts the Friends of Abrigo Dinner and announces agency moving to 1645 Dufferin St.
- On July 31, 2012, Abrigo Centre relocates to its store-front space at 1645 Dufferin St.
- Abrigo Centre receives funding from Service Canada to expand awareness of elder abuse within the Portuguese-speaking communities
- Abrigo Centre is given a grant from Canadian Women's Foundation to work with two school communities on targeting gender based violence through an anti-abuse/healthy relationship three phase initiative
- October 25, 2012, Abrigo Centre hosts an Open House
- November 2012, Ontario Trillium Foundation grants Abrigo Centre $124,900 over 24 months to conduct a needs assessment and program evaluation
2013
- January 2013, Abrigo hires a Youth Outreach Worker with funding provided by Service Canada under the Career Focus project
- January 20, 2013, with financial support from Service Canada under New Horizons for Seniors program, Um Lado Escondido, a play on elder abuse is premiered
- February 7, 2013, Abrigo volunteers, Elizabete Dias, Segio Sarmento and Maria Zelia Tavares are recipients of the Queen Jubilee Award
- May 2013, Abrigo Centre launches it's first Intergenerational Computer program. The program partners youth volunteers and seniors for computer tutoring sessions
- May 2013, Abrigo launches our new Facebook page and Twitter account
- May 2013, significant improvements is made to our intake system by deploying a new Client Assessment Team (CSA)
- June 2013, Abrigo Centre expands its space to include the second floor
- July 2013, Abrigo Centre receives a 4 year grant from Canadian Women's Foundation to continue with the TAG-V project (Teens Against Gender Based Violence)
- November 2013, outreach activities related to our community needs assessment is underway as we interview key informants to help inform our strategic planning initiative
- December 2013, new partnership is established with University Health Network (Portuguese Mental Health & Addictions), Hong Fook Mental Health Service and Abrigo Centre
2014
- February 2014, client and community focus groups take place, led by our Program Evaluation Coordinator
- March 2014, our Fado Fundraising Dinner Event takes place
- April 2014, our new partnership with University Health Network (Portuguese Mental Health and Addictions Services) began with our staff co-facilitating the first in a series of IGBT Therapy Groups
- June 2014, new strategic plan is adopted by the Board
- June 2014, Abrigo staff & volunteers participate in the Portugal Day Parade
- September 2014, our new Citizenship project (funded by New Horizons) is underway with 30 seniors registered to take part
- September 2014, new partnership with Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto is established as part of their “Keeping Families Together Initiative”, providing specialized counselling to Portuguese-speaking families
- October 2014, our Pre-Employment Development (PED) service concludes with final group