West Neighbourhood House

It's just under a week away. You're invited to Do West with West 2026. Do West Fest Little Portugal Toronto BIA

This year, West Neighbourhood House will have various activities along Dundas West, and we will be opening our courtyard space again, on both Saturday (6 June) and Sunday (7 June), starting at 11am and into the afternoon and evening.

On Saturday, starting at 12pm, we will have a Family Cookout and later a Garden Bar, a fundraiser for the House, with tasty eats provided by Lamuren and beats by CTRL the WAV + guests. Free entry before 5pm.

Participants in our seniors programs, will also be selling their beautiful hand-knitted designs. Saturday only.

We'll also have different activities for young children and youth, including face-painting. Saturday and Sunday. West Neighbourhood House Family Drop-in Program

On Sunday, we are looking forward to Big Mahjong, together with All Flowers Mahjong, between 3-5pm. Pay what you can. Sign up to play or come to watch.

We will also be joined by our partners Hard Feelings Toronto, Gerstein Crisis Centre and Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, over the weekend, who will be providing information on the services they provide to the community.

We hope to see you there.

Our partners Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre have released an excellent guide about what to do (and who to call) when you see people in crisis, in the community. There's also a helpful guide of what to do when you see someone overdose.

The next Parkdale Safety Network Meeting will be Thursday, May 28th, 2026 at Toronto Public Library Parkdale Branch, Basement, 1303 Queen Street West from 6pm-8pm.

Also, the Stay Open, Stay Alive rally and concert is taking place on Saturday May 30, 2026 at Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St. E at 2pm, featuring PQWCHC’s CEO Angela Robertson, along with Jason Miles as speakers.

Read the full newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/ccdc02240878/pqwchc-community-safety-and-health?e=5ce64bab88

Send a message to learn more

Downtown ResilienceFest: A Celebration of Community Power and Collective Capacity-Building, Networking and Inspiration is happening on Thursday, June 11th, between 12pm-8pm at The 519 (519 Church Street).

If you are a community worker, organizer or local leader, based in Downtown Toronto, join us for a full day of engaging discussions, different activities, and plenty of opportunities to connect with community members.

For a full agenda and to reserve your spot, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/downtown-resiliencefest-2026-tickets-1979555334293?aff=oddtdtcreator

This is the first edition of Downtown ResilienceFest. Please help us get the word out by circulating widely.

The 519 Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre Sunshine Centres for Seniors Scadding Court TNG Community Services 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations City of Toronto United Way Greater Toronto

Join us on Saturday, June 6th for Do West With West.

West Neighbourhood House is having a fundraiser to benefit newcomer neighbours and local families, as part of the Do West festivities.

Join us for a neighbourhood dance party and cookout as part of the Do West Fest. Come and enjoy tasty eats from Lamuren on the grill, with sounds provided by CTRL the Wav djs.

Admission is free before 6pm. Want to come later? $10 for entry admission after 5pm. Purchase tickets online at: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/west-neighbourhood-house/events/do-west-with-west/



Little Portugal Toronto BIA Do West Fest

Donate to not attend.

Please do NOT join us for a charity soccer tournament we are definitely NOT hosting June 20th. Instead, pick a way to NOT participate and make a gift that will support programs across West Neighbourhood House.

The House is responding to growing needs in our community. While we welcome visitors from around the world in the coming weeks, we celebrate what makes this city truly special – our diverse neighbourhoods.

A gift to the Non-Event will support essential programs that enable individuals, families and groups in the community to gain greater control of their lives.

Donate today at westnh.org/donate/

The 12th Annual Toronto Newcomer Day is taking place this year on Friday, May 29th, at Nathan Phillips Square and Toronto City Hall, between 10am and 3pm.

West Neighbourhood House staff will be in attendance as part of the information fair, to tell the public about the services we provide to help ensure newcomers better integrate into Canadian society and workforce. For more information about the program, please visit our website: https://www.westnh.org/immigrantrefugee/

Also, come out on the 29th to celebrate the incredible contributions newcomers have made to our city over its history. There will be different activities, a marketplace, City Hall and walking tour of the neighbourhood, and more.

West Neighbourhood House will be taking part in the Stay Open, Stay Alive rally and concert in support of supervised consumption sites on Saturday, May 30th, at Metropolitan United Church (56 Queen Street East), 2pm. Everyone is welcome to come out and show your support.

The event will include some speeches from Angela Robertson, Executive Director at Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, Jason Miles and Dr. Meldon Kahan.

Our Spring 2026 newsletter is now out! In this edition, we celebrated our volunteers as part of Volunteer Month in April. Read about one of our long-standing volunteers who so passionately devotes her time to helping newcomers build their English-language skills.

We also looked back at the March Break Camp, a week full of fun and educational activities for young children, which took place for the first time in Parkdale.

Read the full Spring 2026 newsletter here: https://www.westnh.org/spring2026newsletter/

If you would like to receive the newsletter directly to your email, please subscribe at westnh.org/newsletter

Join West Neighbourhood House and the Toronto Public Library for a new series called Resilience Reads.

Share the joy of reading, tell stories, and inspire each other to build hope for our climate future. The events are taking place on Wednesday, May 20th at Parkdale Public Library, at 6:30pm and Thursday, May 28th at College-Shaw Public Library, at 2pm.

This month's featured book is Memory of Water by Emmi Itaranta. We will be exploring themes related to water, women as water defenders, and climate resilience.

This event is open for the community and does not require registration. Contact Meyira at [email protected] or 416-206-8034 for more information.

Portuguese-Canadian historian and former Board member at West Neighbourhood House, Gilberto Fernandes has launched a podcast about stories on the Portuguese immigrant experience. Read more about his latest project here: https://gilbertofernandes.ca/2026/04/28/home-is-the-journey-tales-from-portugals-diasporas-podcast-launched/

Gilberto Fernandes co-authored a history of our organization (known as St. Christopher House until 2014), as part of the Portuguese Canadian History project at York University:

https://wayback.library.yorku.ca/exhibits/20230930101444/https://archives.library.yorku.ca/exhibits/show/pchp/st-christopher-house

🇵🇹 A diáspora portuguesa ganha uma nova voz em formato podcast. 🎙️🌍

“Home is the Journey: Tales from Portugal’s Diasporas” explora histórias, identidades e experiências das comunidades portuguesas espalhadas pelo mundo — do Canadá aos Estados Unidos, passando por Portugal e muito mais.

O projeto junta os investigadores Miguel Moniz e Gilberto Fernandes em conversas sobre cultura, imigração, memória, pertença e o impacto global da diáspora portuguesa.

Uma viagem pelas histórias que ligam gerações e comunidades além-fronteiras. 🇵🇹❤️🇨🇦

📲 Leia mais no website da Senso Magazine

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🇨🇦 The Portuguese diaspora now has a new voice in podcast form. 🎙️🌍

“Home is the Journey: Tales from Portugal’s Diasporas” explores the stories, identities, and experiences of Portuguese communities around the world — from Canada and the United States to Portugal and beyond.

The project brings together scholars Miguel Moniz and Gilberto Fernandes in conversations about culture, migration, memory, belonging, and the global impact of the Portuguese diaspora.

A journey through the stories connecting generations and communities across borders. 🇵🇹❤️🇨🇦

📲 Read more on the Senso Magazine website

West Neighbourhood House is partnering with Green Liberty Village and Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre to provide a FREE soccer clinic for youth!

The clinic is taking place at Liberty Village Park on June 6th from 12-3pm and all the registrants get lunch, swag bags, shirts, TTC, ice cream, volunteer hours and a $10 Dollarama gift card for participating.

All youth are welcome to sign-up, however priority will be given to female identifying youth aged 14-19 years old.

We are also hiring 10 leaders (both male/ female) who can help during the day of – the leaders would be paid $90 for the 3 hours. Some soccer skills are required.

Join a day full of soccer activities and free coaching. Please register: https://tinyurl.com/5bk3k8uw

A reminder! Nominations for the Sir James Woods Award for Community Development are due May 15th, at 5pm. The award is presented annually by West Neighbourhood House to recognize extraordinary contributions to the community.

The award recipient/s are announced at our Annual General Meeting, which takes place every year in June. The award comes with a $1000 prize to the recipient.

We are looking for community members who work to bring about meaningful change in their community. All residents of the city of Toronto, excluding West Neighbourhood House staff and their immediate family.

Community groups may also be nominated (excluding service providers). Nominees do not need to live in the West Neighbourhood House catchment area and individuals are permitted to nominate themselves. We prioritise nominees connected to our catchment area (from Bloor Street in the north, to Lake Ontario in the south, and between Bathurst Street in the east to Roncesvalles Avenue in the west).

If you would like to nominate someone for this award, please email Rui Martins, Community Relations Coordinator, at [email protected]

To read about the 2025 recipients, please visit: westnh.org/sirjameswoodsaward2025/

For more information, and more past winners, please visit: westnh.org/about-us/sir-james-woods-award/

The Women's Empowerment Program at helps women stabilize their lives, through services that include counselling, support groups, and housing support. It's confidential and free.

The program is currently offering a support group bi-weekly on Mondays. For more information and to register, please email [email protected] or call 416-532-4828. TTC tickets and a light breakfast will be provided.

Join to discuss topics such healthy relationships, emotional awareness, and more, in a safe, welcoming environment.

For more information on the Women's Empowerment Program, please visit: westnh.org/women/

West Neighbourhood House is grateful for the continued support we receive from the Adult Education and Literacy Fund through the Toronto Foundation.

The fund supports the Adult Learning Program at the House which provides one-to-one and small group learning for adults who want to improve their communication, math and digital skills so they can be more engaged in the community, better manage their health and finances, and meet personal goals.

As a community-based program, we rely on the time and dedication of volunteers like Raymond (right), who help create a welcoming, supportive learning environment for our participants. To read more about Raymond’s story, please visit: https://www.westnh.org/literacyvolunteer/

It’s National Volunteer Week! Thank you to our amazing volunteers, who give their time and energy to support our community every day – we couldn’t do it without you.

This month we have been celebrating, including sharing some sweet treats with volunteers across our projects!

We are in the midst of a cost of living crisis. And with this, rising debt becomes an increasing reality for many people.

Rebekah Smylie, Manager of Financial Empowerment at West Neighbourhood House, spoke with Amanda Pfeffer on Ontario Today this week about the risks of relying on debt to cover basic essentials.

Listen to the full interview through a link on our website: http://www.westnh.org/about-us/media/

Introducing the Glitterbug Program, a collaboration with The 519. The 519's Glitterbug 2SLGBTQ+ EarlyON Mobile Program is a mobile program that works with EarlyON Centres across Toronto to promote inclusion and affirmation of gender and sexual diversity among children and families.

Open to 2SLGBTQ+ families and caregivers, and families with gender-diverse children (0-6 years). The drop-ins include fun activities, talks, workshops, trips, and resources for families . Or, come to connect with community members.

Activities will take place every Friday starting April 10, 9 am to 1 pm, at the West Neighbourhood House at 1033 King Street West in Liberty Village.

To register, please complete this form: https://the519.jotform.com/260776241269968

For more information, please contact [email protected]

West Neighbourhood House Family Drop-in Program

We’re excited to share that registration for our 2026 Summer Day Camp is now open!

Our Summer Camp will take place at Holy Family Catholic School (141 Close Ave) in Parkdale and will run Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Camp fees are $110.00 per child, per week, with subsidies available.

Weekly activities will include arts and crafts, STEM Projects, Swimming and field trips in the community, and other fun, learning opportunities.

For more information, please contact Mallory Cochrane at 416-532-4828 ext. 126 or email [email protected]

The Toronto Star Children's Charities City of Toronto HIGH FIVE Global