2025-2026

Corsage Project

On May 1st and 2nd a total of 16 Junior League members helped volunteer at the Corsage Project’s Boutique Ball. The Corsage Project, working in partnership with The Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, is a non-profit organization dedicated to giving the authentic prom experience to young women who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to celebrate with their peers due to the high cost of formal wear. On the Friday, several members of the JLT assisted with the setup of over 1000 brand new prom dresses that had to be sorted on racks with hangers by size and colour. On the Saturday, our members had the chance to act as a personal shopper or a shoe/jewellery attendant for the 200 grade twelve graduates who would be coming to find their prom outfit. The best moments of the day were always heard among the crowd with a loud cheer each time someone said yes when asked ‘do you say yes to the dress?’. Members within our league mentioned how much they enjoyed participating in this event and how well this organization resonates with our current mission. Additionally, the Junior League also presented the Corsage Project with a $1500 cheque to be used towards their scholarship program.

Homeward Bound

A group of 8 JLT members helped assemble Welcome Packages with donated household items from TJX for 15 Homeward Bound Toronto – Woodgreen incoming women and their children. We curated packages including bedding, decorative pillows, towels, shower curtains and more!

12 JLT members gathered to write Letters of Love 💖 cards to the 123 women at Homeward Bound Toronto-Woodgreen. It was wonderful to gather on a rainy April evening to share some cheer!

Young Families Program

In support of SickKids’ Young Families Program—the same program we proudly contributed $100,000 to as part of our 100th anniversary—we set a goal of collecting 100 items… and exceeded it with 259 items collected! These donations were assembled into 61 developmental patient packs (more than double our goal of 30). Each pack includes a book, toy, and clothing item tailored to support a child’s early developmental milestones while bringing joy to young families.

As one SickKids representative shared:
“We truly appreciate all your efforts… thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Hamilton Burlington – Good Shepherd Regina’s Place and St. Matthews House

Our Hamilton Burlington based members were busy serving the Hamilton Burlington Community. League members hosted a Thanksgiving dinner, a Christmas Santa brunch and cooked a special Valentines-themed dinner for the moms, children and staff of Good Shepherd Regina’s place. These acts of service created an opportunity for friendship, connection, good food and joy. Good Shepherd Regina’s Place is a transitional housing program for young parents and their children. They also purchased sturdy shopping carts and filled them with cleaning products for St. Matthews House which provides 15 affordable housing units for Black and Indigenous seniors.

The Shoebox Project

JLT members recently gathered to assemble 40 Shoeboxes for The Shoebox Project! Each box contains up to $50 worth of gifts and essentials for local women impacted by homelessness.

2024-2025

Haven on the Queensway

Seven members of the Junior League of Toronto spent a meaningful afternoon at Haven on the Queensway on January 24, 2025, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for those in need. We assisted in sorting clothes and learned about the amazing impact they have in the community through their five core programs: First Care, Food Bank, Haven’s Closet, Haven Helping Seniors, and Hope with Wheels.

We’re proud to have contributed donations of key items from their wish list, $500, and our time to support their mission. Haven on the Queensway offers a safe space where individuals can receive food, clothing, and other essential resources while fostering self-sufficiency.

Regina Place

Regina’s Place offers housing for 14 young, single moms and their little ones for up to 2 years. While there, they are required to complete their high school education (daycare is provided) and attend other life skill and parenting classes. The home gets no government funding.

We started our partnership off by putting on a Mother’s Day luncheon for the moms and their kids. It was a great success.

Not Just Tourists

On February 16, 2025, several JLT members joined a Not Just Tourists packing event. Not Just Tourists collects and packs medical supplies that are no longer needed here in Canada for delivery to countries that can use them.

The JLT team assisted in sorting donations and had a great time connecting with other volunteers supporting this worthy cause!

Memory Books for clients of the Von/Junior League Respite Centre

Caregivers for loved ones with dementia who regularly spend time at the Centre were asked to supply photos and provide information about the life of their spouse or parent. We each created a memory book that could be used to stimulate memories for the individual and also to help staff communicate with them.

Once the books were completed, we presented them at special tea that we hosted. The response was extremely positive and the family members were so appreciative. It was a very fulfilling project for all of us.

Period Purse

As part of JLT’s new member initiative, we partnered with Period Purse, Canada’s first registered charity dedicated to menstrual equality. Centred around values of dignity, positivity, access, and dedication, it was a great fit for the league to contribute to.

Through social media and community engagement we were able to contribute $2650 as well as 2835 pads, 7128 tampons, and 270 panty liners while also helping to raise awareness around period poverty and the importance of accessible menstrual products.

The Good Shepherd Christmas Marketplace

For the second year in a row, on November 15th, the Hamilton-Burlington Community Impact Team decorated the space that houses The Good Shepherd Christmas Marketplace in Hamilton. This marketplace provides those in need with food, clothing, personal items, and toys to help make this time of year just a little bit merrier.  We put up and decorated Christmas trees, hung garlands and set up other festive décor to create a warm and welcoming space for those using this program.  Our contribution allowed dedicated staff to complete, with more ease, other essential tasks for the November 18th opening.

Trails Youth Initiatives

On October 6, 2024, the JLT met at one of our favourite Community Impact Event locations, Trails Youth Initiatives. The event at Trails Youth Initiatives is an annual JLT event in Stouffville. This fall, we gathered ourselves and lots and lots of leaves. The Junior League supports the maintenance and clean-up of the beautiful trails and grounds while enjoying good company in the great outdoors. Trails’ “Four Seasons, Fours Years, For Life” outdoor program builds confidence through skill development, high school credits, bursaries, and mentorship. Vulnerable youth are challenged and equipped to become contributing members of the community. 

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s (CAMH) Wellness Day

On August 21, 2024, the JLT participated in the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s (CAMH) Wellness Day.

What a great event that served over 100 clients, both inpatients and outpatients, of CAMH!  Clients were treated to a day of self-care where they were able to select two self-care appointments. Options included manicures, haircuts, hair styling, makeup application, etc. There were also Tai Chi, colouring, and snack stations. In addition, Clinique, The Ordinary, and CAMH itself were providing free care products.

JLT volunteers assisted with distributing toiletry bags and snacks and with the flow of people from station to station.

This program is 100% funded by donations.

Flemingdon Park Ministry (FPM)

Flemingdon Park Ministry (FPM) was a seed grant recipient in 2021-22 and as a result, JLT members participated in a Community Impact Event in May 2024. Melodie Ng from FPM reached out to us to ask for support for one of their fundraisers, so we posted about the event on our private Facebook Group, JLT Connects. Jenna Robertson, an employee at KMPG, saw the post and was then connected to Melodie. As a result of a few members taking the initiative, the KPMG Foundation approved a grant of $8,375 per year over 3 years, for a total of $25,125. to FPM. As JLT members, we must never forget the impact we can have, and the importance of the work we can do over and above what we do within our own organization. It is the true power of civic leadership.
As per Melodie Ng:
“This is the teamwork that can make community building possible! In no small part your initiative and coordination to engage  JLT members in hands-on volunteering with us, and responding when I reached out about helping us spread the word about our fundraising. I can’t say enough about how much it means to us! That what began as a one-time grant opportunity with you could grow into an ongoing relationship for the good of the community.

Thank you so much! I look forward to continuing to partner together.
Warmly, Melodie”

Haven on the Queensway

On February 17, 2024, JLT members met at Haven on the Queensway to pack backpacks with toiletries the JLT had purchased for the Hope with Wheels Program. Haven on the Queensway’s mission is “to enhance the quality of life for those in need by providing food, clothing and other resources,” and their Hope with Wheels Program is a mobile street outreach service providing unhoused people in the downtown Toronto and South Etobicoke areas with weekly hot meals, sleeping bags, and toiletries to help meet their basic needs.

The Hope with Wheels Program isn’t only about much-needed material goods. Haven on the Queensway also offers words of hope and encouragement to help lift the spirits of the people they serve. This Community Impact Event was the perfect start to the Family Day long weekend – helping our community and connecting with JLT friends!

Victoria Order of Nurses (VON)

Around 20 years ago, the Junior League of Hamilton-Burlington (JLHB) donated $100,000 to help the Victoria Order of Nurses (VON) establish a respite centre for caregivers looking after loved ones with dementia. Over the years we volunteered at events, helped create a garden and with the help of clients’ family members, made memory books.
In February 2024, under the banner of the JLT, a group of us returned and met with their activity director to make plans to create these memory books for some of their clients once again. These books are a great way to help trigger some long-lost memories for the patients/clients and also help staff interact with them. The Hamilton-Burlington group completed the community impact event (CIE) and the memory books in early May.
For this project, a few families submitted photos and extensive background information about their loved ones so that we could create Memory books of their lives. The books will be used not only to help stimulate memories of the individuals affected by dementia but also to serve as tools for family, friends and day centre staff to carry on meaningful conversations with them.
The project was a meaningful one as we know the books will have a positive impact on the individuals afflicted with this terrible condition as well as their caregivers. In addition, it was fun and helped us all tap into our creative side!

PAST EVENTS

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Gifts of Light Program

 Junior League of Toronto (JLT) members and friends spent a lovely evening writing over 200 personalized holiday cards for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (@CAMHfoundation) Gifts of Light Program. This is the 4th year that our members have supported Gifts of Light’s goal of ensuring that every patient receiving treatment at CAMH receives a personalized holiday card of encouragement, which will be paired with an individual gift carefully selected by a patient’s clinical team. The Gifts of Light program provides practical, meaningful gifts that meet the unique needs of mental health and addiction patients at CAMH, and helps people in crisis on their journey to recovery. Our members had a wonderful time writing meaningful notes of encouragement and listening to CAMH staff share heartfelt words on the impact of the Gifts of Light program. A special thanks to JLT’s Community and Outreach Team for organizing this lovely event, and Bloom Bar Studio for providing a beautiful space for members to learn, connect, and develop as civic leaders.

To learn more about the JLT, and how you can get involved in this or other community-focused programs, visit jlt.org

The Angel Project

The former Junior League of Hamilton-Burlington now members of the @jrleaguetoronto  lead a community drive to support @theangelproject.ca.

Thank you for helping us bring some holiday cheer to the forgotten patients who are left behind at Christmas with little or no outside family support. These men and women have spent years in continuing care, and because of their condition, may never go home again.

Youth Trails Initiatives

Over 20 Junior League of Toronto (JLT) members and friends spent the afternoon helping @trailsyouth , one of our long-term community partners, prepare for their summer season. We cut logs, picked up brush, cleaned the beach, stained picnic benches and cleaned out cabins to get them ready for the summer program.

Trails provides life-long, consistent programming for vulnerable youth. Their mission is to challenge and equip vulnerable youth from at-risk areas to become contributing members of the community. The “Four Seasons, Four Years, For Life” outdoor program builds confidence through skill development, high school credits, bursaries and mentorship. To learn more about Trails Youth Initiative, visit www.trails.ca.

Hand Up Toronto

The Junior League of Toronto (JLT) Community Impact Committee sponsored a day at @handuptoronto . Since 2004, Hand Up Toronto has served areas in need across the GTA by distributing care packages including nutritional food and personal hygiene products. In just one morning, JLT volunteers, along with friends and family, delivered care packages to 200 families in need across the GTA!

Food insecurity in the GTA is at an all-time high. With the help of our members, we were able to directly help a number of families, the majority of whom have young children at home, in the span of one morning. It was also wonderful to go out into the community and see the direct positive impact we were able to have on the families served.

Thank you to Hand Up Toronto for welcoming us, and to our members for giving back to the community in true JLT style!

Youth Without Shelter (YWS)

The JLT hosted a brunch for the residents of Youth Without Shelter (YWS).  Our “Canadian in Paris “ theme brought a little bit of  France and Canada  together for the youth. The brunch combined the best of both countries with French toast, pancakes, bacon, croissants, jam, whipped cream, fresh fruit, real Canadian maple syrup and of course Tim Hortons coffee and Timbits. The youth were happy to participate and appreciated the special meal.

For this event the members of the JLT were divided into two groups; one group cooked and served the brunch, and the other group organized the shelter’s hygiene closet. This highlighted the reality that these youth come to the shelter without basic necessities that we take for granted such as soap, shampoo, and toothpaste.  YWS not only provides residents with these basic needs, but also gives them a place to stay where they can feel at home and safe. It was a great afternoon working with wonderful women of the JLT and served to remind us that helping our community in the simplest way can have a big impact.

Global Medic

The JLT lent a helping hand to Global Medic as they put together hygiene, family emergency, and emergency food kits for Ukrainian
refugees displaced by the ongoing war in Ukraine. These eight JLT members helped assemble 480 kits which include items such as water purification units, hygiene items, solar lights, oral rehydration salts, and more.

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