The "10 in 10" Urban Health Award Winners

Sisters of Sumayia (SOS) came together to provide a forum for Muslim young women to speak out against domestic violence, racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, Islamophobia and state violence. SOS is a creative, confidential group in Toronto for Muslim young women to address violence against women in local communities. They meet monthly to share, to strategize and resist to destructive forces that shape and sustain structural and physical forms of violence. SOS was initially devised as a response to the murder of 16-year-old Aqsa Parvez in December 2007 in Mississauga, Ontario. The group recognized the murder of Aqsa as a form of patriarchal violence and the response to her murder from public institutions as Islamophobic. SOS's methods for providing a much needed service within what is often a hostile environment is an impressive indication of the strength, determination and compassion of the Muslim young women who comprise this group.

FORWARD is a multicultural group of homeless and under housed women which first got together in 2005 as a human rights program called “Claiming Our Rights”. When the program finished the women continued to meet and Doreen Silversmith represented the program at the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva. For the first time for Canada the group initiated the issue that child protection agencies should be public and accountable. In October this year the group will return to the UN to give a report on women’s rights to the Committee for the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

SCAO has been helping individuals with sickle cell disease and their families for more than 27 years. It is a very small grassroots organization run entirely by volunteers and limited funding yet; it leaves no request for assistance unmet and works with all levels of the government to encourage a coordinated healthcare strategy development. The recent achievement is the successful addition of the Sickle Cell Disease testing to the expanded Ontario newborn screening program that will ensure early identification and improved continuity and coordination of care for children and families.

The group uses sport to enhance connectedness of marginalized population; in this case special inclusion of young homeless men. It has grown to become a hub for those interested in social inclusion through sport. The innovation of the work this group is provides lies in connection to health, education and housing services by using sport. The effect of the program on individual participants has been documented in news stories; films and press articles. Finally the group participates in the Homeless World Cup of Soccer.

As a community mental health agency, Sound Times has a unique membership-based governance and consumer/survivor operated model. They focus on practical issues – assisting members with all aspects of living and advocating for what they need. They have been specifically successful in engaging people who have been labeled “hard to serve” by the mental health system. The innovation Sound Times has been nominated for is in the area of improving the response to justice system issues for consumer/survivors. They work with other agencies within a city-wide program of diversion and have developed their own service model that uses the collective capacity of the Sound Times community to support and redirect individuals at risk of offending or re-offending.

YPNFA was started 11 years ago to address the gaps in the social safety net faced by marginalized young parents. Members meet monthly to share information and solve common problems and develop innovative solutions. Several programs were developed lately that assist young parents:

• Respite Care program – that provides free respite care for young parents to enable then to deal with legal, medical or housing issues.
• Robertson House program – responded to the need for continuity of care for young homeless women who became pregnant.
• 1900 Sheppard program – YPNFA has developed a pilot project for supportive, transitional housing for young families. Through SCPI funding and partnership with TCHC 27 units were developed for young families.

CONTACT Community Kitchen is a lead agency for the Good Food Box Program in South Simcoe. Information and advice on healthy eating and nutrition is available for the community. Many local businesses, organizations and agencies contributed to running a kitchen. Innovation in income generation has been crucial to maintaining the Community Kitchen; series of recreational classes were successful in raising a portion of the funds needed. The series is taught by local chefs who donate their time and offer demonstration style classes and ‘higher end’ cooking. Since May this year the project has enabled over 180 participants to access information and practical help to put advice into action.

Parkdale Project Read is a centre for adults to work on their literacy and numeracy. It hosts group workshops and pairs learners and tutors who work one on one to reach the student’s goals. PPR is dedicated to creating a comfortable and accessible learning environment where students can bring their whole self (body, mind, spirit and emotions) to learning. The Project works to close the gap between social inequality and health disparities by fighting the stigma associated with literacy issues and by giving people tools and confidence to tackle learning challenges. Working on literacy also increases social capital and feelings of confidence and control.

Rene is an active volunteer in the Civic Engagement Project at The Stop. She is a natural and dedicated organizer who helps to mobilize community, organize anti-poverty events, and supports campaigns to raise the minimum wage and social assistance rates. She uses her own story of struggle as catalyst to organize and inspire others, to advocate for better public policy. The Stop is a food-centered organization in one of the Toronto’s poorest communities that addresses root-causes of hunger. Currently it works with all levels of government to push the provincial government to implement a “nutrition allowance” for low-income people in Ontario. Rene’s moving speech to the Toronto Board of Health earlier this year was instrumental in convincing the board to make recommendations to the province to increase social assistance rates.

From the Ground UP Team creates new infrastructure in the Parkdale community by working on healthy food and therapeutic community gardens for marginalized people by involving those people in the process. This provides physical activity accessible for all ages and abilities, donates fresh food to community kitchens, breaks down social isolation. The Team works across sectors with environment, social, health and community organizations. FGU Youths’ animation of the garden and engagement and education of so many community groups has helped it to become much more than a garden – it was chosen a recipient of a rainwater harvesting system (by Organic Gardening magazine).