PARTNERING WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO STRENGTHEN ENGAGEMENT
We are committed to building a sense of community, where those we support and their families, feel like they belong and are empowered to make choices that shape their tomorrow. Below are a few of the ways we actively seek input from everyone connected to our organization, using their voices to guide meaningful engagement opportunities and to measure our progress.
Community Chats podcast: Where conversations bring people together
Since 2024, Community Chats has continued to grow as a platform for meaningful conversations about inclusion, belonging, and the issues that matter to people with intellectual disabilities, their families, and communities. Through stories, lived experiences, and discussions with sector leaders, advocates, and community partners, the podcast helps elevate diverse perspectives, spark dialogue, and deepen understanding of the opportunities and challenges within our sector.
This year, Community Chats welcomed a range of influential voices, including Vassy Kapelos, political journalist and Community Living Toronto Patron’s Council member; John Tory, Chair of Community Living Toronto’s Patron’s Council; Heather McDonald, President and CEO of United Way Greater Toronto; and returning guest Brendon Pooran, founder of PooranLaw. Together, these conversations explored topics ranging from advocacy and community inclusion to leadership, belonging, and the future of support for people with intellectual disabilities.
“What began as a way to stay connected with our community during COVID has evolved into a platform for sharing stories, elevating lived experience, and exploring issues that impact the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Belonging starts with listening, and the podcast continues to create opportunities for connection, learning, and conversation across our community,” says Brad Saunders, CEO and host.
To date, Community Chats podcast has received over 17,000 downloads, and helped build relationships, deepen engagement, and demonstrate the power of working together.
Creating connection with our Community Engagement team
The Community Engagement Speaker Series continued to highlight different monthly topics of interest including how to navigate the development services system, advocacy, and community inclusion. Each session was attended by over 50 people and served as an accessible entry point for learning and community dialogue.
Even more members joined our Community Councils this year, which hosted various events designed to strengthen relationships and welcome new participants into our community. A significant area of impact was addressing food insecurity. Community Councils collectively sponsored initiatives that provided holiday gift cards to more than 200 families living below the poverty line.
Each of our Family Peer Support Networks – Dads Supporting Dads, Moms Group, and Parent Share, also continued to grow.
Diverse families across Toronto, including 32 fathers and over 200 mothers, created a strong peer mentorship community where they were able to learn from their shared experiences. One mom reflected, “We are always the caretaker and asking if everyone is ok. It was nice to be taken care of at the Moms Spa Day.”
Together backstage at Community Rocks: the band, hosts, Community Living Toronto leadership, and our presenting and partner sponsors who helped make this unforgettable evening possible.
Volunteers play an integral role in our organization and this year we were thrilled to have the support of 416 volunteers in various programs and at our events. Many of our volunteers come together as multi-generational families to give their time, with parents, children, and grandparents creating a sense of community together. One example of a dedicated group of volunteers of more than 15 years is Susan and her family.
For Susan, what began as a simple connection to someone she knew on our staff team quickly grew into a deep commitment to volunteering and eventually became a family tradition.
“I love the people that CLTO supports,” she explains. “They’re often overlooked, or people make assumptions about their abilities. But many of them have incredible and inspiring stories about things they’ve overcome in their lives, or their interests and passions. Getting to know them, supporting them, and hopefully impacting their lives in a positive way is an amazing feeling,” shared Susan.
Over the years, Susan has supported many activities, including more than a decade of volunteering at our annual Family Fun Fair. She has also helped run a lemonade stand outside our head office, packaged rapid antigen test kits during the COVID-19 pandemic, and supported many other initiatives. Volunteering has never been something she does alone, it’s something her whole family takes part in.
Her husband has volunteered alongside her for just as long, and their children (now 11 and 9) have been attending and helping at events practically since birth. Even Susan’s extended family have joined in, with her in-laws, brother, and close friends volunteering regularly at the Family Fun Fair.
One of Susan’s favourite traditions has been running the sno-cone and popcorn station at the Family Fun Fair, something her family has done together for more than 10 years. Over time, her children went from enjoying the event to becoming active helpers.
This past summer marked a special moment. “In 2025, they practically ran the station,” Susan recalls with a laugh. “They pushed us aside and asked for help when they needed it. It was really amazing to see, kind of like passing the torch.”
Of course, volunteering also comes with its share of memorable (and sometimes messy) moments. Susan recalled a particularly rainy summer picnic. “It was cold and wet, and no one wanted sno-cones,” she says. “The moisture in the air made the cotton candy stick everywhere. We were cold and sticky by the end of the day, but it was pretty funny.”
The Family Fun Fair has grown into a major community celebration. The event is open to the entire community and brings together the people we support, their families, staff, and volunteers for a day of connection and fun. At the fair 1,000+ people attended, supported by an incredible team of 70 volunteers who helped make the day possible.
This year’s event also included an opportunity to say a final goodbye to our Lawson location, which holds many memories for all of us. Volunteers and retired staff helped create a special memory wall, where people could share photos, notes, and reflections.
Over the years, what has meant the most to Susan and her family are the relationships they have built. Many of the people they have met through our organization greet them with hugs and enthusiastic hellos whenever they see each other at events or around the community. Those friendships are what make volunteering so meaningful.
“What stands out most is the relationships we’ve built over the years,” she says. “It’s a great community of dedicated employees, volunteers, and wonderful people with some pretty amazing stories. It’s pretty special to be part of something so amazing.”
Through her dedication and the excitement her children now bring to helping others, Susan shows how volunteering can become more than just how you give back. It builds friendships, creates shared family experiences, and passes the value of kindness from one generation to the next.
Bringing inclusion to a national audience
Through both leadership and storytelling, we strengthened our work on inclusion. We welcomed renowned political journalist Vassy Kapelos to our Patron’s Council, enhancing its ability to influence policy and champion inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities. Bringing national reach and a strong commitment to civic engagement, her appointment expands our Council’s impact across the community. For Kapelos, the connection was decades in the making: “I was first introduced to the organization over 20 years ago as a volunteer where we rowed with participants of the youth to work program, and that early experience left a lasting impression.”
At the same time, we partnered with AMI Media, a national not-for-profit broadcaster, on a video project featuring the people we support in an episode of Our Community. The episode explores our history and impact, from our roots in the “community living movement” to our work today while centring the perspectives and lived experiences of those we support. Together, these efforts help bring our mission to a broader audience and deepen public awareness.
Our partnerships create opportunities for engagement that empower choice, nurture participation, and create spaces where everyone can engage in ways that are meaningful to them. Together, we are not just building programs, we are building a community where everyone belongs.
Watch the full episode at: www.amiplus.ca/our-community/ community-living-toronto
