Connected By Care: Yorktown Family Services’ 2025/2026 AGM and Recognition Night

On October 29, 2026, Yorktown Family Services hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Recognition Night at the Jane Street Hub, bringing together staff, board members, funders, community partners, volunteers and award recipients for an evening of reflection, recognition and connection.

This year’s theme, Connected By Care, celebrated the relationships, expertise and shared commitment that make Yorktown’s work possible. The evening provided an opportunity to reflect on the organization’s accomplishments during 2025/2026, recognize the people and partnerships behind its work, and introduce new opportunities for community engagement.

Connected By Care: Reflecting on 2025/2026

Throughout the evening, Yorktown reflected on the importance of connection in supporting children, youth, women, families and communities.

As CEO Suzette Arruda-Santos shared, Yorktown’s clients remain the organization’s North Star, guiding its decisions, priorities and approach to care.

Over the past year, Yorktown continued strengthening its integrated approach to care, recognizing the interconnection between mental health, family relationships, safety, grief and community well-being.

Through Care Navigation and collaboration across programs and services, Yorktown helps individuals and families connect with appropriate supports as their needs evolve.

The organization also responded to emerging and complex community needs, including developing new pathways to support people affected by gender-based violence, responding to grief and crisis, and contributing specialized mental and social health expertise to the prevention of targeted violence.

Behind these efforts are dedicated staff, volunteers, community partners, funders and supporters whose knowledge, compassion and commitment help strengthen care across the communities Yorktown serves.

Connected By Care represents more than the theme of an annual report. It reflects the relationships and shared purpose that continue to shape Yorktown Family Services.

Looking Ahead: From Connection to Engagement

Building on its integrated approach to care, Yorktown introduced three Strategic Engagement Platforms at the AGM:

• Show Up For Youth
• Make Home Safe
• Stronger Families

The platforms bring together interconnected programs and services around shared priorities, helping more people understand the breadth of Yorktown’s work and the many ways they can become involved.

Through community participation, partnerships and philanthropic support, these platforms will help strengthen connections between Yorktown and the broader community, creating new opportunities to advance its mission and sustain its impact.

Introducing Show Up For Youth: Celebrating Youth Voices

A highlight of the evening was the introduction of Show Up For Youth, one of Yorktown’s three Strategic Engagement Platforms.

Show Up For Youth brings together Yorktown’s work with and for young people around a shared goal: helping young people thrive.

Through mental health care, mentorship, outreach, grief support, culturally responsive services and opportunities for connection and belonging, Yorktown works alongside young people and families to respond to their diverse needs.

Show Up For Youth invites individuals, organizations and communities to become part of that commitment through participation, partnership, advocacy and philanthropic support.

As part of the introduction, attendees watched a special video featuring young people and Yorktown staff sharing their perspectives on what it means to show up for youth. Their contributions highlighted the importance of listening to young people, recognizing their experiences and aspirations, and ensuring they have opportunities to participate in shaping their communities.

The evening also featured a presentation from the West Toronto Youth Wellness Hub’s Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), demonstrating youth leadership and participation in action.

Thandeka Mangwiro, Yorktown’s Peer Navigator and a previous recipient of the Spirit of Giving Volunteer Award, joined YAC members Shreya Vasudeva and Sereena Walia to share the committee’s accomplishments and future initiatives.

Over the past year, the committee strengthened its leadership structure, welcomed five new members, established its Terms of Reference, and participated in digital skills and social media training. Members also contributed feedback toward a new mural planned for the youth space at 2010 Eglinton Avenue West.

Looking ahead, the committee is developing a youth-focused resource webpage and virtual newsletter, supported by funding from the Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario Equity and Youth Opportunities Fund. The initiative aims to connect marginalized youth with resources and opportunities while celebrating youth leadership and contributions across the community.

With a first webpage draft anticipated for April 2027, the committee is also planning focus groups in partnership with Yorktown’s Youth Mentorship Program and Rainbow West to better understand the barriers racialized youth experience when accessing services.

Guided by the vision For Youth, By Youth, these initiatives reflect the importance of creating opportunities for young people to contribute their perspectives, develop leadership skills and participate in decisions that affect their lives.

Communities succeed when we Show Up For Youth.

How will you Show Up For Youth?

Learn more about Show Up For Youth, explore Yorktown’s programs and services for young people, and discover opportunities to make a difference.

Celebrating Our Community: Recognition Night

The AGM and Recognition Night also provided an opportunity to celebrate the individuals and organizations whose dedication, generosity and contributions have made a meaningful difference throughout the year.

The evening recognized community partnerships, volunteer contributions, staff excellence and long-standing service to Yorktown.

2025/2026 Award Recipients

Eleanor Stein Memorial Women Award
Client recipient

Linda Sumner Youth Development Fund Award
Client recipient

Spirit of Giving Award
Victorious Transformation International

Dan Goldberg Award
Michael Zivot

Karen Hutchinson Memorial Award
Maria Jesus Docando

Staff Award of Excellence
Karina Gonzalez

Long-Term Service Awards

Yorktown also recognized staff members who have demonstrated years of dedication and commitment to the organization and the communities it serves.

5 Years of Service

• Amber Reid

• Daira Orobio

• Rittu Sohal

15 Years of Service

• Candice Walker

20 Years of Service

• Susan Loizzo

• Glenda Diaz

• Vanessa Rambhaccus

The evening also included Community Partnership Awards recognizing Ranka Group, Columbus Event Centre – Villa Charities Inc., the RCMP, and the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

Each recipient represents the people and partnerships that contribute to Yorktown’s ability to deliver meaningful support and strengthen communities.

Continuing Our Commitment to Connected Care

As Yorktown reflects on the accomplishments of 2025/2026, the organization remains grateful to the clients, staff, volunteers, board members, funders, donors and community partners who make its work possible.

Their continued commitment strengthens Yorktown’s ability to respond to evolving community needs, expand opportunities for support and help children, youth, women and families thrive.

As Yorktown looks ahead, the spirit of Connected By Care will continue to guide its work, while new opportunities for engagement invite more people to become part of that shared commitment.

Explore Yorktown Family Services’ 2025/2026 Annual Report to learn more about the organization’s accomplishments, initiatives and impact over the past year.