Ontario Making It Easier for Youth in West Toronto to Connect to Mental Health Services
January 30, 2024
Yorktown Family Services’ West Toronto Youth Wellness Hub
April 9, 2024
Yorktown Family Services, dedicated to addressing mental health and social wellness needs in marginalized communities, proudly recognizes the Gordon and Ruth Gooder Charitable Foundation for its exceptional support.
Gordon Sproule, President of the Gordon & Ruth Gooder Charitable Foundation’s objective is to continue to advance the legacy of its founders’ mission which is to help improve the lives of youth at risk, notably those who are disadvantaged due to their economic and/or social circumstances, or who are experiencing physical challenges. Generous gifts of $100,000 in both 2021/22 and 2022/23 from the Gordon and Ruth Gooder Charitable Foundation have been instrumental in the success of the BLAC Program. This sustained support allowed the program to serve 73 clients, resulting in positive mental health outcomes.
For over 30 years, Yorktown has been responding to the mental health and social wellness needs of the members of Toronto’s most marginalized, under-resourced, and vulnerable communities. In 2021 Yorktown launched the groundbreaking Black Lives Accessing Care (BLAC) Program to respond to the gap in resources and programs available to Black youth. The program is sustained through Yorktown’s ongoing fundraising efforts.
In recognition of their transformative support, Yorktown presented the Gordon and Ruth Gooder Charitable Foundation with a 2022/23 Community Partnership Award. The announcement was made during Yorktown’s 2023 AGM by Shantel Aboagye-Mensah, Clinical Therapist for the BLAC Program. The award symbolizes gratitude for the foundation’s unwavering commitment to youth at risk.
“This opportunity to support Black youth and their families as the BLAC therapist has been a privilege. It has been a pleasure to see clients meet their goals with culturally appropriate and anti-oppressive services, delivered by a Black-identifying inter professional team. This program provides a network of support, access to culturally relevant programs, and positive mentors and role models,” said Shantel. “We are grateful to the Gordon and Ruth Gooder Charitable Foundation and everyone who has supported the BLAC program along the way.”
Yorktown Family Services is pleased to recognize The Gordon and Ruther Gooder Charitable Foundation for supporting innovative programs like Black Lives Access Care (BLAC)!