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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO AND BOARD CHAIR

As we reflect on 2025, we are proud to share how Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC) continues to fulfill our Mission, Vision, and Values — providing accessible, equitable, and transformational health and social services that support the well-being of the diverse communities we serve. This year has been marked by meaningful progress, resilience, and growth. We are deeply grateful to our staff, volunteers, Board of Directors, funders, and donors whose dedication makes this possible.
A major milestone this year was achieving Academic Community Health Centre (CHC) status — a recognition of our leadership in innovation, research, and education. We continued to champion excellence in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), embedding these principles throughout our operations and service delivery. Notably, we advanced Indigenous cultural safety training across the organization, reinforcing our commitment to reconciliation and culturally safe care.
Strong governance remains at the heart of our success. With the dedication and guidance of our Board of Directors, SCHC strengthened governance practices to ensure transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to our community’s evolving needs. This year, we also undertook a comprehensive review and update of our bylaw to align with the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA), further reinforcing our commitment to sound governance and compliance.
Organizationally, SCHC grew significantly this year, expanding programs and services to meet the rising demand in Scarborough. We are especially proud of our efforts to improve access to and attachment with primary care — a cornerstone of community health. We also enhanced community programs focused on neighbourhood safety and building a stronger sense of belonging for residents. Our continued collaboration with the Scarborough Ontario Health Team (SOHT) remains vital in advancing these goals.
Looking ahead, we remain dedicated to delivering inclusive, person-centered care and advancing health equity in Scarborough. Thank you for your trust and support on this journey.
With gratitude,
Jeanie Argiropoulos
President & CEO
Atiqa Mohammad
Chair, Board of Directors
EDITOR'S MESSAGE
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The theme of this annual report is a heartfelt celebration of our I2CARE Values and the profound ways SCHC embodies these principles in every endeavour. These pages capture just a glimpse of the incredible projects, programs, news, and events that define our year. Every day, SCHC staff passionately live out these values, making a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve.
Our selection for the Toronto Community Champion award is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our staff and leadership. Presented by the City of Toronto, this award celebrates the outstanding efforts of local organizations that contribute to the health, well-being, and resilience of Toronto residents.
Being nominated by our community is a powerful affirmation of our commitment to embedding SCHC values in all we do. This recognition highlights the profound impact of our work on families and individuals throughout Scarborough, and it also beautifully aligns with our vision of igniting strength and fostering resilience within our community.
To our partners, donors, volunteers and external stakeholders, thank you for being a part of the SCHC journey, and I hope you enjoy the accomplishments and stories shared in this 2025 Annual Report.
Debra McGonegal
Director of Communications and Development
I2CARE VALUES
Inclusive
SCHC prioritizes a sense of belonging by involving all team members in decision-making, creating a culture of safety where diverse thoughts, ideas, and identities are embraced, and ensuring that every voice is heard and valued.
Innovation
With innovation at our core, we are always pushing the boundaries and achieving new heights, by fostering a culture of creativity with purpose, resourcefulness, and unconventional thinking that enables us to develop new strategies, improve the status quo, and the courage to seek better ways of doing things.
Collaboration
SCHC believes in working together in co-design with clients, other organizations and integrating with teams leveraging the strengths of our engaged partners to achieve a common purpose for our communities. By fostering a culture of collaboration, we are able to break down silos and deliver exceptional results and exceed our collective expectations.
Accessibility
SCHC serves a wide range of clients and make a positive impact on their lives. We strive to provide services that can be easily received and used by all. Our team is representative of Scarborough’s diverse communities with various lived experiences that help us to support them better.
Respect
At SCHC we treat all individuals with dignity and respect, regardless of their background, and value our clients’ decisions and perspectives. Our team is dedicated to recognizing and valuing the contributions of all individuals, and we strive to create a culture of inclusivity, appreciation and mutual respect. By prioritizing respect, we build trust, foster collaboration, and drive success for our clients and partners.
Equity
At SCHC, equity is a fundamental value that guides everything we do. We believe in treating all individuals equally, ensuring that everyone has access to the same opportunities and resources to achieve their goals. Our commitment to fairness for all drives our success and enables us to create a more equitable world.

INCLUSIVE
Meet Gloria...
a client at SCHC’s EarlyON Child and Family Centre. When she arrived in Canada from Nigeria, everything was new and unfamiliar. But at SCHC’s EarlyON Centre, she found a welcoming space that helped her adjust to the new lifestyle. Through various support services, including the Food Bank, Gloria received the help she needed while also deepening her bond with her daughter through reading and activities.

Liyana and Tiwa
Liyana and Tiwa are part of SCHC’s Children and Youth Program, a supportive space where youth can build life skills, connect with peers and mentors, and make a difference in their community. More than just a program, it’s a vibrant community where young people feel a true sense of belonging and are empowered to grow, lead, and thrive. By fostering a culture of safety and inclusion, the program embraces diverse thoughts, ideas, and identities, creating a space where every youth is seen, heard, and valued.


Let’s MEET
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TAMIL HERITAGE MONTH
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH
SCHC is inclusive of all the diverse cultures we serve, and we honour their traditions through celebratory events.
INNOVATION
Healthy Men, Healthy Conversations at Salvation Army men’s shelter
The collaboration between SCHC and the Salvation Army Men’s Shelter is an example of developing new strategies to make sure that those who are most vulnerable have the mental health and support services they need. By bringing SCHC’s interprofessional primary care team right into the shelter, we’re creating a more direct and respectful path for residents to receive care.
This partnership officially kicked off on August 14, 2024, with an open house in the shelter's backyard for the 60 residents. This was more than just an event; it was a chance for people to learn about available services and how to access them while having genuine conversations that highlighted the importance of support and accessibility.
Thanks to the tireless dedication of harm reduction workers Leslie Philapil and Joshua Davis, SCHC now has a permanent space at the shelter. This ensures that residents have consistent access to crucial healthcare, harm reduction, and mental health support.
In a world where navigating health and support services can often feel overwhelming, this innovative approach is a shining example of what’s possible. It reminds us that by meeting people where they are, in spaces they trust, we have the power to make a real difference, help rebuild lives, and create a strong sense of belonging.



Building Caregiver Empathy
through Technological Innovation
SCHC recently applied and received funding through The Centre for Brain Health & Innovation (CABHI) launched a second cohort of our Discover + Adopt (D+A) program. The program offers healthcare organizations (specifically, long term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals, and other organizations providing care to older adults) a chance to receive up to $150,000 in funding and training to build skills and capacity to introduce, implement, and sustain innovations in their organizations.
Our initial intent is to explore a co-designed pain point with clients, staff and caregivers around communication in the care of older adults with brain injury/cognitive decline through the use of an innovative approach to virtual reality technology by using immersive learning experiences with staff to help increase empathetic awareness and improve their communications with their clients.
The hope is to expand upon these learnings however across other pain points, program areas and populations such as mental health, anti-racism training, de-escalating potentially violent situations and improve staff well-being and more.

New SCHC Community Health Site at Sheppard Village
One of SCHC's greatest strengths is our ability to listen to and respond to the community's evolving needs. We led the charge during the global pandemic, stood firm through each winter surge season, and continued to adapt and innovate with purpose and compassion. Sometimes it takes courage to seek better ways of doing things. So, when the opportunity arose to support residents at Sheppard Village with primary care and wraparound services, the decision was simple, it aligned with who we are.
Our newest SCHC location at Sheppard Village is designed to bring vital health care services directly to where people live. This includes access to nurse practitioners, physicians, nursing support, social workers, mental health case workers, and foot care. Recognizing the importance of holistic care, we are also planning to offer group programs in diabetes education, grief and bereavement, and health promotion, tailored to meet the unique needs of this community.
We understand that for many, especially seniors, traveling to multiple appointments across the city can be a challenge, both physically and emotionally. Our goal is to remove those barriers by creating a seamless, coordinated care experience that meets people where they are.
This initiative reflects SCHC’s ongoing commitment to health equity, dignity, and accessibility. By working closely with our community partners, we’re not just providing services; we’re building trust, connection, and continuity of care that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.
COLLABORATION
Scarborough Partnership Delivers Provincial-First Solution to Fragmented Palliative Care
SCHC demonstrated its value of collaboration through an initiative to integrate palliative care across Scarborough. Local healthcare providers from across Scarborough came together to create seamless access to services and resources, and better coordinated palliative care services as one, connected collaborative. Known simply as Scarborough Palliative Care (SPC), this will allow everyone to make referrals through a single point of contact that will then connect them to the most appropriate service from the full range of our combined network.
By connecting the SPC partners through SHN's Epic clinical information system for documentation and managing digital health records, the organizations are now able to make more expedited referrals, communicate more collaboratively, and care for and transfer patients between each other more seamlessly.

SHN/SCHC Diabetes and Mental Health Collaborative

At SCHC, we know that health isn’t just about seeing a nurse practitioner or doctor, it’s about caring for the whole person. That’s why we’re proud to be involved in two important initiatives that aim to break down barriers and provide truly holistic care to our community.
The first is our new partnership with SHN to launch a Metabolic Clinic for individuals living with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These individuals are often at higher risk for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease; not because of their mental health, but because of gaps in access to preventive care. The clinic, which started in August 2024, will provide lifestyle education, diabetes management, and wraparound supports at SHN’s new Community Mental Health Centre. Whether through group sessions, one-on-one visits, or virtual appointments, we are meeting people where they are, literally and emotionally.
Alongside this, we’re also deepening our collaboration with SHN’s psychiatry department to ensure that clients receiving psychiatric care but not connected to a primary care provider can seamlessly access our services. We understand that true health requires continuity and connection. Through this initiative, psychiatrists can directly refer individuals to SCHC for comprehensive primary care, no barriers, no unnecessary steps.
At SCHC, our interprofessional team doesn’t stop at checkups. We focus on food security, mental wellness, chronic disease management, harm reduction, and more, whatever it takes to support the full picture of health. These partnerships reflect what we believe in: integrated, compassionate, community-driven care that puts people first.

COLLABORATING FOR COMMUNITY WELLNESS
NUTRITION WORKSHOP AT THE HUB
This year, our partnership with Empower the Youth Foundation through the ThriveTogether Wellness Project stood out as a strong example of what can be achieved through meaningful collaboration. Rooted in our organizational principle of collaboration, this initiative demonstrated how sharing space, expertise, and mutual support can lead to impactful programming that strengthens community health and connection.
Through a use-of-space agreement, Empower the Youth Foundation delivered a culturally responsive Nutrition Workshop out of The Hub’s commercial kitchen and multipurpose rooms. This allowed participants to take part in interactive, hands-on cooking sessions while also engaging in facilitated conversations about healthy eating, cultural food traditions, and accessible meal planning. The program met people where they were, acknowledging the importance of culture, affordability, and lived experience in shaping dietary choices.
SCHC staff supported the program through ongoing outreach and promotion, helping to ensure that a wide range of community members were aware of and could access the workshops. The Hub team also remained responsive to emerging needs, offering additional support when needed and ensuring the space remained welcoming and well-equipped.
This partnership reflects more than just a shared use of space — it reflects a shared commitment to equity, wellness, and working collaboratively to build solutions that are responsive and community-informed. It is through relationships like these that we can collectively create inclusive, empowering environments where residents can build skills, access resources, and connect with one another in meaningful ways.


ACCESSIBILITY

Expanded Services to Provide Access to Primary Care
In Fall 2024, SCHC was awarded $1.3 million to expand our Interprofessional Primary Care team, a major win for Scarborough and a powerful step toward improving health equity in our community. With this funding, we’ve been able to hire three new nurse practitioners, significantly increasing our capacity to serve more residents with timely, comprehensive care.
This expansion means more people can get the support they need without relying on emergency departments for non-urgent concerns. It helps relieve pressure on our hospitals and ensures that residents can build trusted, ongoing relationships with primary care providers who understand their full story, not just their symptoms.
Alongside this milestone, we’re also proud to be advancing our Care4Kids program, which directly brings essential primary care and wellness services to children and families who may otherwise face barriers to access. Together, these initiatives reflect our commitment to not just treating illness, but building a healthier Scarborough, one where every resident, regardless of age or background, can thrive.
At SCHC, we believe that primary care is the foundation of a strong, resilient community. This investment allows us to reach more people with the kind of holistic, wraparound support that changes lives, whether it’s through chronic disease management, mental health care, preventative screenings, or help navigating life’s everyday challenges.
We’re not just adding services, we’re building hope, trust, and a stronger future for Scarborough. This is what it means to care for the community.
Edward Belitski
Meals on Wheels Client
At Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC), accessibility means more than just access—it means care that meets people where they are. Ed Belitski’s powerful story is a testament to this commitment. Facing addiction, homelessness, mental illness, and a rare autoimmune disease, Ed found strength in support—and support in SCHC. From Meals on Wheels to compassionate healthcare professionals, SCHC has helped Ed maintain his independence and dignity through life’s toughest moments. His journey reminds us why accessible, inclusive care matters.
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Introducing the Hepatitis C Team at SCHC
Our community based Hep C team works to be where the risk of Hep C is highest so we can have the biggest impact and make screening and support as accessible as possible. We have found that by going to shelters and TCHC building regularly we are able to build rapport with residents to help reduce the stigma of accessing care and the care system. Hepatis C screening can be completed in community with a simple point of care test meaning we can provide answers then and there making a quick connections down the cascade of care.
Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC) is proud to announce the formation of a new Hepatitis C team dedicated to serving the Scarborough community. This initiative is a crucial step towards helping Canada meet the World Health Organization’s goal of eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver, potentially leading to severe liver damage, including cirrhosis and an increased risk of liver cancer if left untreated. Unlike Hepatitis A and B, there is currently no vaccine for Hepatitis C. However, there is good news. Treatment for Hepatitis C has advanced significantly, with direct-acting antivirals now offering a 95% cure rate. These treatments, which take just 8 to 12 weeks, have minimal side effects compared to the harsh treatments available in the 1980s.
At SCHC, our Hepatitis C team is committed to increasing access to testing, treatment, and support for those affected by the virus. We are actively offering community-based screening and providing comprehensive support and treatment services for those who test positive.
RESPECT
Click a tab below to see how SCHC is showing respect in the community.
SCHC RISE TOGETHER
This year, SCHC took its annual United Way fundraising campaign to new heights — quite literally! As part of this year’s United Way ClimbUP challenge, a few determined and enthusiastic staff members tackled the 1,776 steps of Toronto’s iconic CN Tower. Our dedicated team, fittingly named “SCHC Rise Together,” embraced the challenge and raised an impressive $2,820, demonstrating both their commitment to physical endurance and their passion for building a stronger community.
Why did we take on this challenge? Every dollar raised by our team supports vital programs addressing affordable housing, food insecurity, and mental health challenges across the GTA. The climb wasn’t just a test of strength and stamina; it was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we rise together.

As a community health organization, SCHC is proud to support causes that align with our vision to ignite the strength of community in Scarborough and beyond. By actively participating in and fundraising for United Way’s mission, SCHC is showing deep respect for their leadership in driving systemic change and building more equitable communities. Together, we’re building a brighter, more equitable future!
EQUITY

Multicultural Youth Arts Empowerment (MYAE) Program
Rainbows Pride In Scarborough (RPIS) invited youth ages 15–29 to express themselves through art and conversation. The Multicultural Youth Arts Empowerment (MYAE) program, held twice a month and running until February 2025, was created for youth labelled with intellectual, physical, and/or developmental abilities, youth dealing with mental health concerns, and youth who identify as 2SQTBBIPOCSA+.
During the workshops, participants learned new skills, connected with others, gained leadership experience, and had the opportunity to express themselves through a variety of art forms. The group’s first arts-based session focused on Temporary Tattoo art, where youth explored basic skills in sketching, design, colour, and texture. They practiced collaboration, developed patience, and discovered their artistic talents through hands-on experience. This art activity also helped them build confidence and learn how to work effectively with others.
Truth and Reconciliation Event
Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC) and Scarborough Health Network (SHN) hosted a Truth and Reconciliation event on Thursday, September 21, 2024, at Thomson Memorial Park. Community members gathered to learn, connect, and honour the ongoing journey toward reconciliation and collective healing. The event featured powerful speakers, including Blackwolf Hart, moving performances by Indigenous drummers and singers, and the Sea of Orange Walk. It was deeply moving to witness people from all walks of life wearing orange and coming together to honour residential school survivors and remember the children who never came home.

Indigenous Storytelling
On Thursday, June 27th, 2024, the EDIB Committee partnered with EarlyON to host a storytelling workshop at the Hub for over 18 adults and 29 children. In recognition of National Indigenous People’s Month, the event featured Nikki Soliman, a Métis children’s storybook author. Nikki read her book, "Bubbly Beth," and facilitated fun activities for our families.
Bubbly Beth participants learned all about Beth, an Anishinaabe girl who loves bubbles and how teamwork and friendship can help solve problems. The story featured characters like Waagoosh (the fox) and Waawaashkesh (the deer) helping to use story telling as a format to teach important life lessons, awareness of Indigenous knowledge and to have fun! Creating spaces like this helps to foster feeling of connection where all voices can be heard and all stories are welcome.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
Below is the statement of operations and comparison from this fiscal year to the prior.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
Below is the statement of financial position for year end of March 31, 2025.

BREAKDOWN OF REVENUE AND EXPENSES
Below is the breakdown of revenue and expenses for 2024-2025.
REVENUE




EXPENSES
DATA HIGHLIGHTS
Check out a sample of some of our data.
Please hover over each box to see the growth from last year.
86,441
# of client visits benefiting from the Food Bank
19%
increase from last year
764
# of households furnished through the Furniture Bank
29%
increase from last year
424,002
# of client interactions
18.2%
increase from last year
7055
# of individuals served in Community Health Centre
9%
increase from last year

24,917
# of unique clients across all SCHC programs served
10%
increase from last year
3468
# of individuals served in Diabetes Education Program
26,715
# of community member visits accessing the Hub

would refer a family or friend to SCHC

say staff treated them with dignity and respect at SCHC
say SCHC services have helped improve their health and well-being
say staff always explain things in a way that is easy for them to understand


DONOR SUMMARY


