The beginning of a new paradigm for Toronto’s most vulnerable communities
From news release: On Thursday June 23 at 12:00PM, Spider Jones and his Believe to Achieve Organization join TD, Greenwin Inc., Doorsteps Neighbourhood Services and Literature for Life to launch Spider’s Web Youth Empowerment Initiative, and a community basketball court sponsored by TD.
This pilot project, headquartered at 160 Chalkfarm Drive in Toronto with day to day operation being supervised by Doorsteps Neighbourhood Services, will offer underserved youth in Ward 7 a safe haven where they can learn the skills necessary to overcoming adversity through boxing, computer training and mentoring. Literature for Life will provide a literacy program encouraging children to read and participate in learning.
Motivational speaker/journalist, Spider “Chuck” Jones will be joined by a TD representative, as well as Kevin Green, President of Greenwin Inc. and Ward 7 City Councillor, Giorgio Mammoliti to launch the initiative, which will ultimately cater to all Ward 7 youth.
“We need to engage our children in these turbulent times and teach them how to make the right choices and deal with peer pressure,” says Jones. “Education is the liberator of all. It’s not where you come from in life; it’s where you’re going that counts.”
Adds Councillor Mammoliti: “This is a great example of how the private sector has stepped up to the plate to support a community in need. My vision for the future of the community I represent and neighbourhoods throughout our city is to have the public and private sector work together to deliver these types of programs in underserviced areas.”
“With the swimming pool, community centre and now, the basketball court, literacy and mentorship program, this site has become a community hub,” says Green. “That’s been the goal from the start.”
“Literature for Life is pleased to be involved with Greenwin properties, TD Bank, The Spider Jones Believe to Achieve Foundation and Doorsteps Community Services to support the literacy component of this project. Each partner brings a unique piece to the project and together we are working to keep the community engaged in positive social change.” says Jo Altilia, Founder and Executive Director of Literature for Life.
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A note from Literature for Life: This new private and public sector partnership has evolved to change a community. Chalkfarm is notorious for being in need of social change as captured in an article published by the Toronto Star in the Winter of 2011. This partnership is the beginning of a new paradigm for Toronto’s most vulnerable communities!
This partnership is interesting as the current political climate has highlighted the need for such collaborations with recent discussions of privatization and the need for social change to curb violence among the youth. The positive social impacts are numerous.
Another noteworthy aspect is the value of education outside of the classroom that is promoted within this initiative.
Literature for Life, will conduct the literacy programming within this partnership using their unique reading circles that often includes Hip-Hop literature by authors Tracy Brown (White Lines) and Sister Souljah (The Coldest Winter Ever, Midnight).
With an office located within the Centre of Social Innovation , Executive Director, Jo Altilia is aware of the positive social outcomes when public and private sectors work together. Partnerships with book publishers has enabled the Toronto-based charity to sucessfully promote the benefits of reading and literacy to marginalized individuals and communities using literature as a tool to break the cycle of poverty.
