"Ephraim’s Place is much more than just another program designed to promote positive changes in the community. It is a community in and of itself designed with only one thing in mind..love."
Lorna Brown. Ephraim's mother.
Blog
Welcome to the Ephraim’s Place blog! Come here for updates on what we’re doing and what’s happening in the community.
Project HEARTcore Semester 1 Wrapping Up
Related: Project HEARTcore
January 30, 2012
It’s winding down to the end of the first semester of Project HEARTcore and it’s been one of the strongest group of participants in the program. The passion and heart of these students were shown time and time again.
One example of their passion to help others, came through an awareness campaigned called “To Write Love On Her Arms.” This campaign would require students to write the word “LOVE” on their arms in order to raise awareness for youth who have been affected with depression, suicide, and mental illnesses. It’s simple, but powerful in that it serves as a reminder to love each other despite our differences. This awareness campaign took place at the schools that the students attended, which were C.W. Jefferys, William Lyon Mackenzie, Westview Collegiate, James Cardinal McGuigan, and Weston Collegiate.
In the next couple weeks, the students are required to come up with their own final event. They’re to plan what organization and issue that they want to support or fundraise for. They’re excited and I’m excited to see what they come up with. Whatever the event may be, I am confident that these students will be successful and touch at least one other person in their school or community while doing it.
Thanks to all of you in HEARTcore! Every time 4 pm hits and the students start to trickle into the program, I’m reminded why I have so much hope for the leaders of this generation.
- Bina
Volunteer Blog Post: John Toufankjian
Related: Volunteer
January 3, 2012
Ephraim’s Place Community Centre is where miracles take place. Born & Raised in Jane-Finch, I have seen gun violence, gang violence, and other criminal activities in my neighbourhood and surrounding.
Priority Neighbourhoods exist because society has failed to do its part. We grow up being blessed with certain opportunities and advantages that others are unfortunate of, and we neglect to give back.
What’s the point of living next door to someone in need and do nothing about it?
What’s life mean if your neighbours are dying and we do nothing to even TRY to help?
I got involved with Ephraim’s Place because I got tired of “doing nothing” and decided “to do something”
No one expects you to save the world, but you are expected to try. If you can save the life of one child or one youth, words couldn’t define the expression of that kind of love. Every child/youth deserves and needs to be loved, cared for and given hope to live and succeed in life. Their neighbourhood, their upbringing, their surroundings, their backgrounds, their lifestyle’s, their obstacles or challenges should never disqualify any child/youth of being loved, accepted and taken care of.
Ephraim’s Place Community Centre is a place that children and youth come to and get that sense of belonging, love and acceptance. The centre challenges our community with programs that build character, life lessons, provides education, teaches respect, offers hope, and changes lives.
Bill Sunberg (Executive Director) of Ephraim’s Place had a vision to see change in our neighbourhood. Several years later, that vision has not just come to life, but we see its effects every single day throughout our programs.
I do what I do at Ephraim’s Place because I love my community, I care for my community, and I am called to serve with Love.
When are we going to stop driving by police tape and wonder who’s been shot or who’s dead? And actually make an effort to get involved in the lives of these children and youth and do something to prevent it.
Volunteer Blog Post: Adopt A Block
Related: Adopt A Block | Volunteer
November 17, 2011
Heading off early Saturday mornings, into the Sheppard-Yatescastle blocks to know door to door to offer my time and assistance to those who may need a little help….whoh, wow!
My first door, my second door, and my third door. I started to feel as though I was being intrusive! Not my intentions or why I was even there and knocking.
It was very long until we came across a lady who needed help getting a full size fridge out of her basement to be thrown out. Okay, I’m no mover by no means, but knowing she needed the help and with a little help from a few other volunteers we did it. She now has that extra space in her basement. That was a great feeling for me to hear and see how grateful she was for us coming that morning.
Feeling intrusive quickly turned into feeling very helpful and needed. I look forward in offering my time now on Saturday mornings.
Laura
Adopt A Block volunteer
Refresh 2011 Recap
Related: Refresh
August 16, 2011
After months of planning and preparation Refresh 2011 has come to an end. It was a great week where we had the chance to meet many new people, enjoy some really good food, and of course do lots of painting!
This year, we were able to paint 100 homes in the Driftwood and Wellesley communities with the generous help of about 340 volunteers from all over North America! That works out to 635 days of work!
We would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to all of you who were involved in making this event such a huge success! Whether you painted one day or all five days, we could not have done this without you. It was amazing to see people dedicate their time and love into this project of ours. All of you have touched the families of all the homes we worked in and have made such a big difference in our city. Thank you so much!
We have compiled bits and pieces of video from the week and have created a short video. Hope you enjoy it!
About Project HEARTcore
Related: Project HEARTcore
June 22, 2011
Not too long ago, Ephraim’s Place Community Centre conducted a comprehensive Community Assessment of our neighbourhood. Various stakeholders (educators, parents, service providers, police officers, business leaders, etc) were interviewed to help identify the pressing needs in our community. It did not take long before a theme began to develop around the negative reputation for our community. Just as the question was asked in the scriptures, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”, so also people across Toronto asked the same question of our community, “Can anything good come from Jane-Finch?” This has a devastating effect on our youth. The community assessment revealed that our youth have begun to “own” this reputation as a reality in their lives. Many have surrendered their lives to a hopeless future.
Out of the discovery of this need, EPCC has designed a program unique to our community called Project HEARTcore. Project HEARTcore is an after school program that helps youth believe beyond the barriers of our community that they can and will have a successful future.
There are three parts of the program. The first part is designed to help youth think differently about themselves by teaching them personal leadership skills they will need to be successful in life. The second part is designed to help them think differently about our community by helping them become agents of change. We help them discover their own passions and gifts and combine them with their personal leadership skills to design a community development project that meets a need in the community about which they are passionate. The third part of the program is designed to help others think differently about our community. The youth are taught media production skills and are given access to video cameras and production software to document their community development programs and other success stories in our community. Then, they share these with others to help them see our community in a different light, thus breaking the cycle of hopelessness.
As a result of the Project HEARTcore program, we are proud to say that the answer to the question, “Can anything good come from Jane-Finch?”, is a resounding “YES!”
