Hello East Scarborough! Read on for our latest roundup of key resources and up-to-date information on COVID19-- the information and resources that matter most for our KGO and East Scarborough community.
This crowd-sourced e-newsletter is brought to you by The East Scarborough Storefront
The Storefront is still here for you: service updates
Though our building and all of our outdoor amenities are closed, we are working remotely to serve the community. Please call us at 416-208-9889 if you need help accessing any community resource. Check out this flyer with a list of all the kinds of services and supports we can help you with! Calls are answered by one of our Community Resource staff Mon-Fri between 9am and 5pm. If you get our voice mail, please leave a message and we will call you back.
This holiday weekend, our staff will be taking a break Friday, April 10 and Monday April 13. We look forward to serving you for the rest of the week till Thursday, April 9th at 5pm, and by 9am on Tuesday morning, April 14th.
East Metro Newcomer Youth Activities Now Online
East Metro Youth Services Newcomer Youth Programs have gone online for April!
Check out their April calendar of events here. They serve newcomer youth ages 12-21, who have permanent resident or conventional refugee status. You will get a prize if you participate! Please follow their social media account to know more about the online fun activities!
The Pan Am Centre team hopes that you can take part in some of their online classes which are expanding this week to include more children’s programs, more fitness classes, an instructional cooking class and community coffee.
Got questions about your rights and other legal issues during COVID19? South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO) has got you covered with their series of fact sheets for community members on key topics you might have questions about:
Got more questions about your rights and legal issues? You can call SALCO at (416)-487-6371. You can also find your local legal clinic at www.legalaid.on.ca/legal-clinics/ or call: 416 979 1446
CERB & other Financial Supports
CERB applications are open this week! Need support applying to CERB or other new financial supports? The Storefront's Community Resource Specialists are here to provide guidance and answer your questions. Call 416-208-9889 from 9 - 5 PM on weekdays to connect with a Community Resource Specialist. Please note that we cannot fill out any application on your behalf-- we can provide information and guidance with your application and connect you to any resources you need.
New one-time financial support payment for Ontario parents (announced April 6): If you are a parent and you live in Ontario, you can receive a one-time payment of $200 per child 0 to 12 years of age, and $250 for those 0 to 21 years of age with special needs. Apply online to receive your payment: https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-support-families (Parents already receiving previous Support for Parents payments through direct deposit will be automatically eligible for this financial support and do not need to submit a new application)
The extra GST/HST credit for COVID19 will be issued automatically onApril 9th: if you normally receive the GST/HST credit and have filed your 2018 taxes (last year’s taxes), you will get the extra payment automatically.
Check out these helpful visuals from CRA on when to apply to CERB: here and here
Food Access Updates
Beginning April 7, the City along with United Way Toronto and Red Cross, will provide food hamper delivery to seniors and others in need who are unable to leave their homes to access food, who are unable to access other existing programs. If you are a senior or unable to leave your home and need access to a food hamper, call 1-833-204-9952.
Cedarbrae Library pop-up food bank began this past Tuesday, and will continue on Tuesdays from 2 - 4 PM
Morningside Food Pantry re-opens Saturday April 11, and will be open on Saturdays from 2-4 PM
See last page of list for new Toronto Public Library pop-up food banks in other locations across Scarborough
Community Building in Scarborough
Shape My City: Map your grassroots COVID-19 community-building
Connected to grassroots responses to COVID19 in your community right now?
Check out The Shape My City COVID-19 Community Building Resource Page and help us map on-the-ground neighbourhood efforts!
This is a platform for grassroots groups who are organizing projects, events, and initiatives that respond to community-identified priorities to share their work, connect with others and connect to resources. If you’re connected with a grassroots group or know of one in your area, help us map the on the ground efforts taking place in neighbourhoods across Toronto!
Neighbourhood Pods for mutual aid in Toronto: Map your pod or learn how to start one!
Introducing a resource for “neighbourhood pods” where neighbours connect with their geographic neighbours (street by street, building by building) to provide support to each other during times of need. These are volunteer-led networks, with community members generating email or phone lists to connect their neighbours. They provide a way for neighbours to help each other with:
Conversation
Food preparation
Delivery
Access to trusted resources for social, health and economic supports
Interested in starting a neighbourhood pod for your block or your building? Or joining a pod that already exists? Check out the website for a map of neighbourhood pods, as well as step-by-step guidance and resources for starting your own pod.
Scarborough Civic Action Network Newsletter
Check out Scarborough Civic Action Network's Snapshot of COVID19 Impact on Scarborough: Community Voicesin their most recent newsletter.
Subscribe to their newsletter for voices from the grassroots, and information on civic engagement campaigns and activities related to COVID19 community impacts in Scarborough.
Back to School Updates
The Toronto District School Board’s Director of Education emailed a video message of encouragement to 250,000+ students and their parents, just as young people - and their teachers embark on a new way of learning and teaching.
We’re sharing it here for all the aunts, uncles, grandparents and other adult allies of young people. You can keep up to date with TDSB’s announcements at https://www.tdsb.on.ca/News. Toronto Catholic District’s School Board also has a news page at https://www.tcdsb.org/News/.
Who's Hiring
Could COVID-19 be a chance to boost your resume or get your foot in the door for long-term employment? The Storefront can help you create a job search plan for the short or long-term that makes sense for your current personal situation. Contact an Employment Specialist at 416-208-7197 ext. 46 or yaliniv@thestorefront.org.
Here are some current employment opportunities we’re aware of:
Amazon Fulfillment Centre jobs coming to East Scarborough
Amazon’s newest Fulfillment Centre, located at 6351 Steeles, is expected to bring more than 600 full-time jobs to East Scarborough when it opens later this year.Register here to be notified when hiring begins.