OUR HISTORY
In the late 1990’s, East Scarborough was a community in need of a new plan. Families were leaving; low cost housing was scarce; vast numbers of refugees were being housed in a strip of motels along Kingston Road. And there were not enough services to support them, or residents of East Scarborough, around them.
An alliance of Public Health workers, volunteers from the Caring Alliance (a group from various faith communities) and volunteers decided to do something about it.
Working together, they contacted local service agencies and residents, going door to door to find out what residents needed. It became clear that no ONE agency or organization could meet all the challenges and serve all the needs but that collectively, the possibilities were enormous.
Two years later in 2001, the group opened a storefront at Morningside Mall within walking distance of many apartment towers. The East Scarborough Storefront later moved to an old police station at 4040 Lawrence East in 2007. Local youth were engaged to redesign and reimagine the space from one that was distrusted, to one that was welcoming to local residents. Our doors have been open ever since.
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The Little Community That Could: The Story Behind Our Story
by Cathy Mann