The holiday season is all about giving, and last December, Kababayan Multicultural Centre had the privilege to partner with the  Toronto Star  to bring smiles to children across our Latin American newcomers here in the GTA. As a result of the initiative, 35 families received gift boxes filled with essentials and fun, heartwarming items.  Since 1906, The Toronto Star has been raising funds to spread holiday cheer to underprivileged children of all ages in the GTA. In 2024, they aimed to provide 50,000 children in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Ajax, and Pickering with different gift boxes full of warm clothes, books, toys, and cookies.  The messages we received from the parents made the initiative even more special. We’re delighted to share some of these messages along with some photos of the children, capturing their pure joy as they receive their boxes on their first Christmas in Canada.    "Carito, muchas gracias ☺️ en serio mil mil gracias. María súper contenta con sus regalos 🎁 de verdad te agradecemos infinito, te queremos mucho."  Paola M.  "Carito, thank you so much ☺️ seriously, a thousand, thousand thanks. María is super happy with her gifts 🎁. We truly appreciate it infinitely. We love you so much!"       "Muchísimas gracias a ustedes por todo el trabajo en conjunto que hacen para nuestros niños. Muchas gracias por el hermoso detalle!"  Margaretth F.  "Thank you so much to all of you for the teamwork you do for our children. Thank you very much for the beautiful gesture!"       "Estamos super emocionados porque es nuestra primera navidad en Canadá, es el primer regalo que mi hijo recibe y los regalos son perfectos como si supieran que estamos recién llegados. El cuento es sobre 'mi primera navidad en Canadá' y el gorrito del invierno es perfecto porque le cubre los oídos. Estamos super felices, muchísimas gracias a Carolina de KMC y al Toronto Star!"  Maria Victoria D.  "We are super excited because it’s our first Christmas in Canada. This is the first gift my son has received, and the presents are perfect, as if they knew we are newcomers. The book is about 'My First Christmas in Canada' and the winter hat is perfect because it covers his ears. We are so happy, thank you so much to Carolina from KMC and to the Toronto Star!"   We want to extend our deepest thanks to The Toronto Star for their generosity and trust in our organization and everyone who made this initiative possible, including our placement students, Carol González and Katiuska Salazar. They started working on this project in early September and their contribution was invaluable to its success.  Together, we’re delivering hope, warmth, and holiday cheer to newcomer families in our community, one gift box at a time.  Register for our free services if you're interested in being informed about programs like this.

At Kababayan Multicultural Centre, it is our mission to help newcomers and refugees settle into their new lives, and with that of course, into their new homes. That is why we are excited to announce our partnership with Furniture Bank , a trusted charity that has been serving the Greater Toronto Area since 1998. They have been providing valuable support not just to newcomers and refugees, but also to the formerly homeless, helping each one of them transform their new houses into welcoming homes. Image source: Furniture Bank Why This Partnership Matters Starting over in a new country comes with many challenges, one of them being making your new place feel like home. It is a daunting task for most, and oftentimes, is something that is continuously pushed back in our to-do lists. Nonetheless, it can be an exciting one as well. Furniture Bank is giving access to gently-used and good-quality furniture and housewares given by generous donors in the community. By partnering with them, we can ensure that newcomers in Ontario receive free furnitur from Furniture Bank along with the support they need to create a safe and comfortable living space. Image source: Furniture Bank Who Can Benefit from this Partnership Clients must meet the following eligibility criteria: New to Canada / New Occupant within 12 months of arrival date Recently transitioned from homelessness within the last 12 months Experienced loss of furniture in the last 12 months due to fire, flood, pest infestation, or another exceptional circumstance Affiliated with a program at Kababayan Multicultural Centre How Can Newcomers Get Free Furniture Individuals must be referred by one of Furniture Bank’s partner agencies, which includes Kababayan Multicultural Centre. To do so, ensure you are registered with one of our services . Once registered, inform your KMC counsellor that you are interested in Furniture Bank’s services. They will provide you with the support needed to access this assistance. Please note that we have limited slots available each month, so early registration is recommended. For more information and updates on other programs and partnerships, stay connected with us and subscribe to our newsletter .

For over 45 years, the Kababayan's Annual General Meeting (AGM) has been a special community event where we connect with all community members, reflect on and celebrate our shared achievements, and look ahead to exciting new opportunities.  This year is no exception! We invite you to join us at our 2024 Annual General Meeting to celebrate the successes of the past fiscal year (2023-2024). When: Saturday, September 21, 2024, 1 PM - 4 PM Where: 20 West Lodge Avenue, Toronto Or join us virtually via Zoom! What to Expect at This Year’s AGM? Hear about everything that KMC has accomplished in 2023-2024, from new programs and partnerships to heartwarming stories of clients we’ve helped along the way. We will also give you a glimpse of what’s next for KMC and how we will continue to support and uplift each other. Enjoy some delicious treats and have the opportunity to network with fellow members. You’ll also have the chance to vote for our new Board of Directors, who will help steer our vision forward. Not a Member Yet? Learn more about how you can join our growing community in our Membership page . How to Join the Annual General Meeting To attend our AGM, please sign up using the registration form . Whether you’re attending in person or virtually, we can’t wait to see you!

Landing a job in Canada is probably the most exhilarating milestone in a newcomer’s settlement journey. But in a tough job market that is infamous for its prejudice against those with foreign-sounding names and those without Canadian education and experience, how does one stand a chance? ​   “By expanding your network and finding a mentor,” says Parisa, Kababayan’s Settlement Counsellor.   And so on March 16, 2023, Kababayan held its first-ever post-pandemic in-person employment networking event. In partnership with JVS Toronto, we gathered job seekers and career mentors from the trades, engineering, IT, architecture, finance, and job development professions. ​ Another networking event was held on July 13, 2023, and welcomed internationally-trained newcomers from all professions. Funded by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Employment Program addresses one of the most important elements in settlement, that is, for the newcomers to find gainful and meaningful employment that can adequately support their life in Canada, as well as fulfill their passions and vocations.   We help newcomers find suitable employment with the help of an array of partners acting as bridge between newcomers and their dream profession. We work with newcomers’ strengths and passions, and we mentor them and help further strengthen their capacities through various skills training, workshops, and seminars on useful employment topics and issues. By educating workers on employment standards and their rights, we empower newcomers and contribute to advocacies calling for an end to systemic discrimination and racism in the workplace, including by supporting and working with professional and industry associations of immigrants.   Take a look at the various employment services we offered in 2022. 2022-23 Annual Report: Types of Services (p.11)