Juliana Sprott, Chief Giving Officer of The Sprott Foundation, announces the building of an affordable housing project for seniors, in Toronto, on April 13.Christopher Katsarov/The Globe and Mail
A Toronto campaign aimed at tackling social challenges in the city has received a record-setting $4-million donation from the Sprott Foundation to help convert an east end church into an affordable housing complex for seniors.
The plan from WoodGreen Community Services to build 50 units on the site of Danforth Baptist Church got a big boost Thursday from the donation, the largest the agency has ever received. The contribution will go toward its three-year, $25-million “Unmet Needs” campaign, intended to assist vulnerable communities hardest hit by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including seniors, newcomers, youth and people experiencing homelessness.
The family-run Sprott Foundation provides grants to organizations focused on addressing hunger and homelessness in Canada. Chief giving officer Juliana Sprott said her family is proud to support the campaign, but called on others to step up to address the “travesty” of poverty in the city.
“We need people of means to step forward. If not now, when? We’re in a crisis” she said.
On top of the housing project, funds raised through the campaign will be used for WoodGreen initiatives such as training and employment opportunities, youth programs, and support for women and children fleeing abuse.
Teresa Vasilopoulos, executive director of the WoodGreen Foundation, the group’s fundraising arm, said the organization is committed to using the housing project to support seniors, which is the population it has found to be “struggling the most” with mental-health challenges, isolation and food insecurity.
The planned development will be open to seniors on the city’s affordable housing waitlist, currently at more than 80,000, and includes wraparound health and wellness services, Ms. Vasilopoulos said.
Thursday’s donation will go toward the $3.5-million purchase of the church property as well as plans to establish a commercial kitchen and a community food bank on site. The federal government has also contributed $19.8-million through the Rapid Housing Initiative to the project.
Ms. Vasilopoulos said demolition is scheduled to begin within the next few months, with construction expected to last between 12 and 18 months before the site can open its doors.
Despite the impending conversion, the footprint of the 1911 church will remain. The front brick and stone portion facing Danforth Avenue will be included in the redevelopment, while the eight-storey housing structure will be built in the rear of the building. The small church congregation will also continue to operate, with religious services, programming and community meals.
More information on the campaign and how to donate can be found on WoodGreen’s website.