JVS Toronto held its 75th Annual General Meeting virtually on September 21. We thank everyone who celebrated this milestone anniversary with us.
Our decades of experience are what guide us as we strive to stay true to our founding values. We remain committed to a highly individualized approach to breaking down barriers and helping our clients achieve self-sufficiency. The organization is well-positioned to bring new, innovative, and dynamic programming to our community.
We’d like to thank our staff, volunteers, donors, funders, employers, and community partners for their generosity and dedication over the last 75 years. May we go from strength to strength as we embark on 75 more.
Read JVS Toronto’s 2021-2022 Annual Report
This past year, over 13,000 individuals, each with their own unique story, came to JVS Toronto in search of support. While they all shared a common goal of finding meaningful employment, each represented much more than just a number in our database. Our staff, volunteers, donors, and funders all played a role in impacting the lives of those 13,000 individuals. Read some of their stories.
Celebrating 75 Years
Since 1947, JVS Toronto has impacted the lives of thousands of individuals by helping them plan their careers, find meaningful employment and build sustainable livelihoods. Many dedicated people have made it possible for the Agency to carry out our mission over the last 75 years.
Watch our 75th anniversary celebratory video.
Announcements
JVS Toronto is enriched tremendously by the contribution of our governance volunteers. We thank Lori Bailey, Erin Payne, Marvin Zweig, Daniel Wilson, and former Board Chair Jonathan Kopman for their years of service on the JVS Toronto Board of Directors, and for their friendship and support.
We thank XBASE Technologies Corporation for sponsoring JVS Toronto’s 75th Annual General Meeting. It is our honour to recognize them for their daily IT management work and ongoing support of the Agency.
In Memoriam
At our AGM, we took time to honour two individuals who passed on this year. Both were strong supporters of JVS Toronto, and their family legacies live on through their commitment to the Agency.
Larry Enkin
Larry Enkin, son of JVS Toronto’s founder Max Enkin, passed away earlier this year.
Larry became involved with JVS Toronto in 1999. Sharing in his father’s vision, Larry worked to support JVS Toronto’s newcomer self-employment and disability service areas. Together with Impakt Labs, Larry helped create a documentary of the families that came to Canada as part of The Tailor Project. He hoped it would remind people of the benefits of immigration by showcasing how these families have made valuable contributions to Canadian society.
Larry was connected with JVS Toronto, right up until shortly before his passing and was deeply dedicated to the causes he believed in.
We extend our deepest sympathy to Larry’s family.
Amy Mouckley
Amy Mouckley, daughter of Eunice and David Mouckley passed away earlier this year. JVS Toronto has been the fortunate recipient of the Mouckley family’s generosity and support for over 60 years.
The Mouckleys spent their lives making a meaningful impact on people and their community. Following David’s passing, his wife Eunice continued the passionate spirit of her late husband and in 2015 she left JVS Toronto a legacy gift. Amy has now continued this tradition by making her own meaningful legacy gift to the agency. We are deeply grateful to Amy for her kindness and generosity. Her gift will continue to have a profound impact on JVS Toronto clients for years to come.
We extend our deepest sympathy to Amy’s family.
Congratulations to this Year’s Award Recipients!
We thank our family of donors who make our annual awards ceremony possible and congratulate the following award winners on their outstanding accomplishments. Read their stories in our Annual Report.
Freedman Family Award for Young Entrepreneurs – Valerie Amponsah
This award recognizes a young person who has overcome challenges who has completed one of JVS Toronto’s youth entrepreneurship programs, and is successfully operating their business on either a full-time or part-time basis
Joseph Skolnik Award for New Canadians – Carla de Sousa
This award recognizes a JVS Toronto client who is a newcomer and has been in Canada for more than 1 year. The candidate must have overcome barriers of language, culture, lack of updated skills; and has successfully integrated into Canadian society.
Kim Coulter Career Counselling Award – Nancy Chicas
This award recognizes a JVS Toronto Career Counselling client who has demonstrated resilience, motivation and perseverance to successfully overcome personal obstacles in their life and take actionable steps towards realizing their goal.
Betty Skolnik Award for Emerging Professionals – Anonymous (not pictured)
This award recognizes a young professional new to their career who has a promising future ahead in their chosen occupation. The candidate must show potential for growth and a dedication for learning.
Manny Mitchell Award for Excellence in Volunteerism – Kanwardyal “KD” Singh
This award recognizes a current JVS Toronto volunteer who makes a valuable contribution to the program they are volunteering in and has demonstrated consistent commitment, dedication and reliability to both staff and clients.
Berger Family Inspirational Award – Michael Rice (not pictured)
This award recognizes personal perseverance and community engagement. It acknowledges the achievements and contributions that individuals with a disability make to the community. The award is given to a current JVS Toronto client who has faced and overcome obstacles.
And the 2 winners of Eunice & David Mouckley Employer of the Year Award – Dodds Garage Doors (Zack Belzberg) and Swish Chalet (Sam Ho)
This award recognizes a JVS Toronto employer who has worked with us for more than 1 year and has provided special initiatives to clients with barriers to employment whether in language, culture, disability, or lack of updated skills.
We get this very common question from individuals who are getting ready to immigrate to Canada. Short answer is: Yes, you can. However, there are a few details you should take into consideration when making the decision to apply for Canadian jobs.
