Who are we?
Neighbourhood Link Support Services is a non-profit support service agency working to help newcomers, youth, unemployed, seniors and the marginally housed, primarily in the east Toronto community to live independently and with dignity. Since 1975, with the assistance of our staff and over 600 volunteers, we have been helping more than 11,000 people annually.
In cooperation with our funders, we work with our colleague agencies across the city to integrate our many services. We continue to be the formidable cornerstone of the community and the recognized leader in the provision of community services that respond to the needs of our neighbours.
What are our roots?
We are rooted in community activism. The two drivers of the movement, Cecelia Murphy and Norm Houghton, founded Senior Link in 1975 with a small group of East Toronto residents. Our founders shared a passion and compassion for their senior neighbours who were in need of help. They were confident their personal touch would be more effective in helping their local seniors than any other available alternative.
By the mid-1990s, the number of younger people coming to Senior Link for help increased to the point where a new agency was required, and Neighbourhood Link was created. As programs developed, it became clear that our name had to change too, and we officially became Neighbourhood Link Support Services in 2005.
Why do we do what we do?
At our core we passionately want to improve the lives of our neighbours in need. We want to make a difference to our community. We want to give back, and we want to do it face-to-face with a personal and collegial touch.
What do we do?
We help our clients harness their independence and dignity. We do this by providing practical, one-on-one support that enhances our clients’ self-worth and self-respect. We view each client differently. We do not impose one-size-fits-all solutions. Rather, we collaborate with each client on what’s best for them.
Who are we for?
We are for seniors, newcomers, youth and those in need of employment. We are for our neighbours who are in need of a hand up but are without adequate support. We are for those who feel isolated and helpless. Many of our neighbours are marginalized and lack the adequate self-confidence or personal resources to make a positive change.
What are we like?
We are respectful, caring and non-judgmental.
What do we fight for?
We fight for the right of everyone in our community to live a dignified and independent life. We fight for their right to control their lives, to choose what is best for them. We guide as much as we lead. We fight for our clients’ independence and their dignity.
What do we value?
We value our clients’ individual needs and respect their choices in fulfilling those needs. We do not mandate solutions. We offer tailored solutions. We help our clients discover and implement what is best for each of them.
How are we funded?
We are funded by all levels of governments—municipal, provincial and federal—and, within each, by several ministries or departments. We are a United Way Toronto member agency and receive annual support for our programs through them. Our friends and neighbours support us with donations, and we are often a beneficiary of wills.
Click to download:
Neighbourhood Link 2010 Fact Sheet
(Acrobat [PDF] format, ~900K)
