“My son had to leave everything he knew in Mexico. It was a tough transition for him – he lost his home and his friends.”
– Maria, Mother and former CDI client
Maria and her 9-year-old son Daniel arrived in Canada two years ago, escaping family violence. With only a few belongings and a determination to rebuild their lives, they landed in a shelter in Toronto. While other families looked forward to the start of a new school year, Maria and Daniel were faced with anxiety and uncertainty.
Your support this back-to-school season can help make sure that every child has the tools and confidence they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.
Since 1909, CDI has brought hope and built brighter futures for children and their families, offering community-based mental health services that have grown to provide a continuum of care. Last year alone, CDI supported more than 120 families who have experienced gender-based violence through various group counselling programs, as well as shelter, abuse and trauma services.
For Maria and Daniel, CDI’s Here to Help program provided a lifeline. “That first year, Daniel had a hard time adjusting. He was exploding at school,” explained Maria. “But Here to Help made a big difference – for the first time, it was a safe place for Daniel to connect with other kids who understood what he was going through. For me, it was a chance to heal with other mothers and feel less guilty about our past.”
That first year, Daniel had a hard time adjusting. He was exploding at school. But Here to Help made a big difference – for the first time, it was a safe place for Daniel to connect with other kids who understood what he was going through. For me, it was a chance to heal with other mothers and feel less guilty about our past.
*This is a true story. Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality.
Your support can make a difference this back-to-school season
Maria and Daniel’s story is one of thousands. Since the pandemic, families across Canada have experienced an increase in mental health challenges, especially those in communities facing barriers to accessing treatment. This national emergency threatens the well-being of our current and future generations.
Fortunately, CDI was able to support Maria and Daniel on their healing journey. As CDI embarks on serving 50,000 children and youth through its three primary service streams – Child & Youth Mental Health Services, Gender-Based Violence Services and Early Years and Child Care Services – over the next five years, your generous gift today can help ensure that these critical services are available free of charge to families who need them most.
Every parent wants a better life for their children. This September, your contribution is not just an investment in a program: it is an investment in the brighter futures of children and families in Toronto, and across Canada.