They welcome people to Scarborough, and during the pandemic worked to sustain the isolated, hungry and vulnerable like never before. Apart from one settlement agency, Scarborough’s four Community Champions — recognized by the City of Toronto in March — were mostly on their own, with little or no funding that didn’t come from fundraising or their own pockets. Yoga mats were rolled up before a lunch of sweet milk rice and channa dal, food celebrating Tamil new year, was recently served in Malvern Recreation Centre’s Community Hall. The Organization of Canadian Tamils with Disabilities (OCTD), which runs programs here, started 26 years ago to serve families no matter the disabilities involved, be their voice and offer whatever is needed, directors say. “Everybody supports each other. That’s the policy,” said OCTD President Jothy Bhrapakaran, a co-founder who is blind. “If we are an organization, it’s powerful. We can go and approach anybody.” Like other non-profits across the city, OCTD was honoured at a March 20 ceremony at Toronto Reference Library. It was a proud moment, Bhrapakaran said, for volunteers who scrambled to deliver Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and speech therapies over Zoom and art supplies, computers, masks and sanitizers to homes after the pandemic arrived. By gathering, learning life skills, visiting parks or taking summer excursions, singing and telling stories, people with disabilities become part of something larger. “That gives them a lot of strength,” said Jeyasingh David, another co-founder and vice-president. OCTD needs more seed funding but is about to “go to the next level,” said David, by leasing permanent space, if all directors agree. Anusshan Perampalam chats to a group about computers at the Organization of Canadian Tamils with Disabilities workshop at the Malvern Community Centre. The Scarborough-based volunteer group is one of those recognized as Toronto Community Champions by the city in 2023 for its work during the pandemic. | Dan Pearce/Metroland Another Community Champion based nearby, the all-volunteer Afghan Network for Social Services (ANSS), wasn’t prepared for the pandemic or the technology it required. “That hit us hard. We lost a lot of community members.” recalled Palwasha Salehy, program development and service director. Those remaining found themselves buying people groceries or bringing them to hospital. Sometimes, ANSS was someone’s only source of help. “We lost a lot of seniors. We took them to the grave, covered their coffins,” said Salehy. During August 2021, Afghanistan’s government fell. Newcomers arrived, quarantining in hotels and needing everything. “Nobody was ready, not the government, not us, not the people,” said Salehy, who led a volunteer team of 100 collecting winter clothes door to door and delivering day and night. “Many of us got sick many times but we made it through.” They weren’t expecting others to know what they did, but the Champion award inspired the community and “shows how strong we are together,” said Salehy, calling it “a light of hope in the middle of” traumatic years. Palwasha Salehy is director of program development and service for the Afghan Network for Social Services, an organization recently recognized as one of the City of Toronto's Community Champions for 2023.| Dan Pearce/Metroland Feed Scarborough, or Scarborough Food Security Initiative (SFSI), was created in 2020 as neighbours filled gaps after the pandemic shut some local food banks. To co-founder Suman Roy, it’s meaningful the group’s Champion nomination came from the community, which “really feels the ownership of this organization.” The award is “a great motivator for our team” which has opened six food banks and community gardens that feed 7,500 people weekly. Local need for food exploded — supplying it at the pandemic’s peak “was a breeze compared to now,” said Roy — and isn’t anticipated to drop soon. The Scarborough Food Security Initiative, otherwise known as Feed Scarborough, was recently recognized as one of the City of Toronto's Community Champions. Suman Roy, executive director, in the new food bank that offers office space for community members in Scarborough's Clairlea area.| Dan Pearce/Metroland Federally funded, Settlement Assistance and Family Support Services (SAFSS), with staff in four locations plus many volunteers, was prepared to move services, even its child-care program, online. When vaccines were available, SAFSS sent mobile clinics to apartment buildings and reached clients by telephone in Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Pashto and Farsi. They know anti-vaxxers targeted newcomers and communities of colour, sowing seeds of doubt on WhatsApp groups and other social media. “Their fears were being preyed upon,” executive director Sudip Minhas said, while agencies like hers tried “to be the bridges” to real information. Minhas said her staff’s innovation, passion and commitment led to Champion recognition; their reaction to it was humble. “I’m so impressed by what they do,” she said. Sudip Minhas, fourth from right, and staff of the Scarborough-based Settlement Assistance and Family Support Services, recognized by the City of Toronto as Community Champions in 2023.| SAFSS photo

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STORY BEHIND THE STORY:Reporter Mike Adler wanted to find out what motivates the four Scarborough groups recognized as Toronto Community Champions for their work during the pandemic.