CIRCLES CANADA

Circles Canada continues to deepen and expand. In addition to the County of Lambton (see their spotlight in our 2021 Impact Report), Circles Chapters in Ontario include: London; County of Simcoe; Muskoka; Sudbury; Kingston; Oxford County; and City of Cornwall. To date, Circles Canada Chapters have supported 522 Circle Leaders.

CULTURAL SPOTLIGHT Circles Canada and Indigenous Peoples

In 2018, the first Circles Canada Indigenous Chapter launched in Temiskaming Shores. The Temiskaming Chapter was developed through consultation with Keepers of the Circle (an urban Indigenous Hub that operates from two locations situated in the historical Robinson-Huron Treaty territory); Aboriginal Learning Centre; Elders representing First Nations, Metis of Algonquin, and the Ojibwe Traditional Territories; and management from the District Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB). As a result, the First Nations and Metis Circles was formed, honoring the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Walls Within: Diary of a Housing Crisis, a new podcast by Kelly Jones (Coordinator of the Muskoka North/South group), explores the housing crisis in Muskoka from the perspective of those most affected. Circles Canada community members share first-hand stories of their search for “a safe, affordable and fulfilling place to call home.” Through these stories, the Circles Muskoka Chapter—led by YWCA Muskoka—hopes to raise awareness of the scale and impact of the housing crisis and, ultimately, to inspire action.

As well as premiering Walls Within, Circles Muskoka teams distinguished themselves in 2022 with a host of community-led projects to alleviate poverty. Recent initiatives included:

• Launching a Lived Experience committee, which offers organizations tangible solutions using the Bridges Model; language to help with paperwork; ways to help reduce barriers when trying to get resources; and more.

• Publishing a four-part article series on MuskokaRegion.com (linked here by topic) to address Big View topics like inflation, affordable housing, mental health, and common misconceptions about poverty.

• Building a community garden bed for one of five local food banks.

• Assembling and publishing digital and print editions of a cookbook for food bank-accessible resources, to be distributed at food banks and other poverty alleviation organizations in Muskoka and beyond.