Here is a list of programming that CHKC Training Centre will offer for the month of November 2024. If you have any questions about programming, email tkarounos@chkc.org
Monday November 4
Current Events
1-3
Tuesday November 5
Reading Club (Via Email)
Thursday November 7
Breakfast Club: Savoury (In Person, ASL Interpreter available)
9-11
Saturday November 9
Cooking without a Stove or Oven: Air Fryer Edition Part 2 (In Person, RSVP)
10-1
2-5
Monday November 11
Centre Closed Remembrance Day
Wednesday November 13
Chat Club (In Person)
1-3:30
Thursday November 14
Bingo
1-3
Friday November 15
Mobile Apps and Features (RSVP, ASL Interpreter available)
12:30-3:30
Monday November 18
Writing Club
10-12
Current Events
1-3
Tuesday November 19
Charles Bonnet Syndrome Support Group
10-12
Drop In: Holiday Treats (In Person, ASL Interpreter available)
1:30-3:30
Wednesday November 20
Baking with Michelle: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (In Person, RSVP)
1:30-3:30
Thursday November 21
Breakfast Club: French Toast (In Person, ASL Interpreter available)
9-11
Monday November 25
Critter Den: Famous Animals (ASL Interpreter available)
10-12
DBPSG (Online, ASL Interpreter available)
1-3
7-9
Thursday November 28
Bingo
1-3
Saturday November 30
Meal Planning Club (In Person, RSVP, $20 cost)
10:30-1:30
2-5
This is what Canadian Helen Keller Centre is doing about it
Eumarson sitting and smiling at the camera. He is wearing a baseball hat and a t-shirt.
It’s a late sunny summer afternoon and 45-year-old Eumarson is enjoying a cup of coffee on a bench outside of Fort York Residence, an apartment shelter complex that is part of Toronto’s homelessness initiatives and prevention services. He has lived here for almost a year through the help of Canadian Helen Keller’s support network after he faced the real and frightening threat of homelessness.
He is tired as he recently finished the night shift at the nearby grocery store where he stocks shelves. Despite his employability and his desire to work, Eumarson’s dual sensory loss makes it more difficult because he communicates through American Sign Language (ASL). For example, Eumarson might find it challenging to get to work using public transit, communicating with his colleagues and direct supervisors, as well as navigating through his neighbourhood to get a coffee at Tim Hortons or to a dentist’s appointment.
It’s not only his disability that is a challenge. Even though he is employed he cannot afford an apartment in Toronto due to the current high-cost rental market. As is often the case with people who are deafblind he perseveres as well as he can in a world not catered to his needs.
It is because of this lack of affordable housing, especially for people with dual sensory loss that Eumarson depends on service organizations like CHKC.
At his shelter Eumarson shares a room with one other individual, and is the only person in the shelter who is deafblind, which makes Eumarson’s life more isolating because he cannot communicate with anyone in the apartment complex. Even then, he’s not complaining as luckily food and coffee are included in his shelter and that makes him happy.
Eumarson says through the use of his intervenor, “CHKC helped me find a home when I was almost homeless. I still depend on them, and they’ve improved my life a lot. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for CHKC, and I thank them for the hard work they’ve done to find me a roof over my head.”
Eumarson came to Canada from the Philippines when he was a teenager in the 1970s and acquired deafblindness which limits his ability to be independent and he requires the use of support services to help him access the world, work, social engagements and activities of daily living.
His situation is unfortunately not unique to members of the deafblind community, who without much needed supports are constantly on the verge of homelessness. They turn to CHKC to aid them in finding shelter as our waitlist at 422 Willowdale, a 16-unit affordable and accessible apartment complex specifically for the deafblind community in Toronto, Ontario, is quite extensive.
CHKC’s Consumer Support Specialist Lee Simpson states, “people who use our services are in desperate need of affordable housing and luckily we’re in a place where we can help some, but not all. With our new upcoming expansion project, we’re able to help more than ever before.”
In 2022, CHKC secured funding through the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) to build a new 56-unit affordable and accessible housing complex for the deafblind and people with other general disabilities which is slated to open in Fall 2025. The RHI is delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), in partnership with the City of Toronto, under the National Housing Strategy (NHS).
Groundbreaking for the new apartment building will take place on October 29. It’s an exciting time for CHKC to meet the needs of more people who are deafblind.
Asked if he plans on moving into 150 Eighth Street when it’s ready for occupancy Eumarson says, “of course, I can’t wait! To have a place for myself, where I know I’ll be safe for the rest of my life is a dream come true. I am thankful that CHKC is here to offer people like me accommodations to safe affordable housing with access to intervenor services, programs, training and social connections.”
When 150 Eighth Street is complete CHKC will be able to secure apartments for most of the individuals on our waitlist. Eumarson is one of those people.
As the sun continued to shine Eumarson was ready for some much-needed sleep, as he was scheduled for another night shift at the grocery store that night. He finished his coffee, politely said his goodbyes and entered the shelter. There are thousands of people like Eumarson in Canada, and CHKC would one day like to help them all.
If you would like to secure housing for more individuals who are deafblind please donate today!
CHKC Call for Nominations for the 14th Annual JT Award!
The “JT Award” recognizes significant contributions to the Canadian deafblind community by a deserving individual, consumer group or service provider who has demonstrated excellence in at least one of the categories of:
1. Awareness to the disability of deafblindness,
2. Expansion to available services and programs,
3. Involvement of individuals who are deafblind at all levels.
Joyce Thompson was awarded the JuneFest Award of Excellence in 2010. Thereafter, in her honour, the award was re-named the JT Award. Past winners were:
2011 – Jane Sayer
2012 – Elio Riggillo
2013 – Eddy Morton
2014 – Joan Mactavish
2015 – Roxanna Spruyt-Rocks
2016 – Cindy Accardi
2017 – Megan McHugh
2018 – Warren Wakefield
2019 – Stan Monroe
2020 – Walter Wittich
2021 – Bonnie Heath
2022 – Penny Bennett
2023 – Cathy Proll
Past nominees not chosen for the award can be re-nominated.
To nominate another individual or group please contact us and include:
1. The category of the nomination
2. How the nominee demonstrates the spirit of the award, and
3. Include two letters of support.
The award recipient will be officially recognized during CHKC’s AGM, but does not need to be present to win/accept the award.
Please submit nominations by Friday, August 30, 2024 to:
JT Award Selection Committee
c/o Canadian Helen Keller Centre
101-422 Willowdale Avenue
Toronto, ON M2N 5B1
Phone (647) 518-9048
fcignelli@chkc.org
Adrian smiles for the camera at The Ex in downtown Toronto.
When Canadian Helen Keller Centre (CHKC) opened its doors in 1992 its goal was to provide affordable and accessible housing for Canadians who are deafblind.
But with only 16-units available it was impossible to serve all of the 400,000 Canadians who have dual sensory loss; individuals who are both legally deaf and legally blind.
Since those first days CHKC has grown exponentially to provide additional programs and services to the 16 tenants who live at 422 Willowdale Ave. as well as the 18 outreach consumers who live in the province of Ontario.
In addition to housing, consumers at CHKC have access to Intervenor Services daily. The number of hours varies and is based on individual needs. This allows consumers to access their communities more independently.
But housing continues to be a focus of CHKC’s mission and vision, as it looks towards a brighter future where people who are deafblind can live just as securely as those who are more able-bodied.
In 2022 CHKC secured Federal funding through the Rapid Housing Initiative to build a state-of-the-art 56-unit housing complex in the Lakeshore-Etobicoke neighborhood of Toronto located at 150 Eighth Street. The goal is to provide even more affordable and accessible housing to the deaflblind population.
To people like Adrian Cosentino who, as a person who is deafblind since birth, has struggled with finding affordable housing his whole life.
“Through Intervenor Services Adrian is able to live as independently as possible,” says Lessette Morales, Consumer Support Specialist at CHKC. “But the lack of affordable and accessible housing for people who are deafblind means that Adrian is vulnerable to homelessness. That’s why we’re here, to support him through the intricacies of Toronto housing. There is still more work for us to do and we are committed to succeeding for Canadians who are deafblind.”
Providing an opportunity for individuals like Adrian did not previously exist, but this new initiative has opened many doors for those who live with dual sensory loss and who can benefit from affordable and accessible accommodations.
“I’m looking forward to applying to live at 150 Eighth Street,” says Adrian. It’s something that I’ve been waiting a long time for.”
To apply to live at CHKC, visit our website at chkc.org and click the ‘Housing’ tab located on the top menu bar.
Lessette continues, “With additional housing we can ensure that people like Adrian can live more independently and safely. People who are deafblind are vulnerable members of our community
and providing our consumers with adequate housing is one of our top priorities. This new funding will allow us to meet more people’s needs and that is something Ontarians should be proud of.”
Individuals who are deafblind, like Adrian, deserve the right to live independently, and CHKC is dedicated more than ever to making that possible.
To apply to live at CHKC, visit our website at chkc.org and click the ‘Housing’ tab located on the top menu bar.
Cathy Proll, the recipient of the 13th Annual JT Award and CEO of Sensity, stands with her award next to Jennifer Robbins, Executive Director, CHKC.
On Tuesday, November 14, at CHKC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), Cathy Proll was awarded the 13th Annual JT Award.
The “JT Award” recognizes significant contributions to the Canadian deafblind community by a deserving individual, consumer group or service provider who has demonstrated excellence in the categories of awareness to the disability of deafblindness, expansion to available services and programs and involvement of individuals who are deafblind at all levels.
Below are the remarks from Jennifer Robbins, Executive Director, CHKC, about Cathy’s service to the deafblind community.
Congratulations Cathy!
Sensity CEO, Cathy Proll demonstrates true leadership in the field of deafblindness in Ontario, Canada and internationally. Her excellence in bringing awareness to the disability of deafblindness has been instrumental in the expansion to available services and programs.
Cathy Proll began working with children who were congenitally deafblind in the provincial school in Ontario, first in the school setting and later as a resource consultant supporting children and families across the province of Ontario.
Cathy left the education sector and began her work with adults that were transitioning from the school setting to adult services. Through her work with the Canadian Deafblind and Rubella Association Ontario Chapter, Cathy was a practitioner and an advisor in the development and provision of Intervenor services and service agencies in Ontario.
Cathy led the development of the resource centre in 2012 allowing for the expansion of services to serve deafblind individuals. The centre located in Paris, Ontario is the first of its kind, features a multi-purpose room complete with a kitchen, a sensory or “Snoezelen” room, a two-bedroom respite area, four accessible bathrooms, a music room, copy room and much more.
In every role, Cathy demonstrates unwavering determination and commitment for people who are deafblind. With the resource centre established, it was time for a new project. In 2016, the apartment complex adjacent to the resource centre was developed. The complex is now home to 20 residents, with four three-bedroom units, two two-bedroom units and two one-bedroom units. It also includes an upstairs guest apartment where families are welcome to stay. The apartments were designed in collaboration with Vicano Construction Ltd. to ensure it was completely accessible with features to make getting around easier for individuals. Tiles, fixtures, and paint colours were all chosen to provide a high level of contrast for those who have some limited vision. There are also varied textures on titles and other surfaces to help them navigate.
Also included in the ground development is a spacious sensory garden that includes plants specially selected for their scent and colours, a water feature, a musical bench, and gazebo.
Cathy has distinguished herself the field of deafbindness internationally. As a board member for Deafblind International (DbI) for the past 12 years. In addition, Sensity is the current Secretariat for DbI. She also is Chairs the Deafblind Coalition of Ontario which was established in 2013 as a formal group to identify and address the needs of the sector in Ontario. Cathy acts as the current Chair.
In closing, Cathy continues to leave behind an indelible legacy in the field of deafblindness and is a worthy nominee for the JT Award.
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- Two people communicate using hand over hand ASL. A man is on the left of the picture and a woman is on the right. They are both sitting.
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- Sarah Bradley stands with her camera smiling at the camera.
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- A group of people on stage smiling for the camera on opening night of the conference.
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- Two consumers communicate using hand-over-hand ASL.
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- An intervenor and consumer communicate using hand-over-hand ASL.
This week I had the pleasure and the honour of shooting the Deafblind International World Conference in Ottawa, Canada. I have photographed many large conferences, but this one really touched me.
When shooting events my goal is to capture the overall event including guests in posed, candid & engaging shots in a photo-journalistic manner. Telling the story of the event through my photos.
My first interaction with the delegates was at a social evening. I did my usual thing: posed group shots; candid shots of people laughing and enjoying themselves; photographing speakers as well as the entertainment. It didn’t take me long to realize this was going to be a different conference.
Over the next few days, I witnessed the incredible bond between individuals with deafblindness
(interesting to note that MS Word underlines this as a spelling mistake!) and their translators (which I now know are called intervenors). I was absolutely mesmerized. I watched 2 people with deafblindness engaged in a conversation together using tactile signing (something I have never heard of – google it!). There was another very inspiring lady with deafblindness in a wheelchair who had one intervenor tactile signing while another touched her back in various ways to communicate what was happening in the room; whether it be laughter or applause.
My photography style quickly changed to include capturing that bond by focussing on the hands.
By day 5 I felt like a part of this very tight, loving, supportive community. In fact, I was very emotional knowing it was coming to an end. I have a newfound awareness of the deaf, the blind, but especially the deafblind.
With much love;
Sarah the photographer who is 5’3 with dark blonde hair and green eyes.
Special shoutout to Bettyanne Sherrer from CanPlan Event & Conference Services for introducing me to this inspiring community.
How to find Sarah:
Facebook: ishootevents.ca
Instagram: @ishootevents.ca
Twitter: @i_shoot_events
LinkedIn: iShootEvents