It has been an AgTa tradition for the past decade that during the Christmas season we express our appreciation for your kindness and support throughout the year by giving everyone a small gift. We have loved doing this and it has been great fun!

This year we have decided to start a new tradition! Since it is always my hope that my professional efforts serve a greater purpose, I am always in search of new endeavors in which to partake that will add to bettering our society instead of just looking for ways to take from it. I have therefore decided to take our entire holiday budget and donate it to a worthy cause.

As I researched different charities and organizations I decided that our funds and efforts should go to a grass roots organization that will directly affect those it is aiming to aid.

After having researched many different charities and charitable organizations I decided to offer our modest budget to the John Paul The Great Family Centre.

The John Paul The Great Family Centre is the brainchild of Fr. Daniel Mentesana, Pastor of St. Augustine of Canterbury Church that is situated in the heart of the Jane and Finch corridor. As its Pastor, Fr. Mentesana became intimately aware of the community’s challenges and needs. As a citizen of Toronto, knowledge of the challenges and issues surrounding the Jane and Finch corridor has been no secret to anyone. It is a largely under-serviced, high need area.

Fr. Mentesana currently runs several social programs aided and often staffed by the religious of his order for children, youths, adults and seniors. Due to the limited space available to them to operate these programs, space often has to be requested from associate organizations. Often times room is either not available or not affordable. Therefore, Fr. Mentesana decided to build a family centre where these programs could take place without the threat of running out of room or money to rent space.

The Family Centre Project includes the creation of a main hall (gym) and meeting rooms. The Centre would offer a common place to eat, watch movies and presentations, listen to talks etc. The Centre would offer the youth of the community various different sports and educational programs. This would provide a safe and healthy alternative to gangs, and otherwise unsafe activities. It would also address the needs of the community’s seniors. A food bank and soup kitchen would also be implemented. The family centre will be a non-denominational centre and NO ONE will be turned away.

Construction has begun on the centre based on funds raised solely from the community and its residents. The family centre has no large benefactor or corporate sponsors. It has been a decade in the making and there is still a long way to go.

I have come to know Fr. Mentesana well and as I was researching charities it only donned on me towards the end of my research that this project would be as noble a cause as any. Also, I have had first hand experience on the effectiveness that a centre like this would have directly on the community as a whole. In addition to donating our holiday budget I have volunteered to help in fundraising and am now very active in the effort to raise the over 2 million dollars needed to make this Centre a reality.

AgTa Home Health Care Services and Medical Supplies is proud to offer monthly educational In-Services for all Regulated Health Care Professionals. All In-Services and Seminars will be free of charge and breakfast, lunch and snacks/coffee will be provided by AgTa. In addition, AgTa will issue certificates of attendance and completion to all the In-Services and Seminars offered to those that register. Please keep an eye out for our e-mail announcements of when and what topic will be offered.

In addition to the monthly in-services, AgTa offers free conference space to all referral sources on a booking basis. Please feel free to book our new 900 sq. ft conference room which comes complete with tables, chairs, kitchen facility, restroom facility, internet access, computer and projection/dry-erase screen. This room is reserved on a first-come first-served basis and can accommodate up to 25 people. It can be used for staff meetings, team meetings, neutral site meetings, seminars, assessments etc. Please do not hesitate to take advantage of it!"