Hope In Action (HIA) is part of the Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB) Social Justice Action Plan for our schools. Hope In Action focuses on local issues and challenges here in Toronto that impact our students and our communities. There are four components to HIA:

• Curriculum resource materials for all grade levels to support the Board’s Social Justice Action Plan.
• The HIA Activator program
• The HIA Innovators Grant program
• The HIA Emergency Fund

Curriculum Resource Materials

In the summer of 2010, a group of TDSB elementary and secondary teachers compiled an inventory of curriculum resource materials that are pertinent to the social challenges we face here in Toronto. Topics include homelessness, settlement issues, poverty, hunger and more. All resources are being reviewed by the TDSB’s Equity Department.

The Hope In Action Activator Program

The Activator Program is designed to support key leaders across our system as they not only create awareness of social justice issues in our city but they also take steps to effect change. Working together, our student, parent, teacher, principal and central staff activators will create the synergy needed to truly make a difference.

The vision is that each school will have a teacher-led HIA Activator Team. This group of students will work to educate and inform fellow students about social justices both here in Toronto and abroad and will also organize two activities, if possible, on an annual basis. This could be through assemblies, local community projects, events and other activities. To support this, each Activator Team or individual Student Activators will be able to apply for funding through the HIA Innovators Grant program.

The Hope In Action Innovators Grant Pilot Program

The Innovators Grant Pilot Program is intended to provide seed money to inspire and enable students to proceed with innovative endeavors to improve their local communities. The goal is to motivate young people to make a difference in their communities and to inspire ideas for positive change. As this a pilot project, ten schools will be eligible to apply for small grants but will not be limited to one grant only per school.

Each project must be directed at creating positive social change, whether direct (to an identifiable community group) or indirect (e.g. environmental).  All applications must be prepared by students and signed by school principals.  For the pilot project all grants will range between $250-$500 and will require a simple, on-line application.

For additional details please click here

*Funding provided by the Brown-Nusbaum Family Foundation

What is the Hope in Action Emergency Fund?

On a daily basis, the TDSB opens its doors to 240,000 students. Many of these students face the daily challenges that poverty presents and for them it is often a struggle to succeed at school. Many do not have warm coats, hats or boots and others do not have food or other essentials. The Hope in Action Emergency Fund was developed by the Board’s arms-length charitable foundation, the Toronto Foundation for Student Success (TFSS), to provide funds to students with urgent needs. Any principal, teacher or professional support services staff member can apply for funds on behalf of their students up to a one-time maximum of $500 per student.

Grants are only made possible by local fundraising or with the help of donors and when funds are fully expended the grant process halts until additional dollars are raised. 

We’d like to share with you three of the challenges brought forward recently by school principals:

Winter is here and the days are getting colder and darker but many of my students are coming to school without hats, mitts or even winter boots. 

Many of my students were forced to leave their homes when a recent fire destroyed their apartment building. Wearing only pyjamas, they watched from the street as fire and smoke flooded their families’ apartments. As these students could not go back to their homes, they had to live in crowded shelters. These children needed warm clothes, school supplies and even food.

One of my students has been “kicked” out of his home with less than a dollar in his pocket and it will take weeks until he can get some assistance.  He is sleeping on couches in different houses and doesn’t even have clean clothes or bus fare to get to school.  The school social worker is asking for help.

Where do the Funds come from?

The funds come from corporations, non-profit organizations and people just like you: students, parents, staff, community members and private donors.  In several of our secondary schools students organized school based events in support of the Hope In Action Emergency Fund.  Outside the TDSB private donors have come forward to support the Fund.

If you’d like to organize an event to benefit the Fund and you need some help please email hal.whitcomb@tdsb.on.ca or phone 416-394-4491

How do I apply?

To make the process easy and to get funds out to schools as fast as possible (24-48 hours) we’ve developed an on-line application process.  Simply click on to Hope in Action Emergency Fund Application Form and fill in the form.

Please make sure that you get your Principal’s approval.  When the funds and have been spent we ask that you fill out a simple on-line report by clicking on to Follow Up Report Form

Criteria for the Application Process are listed on the Application Form.

For further information about the Hope In Action Emergency Fund please email Sandra.Best@tdsb.on.ca