Enterprise Canada
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
TORONTO – July 20, 2016 – A new kind of map is being distributed in downtown Toronto, showing where people in need can find nearby help. Developed by the Downtown Yonge BIA, the Downtown Toronto Drop-In Resource booklet includes 20 drop-in agencies within 1.8 kilometres of Yonge and Dundas.
“We want businesses to be able to connect people in need with the available services,” says Downtown Yonge BIA Executive Director Mark Garner. “Social services are critically important in our city, but they only work if the people who need them know where they are.”
Downtown Yonge is distributing the booklets to all of its members and throughout the neighbourhood.
“Businesses need to be engaged in the wellness of the community, and this enables them to point people in the right direction,” Garner says. “For example, if someone comes into a store and says they’re hungry, the store operator could use the resource booklet to help that person access a meal from a drop-in agency around the corner.”
In addition to the map, the booklet lists hours and particulars for each drop-in agency, including any requirements or restrictions (such as gender or age specifications). A legend accompanying the map shows what is available at each location, including food, health services, showers, laundry facilities, a clothing bank and beds.
Working in partnership with Ryerson University, the Downtown Yonge BIA researched and produced the booklets as a pilot project, aimed at raising awareness of the services available and better coordinating access to those services.
“This groundbreaking project offered two students – from the Faculty of Community Services and the Ted Rogers School of Management – a unique and innovative opportunity to engage with the city as their classroom,” says Dr. Melanie Panitch, John C. Eaton Chair in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Ryerson. “We will build that process of learning into our curriculum and keep this project alive and on the street.”
Design of the booklets was done by Tennis, a strategic design agency describing itself as “passionate about solving problems through creative and collaborative methods merging design, strategy, and technology to create results focused solutions.”
The booklets have been produced on waterproof paper, recognizing that while information about social services agencies is usually available online, many people in need do not have access to the internet.
“Social issues affect all aspects of our community, and Downtown Yonge businesses recognize the need to get involved and help develop solutions. We hope this booklet will improve the quality of life for people in need – which in turn improves our whole neighbourhood,” Garner says.
The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (DYBIA) is a catalyst for creating vibrant urban experiences and events in the heart of downtown Toronto. Representing more than 2,000 businesses and their employees, as well as the broader community of residents, students and visitors, the DYBIA champions attractive public spaces, popular events, safety and cleanliness. It plays an active role both at street level and in boardrooms, advocating for a thriving and diverse community of retailers, restaurants and services.
