EDEN COMMUNITY HOMES TIMELINE
1982 – Board members from George Herman House, a home for women recovering from emotional difficulties, initiated the formation of what is now known as Eden Community Homes.
1983 – Funding was approved by the Ministry of Health. The Board hired its first Executive Director. The lease on 25 Parkwood Avenue was signed. In October, the home was opened with 5 residents, and soon after this the home reached its capacity of 10 residents. Eden Community House of Toronto was incorporated as a non-profit corporation with the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations.
1992 – Eden Community House of Toronto received official funding approval from the Ministry of Housing to purchase 1 Hillholm Avenue.
1993 – Residents moved in following the house’s renovation and a community relations campaign. In July, Hillholm House (under the umbrella agency Eden Community House of Toronto) was officially opened.
1999 – Eden Community House responded to a request for proposals for housing adults with mental health issues who were also homeless. ECH submitted a proposal and developed a partnership for referrals with the Hostel Outreach Program of CRCT. A search for a property was made and 196 Beverley Street was found. The Ministry gave ECH a capital grant to purchase and renovate the house, with support dollars to hire staff. The City of Toronto granted a licence to operate it as a rooming house.
2001 – On February 1st, Beverley House (under the umbrella agency Eden Community House of Toronto) opened and ten women who were referred by the Hostel Outreach Program moved in.
2004 – Eden Community House came under the distinguished patronage of Justice John VanDuzer and Mrs. Joan VanDuzer.
2005 – In recognition that the program had grown, the agency made an official change in name from Eden Community House of Toronto to Eden Community Homes.
2007 – The Ontario Trillium Foundation awarded Eden Community Homes a capital grant to renovate the coach house in the back garden of 196 Beverley Street into an art studio for adults in the community with mental health issues. The official opening took place on June 14, 2007. In recognition of the VanDuzer family and in honour of their patronage, the art studio was named the VanDuzer Art Studio.
2009 – Eden Community Homes signed the Service Accountability Agreement with the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network.
April 2011 – Eden Community Homes signed the Multi-Service Accountability Agreement with the Toronto Central LHIN, covering the period of April 1 – 2011 to March 31, 2014: MSAA 2011-2014
October 2013 – Celebration of 30 Year Anniversary!
April 2014 – Again, the Multi-Sector Service Accountability Agreement for Eden Community Homes is signed MSAA 2014-17
June 2014 – Eden Community Homes receives a grant from Green Shield Canada to make a documentary based on “Wellness Through Art”. All participants in the film are artists who attend the VanDuzer Art Studio.
September 2015 – Board of Directors supports the “Supportive Housing Tenants’ Bill of Rights”.
November 2016 – VanDuzer Art Studio Coordinator starts up a free food donation program in conjunction with grocery chain Freshco. The story was picked up by CityTV News in May 2017. A follow-up story is done months later after unprecedented positive reaction from a Canadian Grocers’ trade meeting.
July 2017 – Eden Community Homes develops formal partnership with the ACT team IMPACT for referrals and support of residents.
October 2017 – Eden Community Homes completes the documentary film project Art Asylum. The project was entirely produced with the generous contributions of 28 consumer survivors. A film screening is held in the art studio.
April 2018 – The Multi-Sector Service Accountability Agreement for Eden Community Homes is signed: MSAA 2018-2019
September 2018 – We celebrate our 35th Anniversary! ED’s Report 35th Anniversary
June 2019 – The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care splits into The Ministry of Health and The Ministry of Long-Term Care.
Eden_MSAA_2019-22September 2020– First Annual General Meeting conducted by ZOOM because of precautions recommended on Covid-19.
Executive Director’s Report
AGM-Updates-2019-2020t.Wilen_Eden-Community-Homes-MSAA-Extension-Letter-March-1-2021