Staffing and space constraints have led to numerous children remaining in hospital beds due to lack of alternative care options in Toronto.
To bridge the gaps, Safehaven, a 35-year-old locally based non-profit, has made it their business to provide residential, respite, and transitional care to people living with medical complexities and disabilities. Over the years, Safehaven’s commitment to inclusion, and advocacy, has made an impact on the lives of many.
Since 2024, the group has been challenged to raise funds for an urgently needed expansion of their Bloor Street facility to serve more medically complex children. Current plans show that redevelopment of their Bloor Street site will increase their residential living capacity, but also increase access to respite, and transitional care, which will help relieve the pressure on hospitals in the area.
The challenge… Safehaven had never done any marketing or advertising before and needed help. With only a tiny budget the leadership team turned to an agency – The Local Collective – to help them put together an innovative awareness and fundraising campaign. The goal to bring the cause out of the shadows.
Reframing care as a human right, the team created a dynamic project that made invisibility impossible to ignore. Using online store and a seek and find book called, ‘One in 100’ the team both taught kids they aren’t alone. Highly successful, the initiative drove donations up by 98.3 % and turn quiet care into a national call for inclusion.
Along the way, the Safehaven team also discovered that 75% of Greater Toronto Area parents say that they lack the tools to discuss medical complexities with their children. Continuing along the same theme, the team then created a game called ‘Where Hope Lives’. The game that fosters empathy and understanding and is specifically designed to help adults engage children in meaningful conversations about disability, differences, and inclusion. A classic style board game, it sends players on journey towards Safehaven, and turns the complex topic of disability inclusion into an age-appropriate learning moment with simple trivia and obstacle cards that mirror real life experiences, and character-building game play.
The game is accompanied by a practical conversation guide for parents, which provides prompts for parents, real life examples, inclusive language ‘how-tos’, tips and tricks to keep the conversation going.
These activities provide opportunities for parents to keep the learning flowing, outside of the classroom, and also act as a screen-free activity which fosters inclusive education.
As Safehaven grows and evolves with the times, there continues to be a need for increased capacity and funding. And, while they’ve received a grant from the Ontario Government, their current campaign called ‘Home for Hope’, continues to target the new facility.
Photos: Safehaven
