Friends In Trouble

Who we Support

FIT’s community is comprised of low-income and marginalized people. Ward 8 is home to many single parent homes, new comers, immigrant families and refugees. The community, well known as Jane and Finch, is comprised of over 18,000 youth; with 24% more racialized peoples than any other ward in the city of Toronto and with 65% of all residents born outside of Canada. Of these residents and families, 60 % are renters, of which landlords are absent of “slumlords”, many families are living below the LICO, and facing multiple issues resulting form poverty, a significant one being, poor and inadequate housing, criminalization of the youth, and lacking representatives, that address the real daily challenges that constituents are facing. Black males are 3 times more likely to be stopped by police in Jane-Finch, than any other race any where in the city of Toronto.

In communities with so much taking place, FIT works with residents who are living in these conditions, facing the bereavement of children and countries lost, the lack of ownership over their community and the very home they reside in, and silence of being excluded from processes that impact them. They are the residents who are most impacted by the imbalance of power, poverty and system of oppression. They are the reason why FIT exists.

It is through the support we have provided to our community that we have built relationships with residents across the city of Toronto in other marginalized neighborhoods, which has expanded our service delivery and membership base, from Jane and Finch to include residents of other low income communities who desire to access our support.

Meet Friends of FIT