Oasis Dufferin is the proud recipient of the Toronto Community Champion Award

Our Oasis Dufferin team at the Toronto Community Champion Award ceremony on May 18th. From left to right, Esther Barnes, Erika Abele, Sofia Pazmino, Blanca Navarro, Amy Kohut, Chelsea Edra, Debbie McKay, and Nelson Dominguez.

We are proud to announce that this May, Oasis Dufferin Community Centre was selected as one of 25 recipients of the 2024 Toronto Community Champion Award. This award is offered by the City of Toronto to celebrate organizations having a positive impact on the “health and solidarity of the residents of Toronto” through building partnerships, working with members of the community, and having a deep understanding of the “fabric of the city. (To read more about the City of Toronto’s selection criteria, please visit the award overview page here.)

Our very own Programs and Community Relations Manager Amy Kohut accepted the award on behalf of Oasis Dufferin at a special ceremony at the Toronto Reference Library, with Mayor Olivia Chow and local city councillor Alejandra Bravo and councillor Chris Moise presenting the award. 

We’d like to thank all of our community partners, who work with us to extend our reach and strengthen our bonds within our neighbourhood. Without them, Oasis Dufferin would not be able to have the impact we do, nor would we be able to provide the services and programs we’re known for.

We’d like to offer our infinite gratitude to the Latinx Coalition for Mental Health (Culture Link, Toronto Family Service, Jane and Finch Centre, the Hispanic Development Council, North York Community House, among others), Daily Bread Food Bank, Second Harvest, Mexican Cultural Centre, Lamp: Community Health Centre, and the Centre for Spanish Speaking People. Each of these organizations have been vital in creating services to promote cultural diversity, mental health services, food access and food security programs, seniors’ events, and so much more, affecting positive change in our neighbourhood and beyond.

The award is particularly meaningful to Oasis Dufferin as it also marks our 30 year anniversary of working within the Toronto Dufferin area. At Oasis collaboration isn't just a word; it's the cornerstone of everything we do. Together, we have built a vibrant and inclusive space where people from all walks of life can come together, share their talents, and support one another.

This award is a celebration of our shared commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of those we serve. It truly is a reflection of all of the Oasis Dufferin community’s incredible heart, hard work, and dedication to each other and our networks. Because each one of us, from staff to volunteer to neighbour, shapes what we do at the centre each and every day, receiving this award celebrates so many people — past and present — who have helped forge the strong bonds of community we have today at Oasis Dufferin.

From our founder Phyllis Ortiz’s vision to where we are today, the foundation of what we do has not shifted. Together, we share, learn, and grow together, as an Oasis. Congratulations to everyone of you for this award.