Soft landings: how our newcomer welcome program is growing

Settling into a new country is rarely linear. The paperwork, the schools, the healthcare system, the unspoken rules of a new neighbourhood — it adds up quickly, especially for families arriving with young children. Our newcomer welcome program exists to walk alongside families during that first year, so no one has to figure it out alone.

Over the past few months we have welcomed dozens of families from across East and West Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and beyond. Each family is matched with a community connector who can answer questions, make introductions and help unlock the resources Toronto already has to offer — from school registration to settlement services to a warm Saturday lunch with neighbours.

If you know a newcomer family who could use a soft landing, please send them our way. And if you would like to volunteer as a community connector, mentor or translator, reach out — this work moves at the speed of people who show up.