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The Power of Nurses
This National Nursing Week, we honour our Access Alliance nurses—the steady hands and strong glue holding our community-centered health system together.
More about National Nursing Week 2025
Have fun, learn, and grow!
Our new program calendar is full of activities and events for the whole family! From toddlers to teens to seniors, there's something for everyone.

Take a look and register for one of our programs today!
See the full calendar
French settlement services
Pour des services d’établissement en français et/ou la formation linguistique en français, veuillez contacter : rexdalechc.com/fr | centrefranco.org

If you wish to access French language training and/or French settlement services, please contact: rexdalechc.com/fr | centrefranco.org
Apply today!
Access Alliance is currently hiring. Check out our Careers page for more details, and subscribe to receive info about upcoming positions!
Current opportunities

Welcome to Access Alliance
Multicultural Health and Community Services

Are you a community member?

Are you a community member?

Are you a researcher or social justice advocate?

Are you a researcher or social justice advocate?

Are you looking for interpretation or translation services?

Are you looking for interpretation or translation services?

Highlights and Initiatives

Check out our programs and services!

We offer free programs and services for immigrants and refugees of all ages living in the City of Toronto.

COVID-19

Information about COVID-19 supports and resources at Access Alliance and in the City of Toronto.

Volunteer Opportunities

We welcome those who wish to help make a difference to our community. There are many ways you can get involved!

Our Stories

Read stories from community members, staff, volunteers and others who have helped make Access Alliance what it is today.

Upcoming events

Newcomer High School Youth: Empower Youth Community with Meaningful Volunteer Opportunities (Age 13-17)

May 15 @ 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Read more

Seniors' Nordic Pole Walking (Age 55+)

May 20 @ 9:45 am - 10:45 am Read more

Seniors' Seated Yoga (Age 55+) (Both Online and In-Person)

May 20 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Read more

Seniors Cardio and Resistance Exercise (Age 55+)

May 20 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Read more

Seniors Balance Basics Exercises (Age 55+)

May 20 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Read more

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accessalliance.ca

A community health centre serving vulnerable immigrant & refugee communities across Toronto for 30+ years. Account not monitored 24/7.

🌶🫚🧄Learning, growing, and sharing season

🌶🫚🧄Learning, growing, and sharing season the spice of life! 🧄🫚🌶Through their culinary and medicinal uses, spices shape cultural identities. Join us at AccessPoint on Danforth as we learn about the cultivation of spices, and explore how the plants growing on the rooftop garden can be used to both flavour and heal.Create spice mixes to share with our community members through the Community Dining program. Develop a delicious signature blend, and take a sample home to enjoy. Spice up your life! Register now via link in bio.#accessalliance

To practice nursing at Access Alliance—where cli

To practice nursing at Access Alliance—where clients are often both medically vulnerable and socially marginalized—takes immense compassion, patience, and courage. With our highly diverse clientele, our nurses deliver care with cultural sensitivity and emotional strength.When clients arrive frustrated by a system that has failed them, our nurses, together with our interprofessional team, meet them with calm, care, and dignity. They transform tension into trust, opening doors to healing with their expert approach.This #NationalNursingWeek, we honour our nurses—the steady hands and strong glue holding our community-centered health system together.#ThePowerofNurses #NursingWeek2025

At Access Alliance, our nurses are more than careg

At Access Alliance, our nurses are more than caregivers — they’re calm in the chaos, first responders to urgent needs, and steady bridges to long-term support. Our nurses are often the first point of contact. Over time, they become a trusted presence in our clients’ lives. The teenager they just supported through a flu bout might be the same newborn they immunized 15 years ago. As the backbone of our team-based primary care clinics, they’re the health educators, coaches, and system navigators, walking alongside clients on their health journeys. This International Nurses Day, we celebrate the heart, grit, and quiet leadership they bring to our clinics and beyond.#accessalliance #InternationalNursesDay

🤝Collective healing starts with recognition. In

🤝Collective healing starts with recognition. In community spaces, in schools, in workplaces—we must ask: What grief is being masked here? 🌱 Newcomers don’t just need support—they need to be seen. Part of #UnmaskingMentalHealth is having open and honest conversations. Plan to start a conversation about mental health today. Who will you have it with, when and where? #StrongerTogether #mentalhealthweek

🌐Losing your community, customs, and connection

🌐Losing your community, customs, and connection to homeland is grief too. It’s not just about people—it’s about identity, music, festivals, smells. Your grief is valid, even if it’s hard to name. When someone feels the need to mask all the time, they can lose sense of who they really are. What are some things that might make others feel the need to mask? This #MentalHealthWeek, and beyond, let's come together in #UnmaskingMentalHealth. #StrongerTogether #mentalhealthawareness #accessalliance

🌸🌸🌸 On Tuesday night we gathered at Acces

🌸🌸🌸 On Tuesday night we gathered at AccessPoint on Danforth for a beautiful Asian Heritage Month celebration.From vibrant performances to powerful stories, we honoured the diversity and resilience of Asian communities.It was an event to remember. Thank you to all who joined us!#accessalliance #AsianHeritageMonth

As newcomers rebuild lives in a new country, grief

As newcomers rebuild lives in a new country, grief often gets packed away—hidden behind job searches, language classes, and rent payments.But, also, there is joy when successfully getting a job, learning a language, and finding a home. Grief and joy can exist simultaneously. As humans we hold many complex emotions all at once. 🌧️ Remember a time when you had to wear a mask to fit in or make an impression. Maybe it was a job interview, or maybe it was a social event. How did you feel during the event, and how did you feel after? #UnmaskingMentalHealthRead more in our latest blog: accessalliance.ca/home/blog/mental-health-week-2025-unmasking-mental-health#MentalHealthWeek #StrongerTogether

Last week, we had the privilege of hosting an insp

Last week, we had the privilege of hosting an inspiring and practical set of IRSN workshops around how researchers can communicate, connect, and lead through storytelling and authentic conversations.Fei Tang offered tools, context frameworks, and the PRIDE Strategy to help researchers craft compelling narratives. From choosing image-rich language to learning how to describe vs. judge, this session gave us practical strategies for making our work resonate with broader audiences.Reminding us that how we connect is just as important as what we say, Alison Foo shared techniques for starting meaningful conversations, responding with empathy, and being mindful of positionality and impact — all while leaving a lasting impression.We are so grateful to both speakers for sharing their insights expertise with us!#accessalliance #internationalresearch

Fleeing war, persecution, or instability often mea

Fleeing war, persecution, or instability often means leaving pieces of yourself behind. But in a new land, there’s rarely space—or time—to grieve.🕊️ Collective grief lingers in silence, passed down in glances, in language lost, in food not made. Let’s make space for that mourning. This #MentalHealthWeek, can you remember masking a struggle, mood, or emotion?#UnmaskingMentalHealth #StrongerTogether

Facing mental health struggles often means putting

Facing mental health struggles often means putting on a “mask”🎭 to shield ourselves from shame and misunderstanding. Newcomers often feel pressure to show resilience, even when they are experiencing individual and collective grief. Grief 💔 is an emotional response to loss, often deep sorrow that arises when someone or something meaningful is taken away. While it is most commonly linked to the death of a loved one, grief can also be triggered by:> Leaving a homeland 🧳> Losing a job, identity, or sense of belonging 🔗> The breakdown of relationships 🥀> Cultural disconnection or generational trauma> Feeling hopeless for crisis happening in other parts of the world 🌎This #MentalHealthWeek we’re inviting people across Canada to look past the “mask” and truly see and engage meaningfully with one another. People mask different parts of themselves for different reasons. What are some things you think people might choose to hide from others and why? For more info on Mental Health Week, read our latest blog: accessalliance.ca/home/blog/mental-health-week-2025-unmasking-mental-health#UnmaskingMentalHealth #StrongerTogether

Our volunteer Board is a driving force, pushing fo

Our volunteer Board is a driving force, pushing forward systemic changes that empower our communities.Board members bring their skills and expertise to support our mission of helping Toronto’s diverse communities achieve health with dignity.Their dedicated leadership and passion for community well-being inspire and guide our work every day. We are deeply grateful to each of you for helping to shape a healthier, more inclusive Toronto.For more about our board, visit: https://accessalliance.ca/about-us/our-board/#accessalliance #VolunteersMakeWaves #NVW2025

Volunteers like Travoline and Bismark, from our Am

Volunteers like Travoline and Bismark, from our Among Friends program, are true changemakers.Through their heartfelt contributions, they create a safe, welcoming space for the 2SLGBTQ+ newcomer community.Their kindness, and commitment make a lasting impact—fostering a sense of connection, pride, and empowerment that ripples out to broader community benefits.Support from volunteers like Travoline and Bismark builds resilience and improves the well-being of program participants. Thank you for sharing your positivity, strength and skills!#accessalliance #VolunteersMakeWaves #NVW2025

Long-time volunteer Ervina is a beacon of compassi

Long-time volunteer Ervina is a beacon of compassion. Her many contributions to community programs and events make waves, creating lasting impact in the community.Ervina consistently demonstrates what it means to go above and beyond as a volunteer. She not only helped with packing and distribution for our Holiday Hamper program, but also took the initiative to organize and label items, making the process more efficient for everyone involved. When there was a last-minute shortage of volunteers, Ervina stayed late to ensure no family was left out.She’s always the first to step in wherever there’s a gap, whether that means helping with administrative tasks, assisting newcomers in navigating a program, or mentoring newer volunteers to help them feel confident and supported.We're grateful for everything volunteers like Ervina bring to Access Alliance. Thank you for the light you share so generously with our community!If you're interested in becoming and Access Alliance volunteer, visit: https://accessalliance.ca/get-involved/volunteer-with-us/#accessalliance #VolunteersMakeWaves #NVW2025

Long-time volunteer Sarla is a true pillar of the

Long-time volunteer Sarla is a true pillar of the community. Her years of reliable service with our Seniors program have created ripples of joy, connection, and care that continue to grow.Her compassion and dedication have touched countless lives, making waves that inspire and uplift the entire community.We are so grateful to volunteers like Sarla, whose positive contributions are vital to building social connection and inclusivity in our programs and services.#accessalliance #VolunteersMakeWaves #NVW2025

Through her warm and inclusive approach, volunteer

Through her warm and inclusive approach, volunteer Asmeret is making powerful waves in the Women’s Wellness Group at AccessPoint on Danforth.She has encouraged participants from Ethiopia to share cherished aspects of their culture, such as the beautiful Ethiopian coffee ceremony, traditional dances, and vibrant cultural dresses. By creating space for these traditions to be celebrated, Asmeret has not only helped Ethiopian women feel a sense of belonging, but also inspired others in the group to share their own cultures. This exchange has fostered a deeper appreciation for diversity, and built a more inclusive and connected community within the programBy leading with heart and building connections, volunteers like Asmeret improve the well-being of others and strengthen community.#accessalliance #VolunteersMakeWaves #NVW2025

🌿✨ Growth takes many forms. Last month, commu

🌿✨ Growth takes many forms. Last month, community artist Jessica Tseng led sessions on creating potted plants and inner landscapes using colourful felt. Plants remind us to care for ourselves. Mental Wellness takes thoughtful care, maintenance and nurturing. Like plants, we all grow in our own way💚Jessica is a Toronto-based newcomer community artist who is supports community members to discover self expression through body and voice. She is a multi-disciplinary community artist practicing crafts, body movement and visual arts, with over 15 years of experience in Hong Kong, China, and India.🍏Join us next week! Why participate?> Learn a new art activity for mental wellness> Receive art materials to make your own creation> Connect with others and share stories > Make new friends & feel a sense of belonging> Access support services & resources> Learn from dietitians, settlement workers, and more!🖼️Bring along your family and friends—drop by or register via link in bio!#AccessAllianceART #NestingGrounds

Volunteer Nicholas is making waves through his ded

Volunteer Nicholas is making waves through his dedicated involvement in both Healthy Child Screening and vibrant community events like International Women’s Day.With every volunteer shift, he brings warmth, positivity, and a deep sense of care. His contributions leave a lasting impact and help to build a stronger, more connected community.We’re so grateful to Nicholas and volunteers like him, whose passion and generosity make waves that lift us all.For details on how to volunteer with Access Alliance, visit our website: https://accessalliance.ca/get-involved/volunteer-with-us/#accessalliance #VolunteersMakeWaves #NVW2025

It's #NationalVolunteerWeek2025 and a perfect time

It's #NationalVolunteerWeek2025 and a perfect time to introduce you to some of the exceptional volunteers making waves at Access Alliance!From sharing their time and talents to bringing creativity, compassion, and contagious positive energy—our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. They're vital partners in our work, and their impact ripples through our programs, events, and the communities we serve.We’re beyond grateful for each and every one of you. Thank you for being powerful change-makers, and wave-makers 🫶 Every day you make waves of positive change!Check back daily this week as we shine a light on some amazing volunteers whose ongoing contributions flow into a great wave of positive change.#VolunteersMakeWaves #NVW2025

Millions of people in Canada can’t afford grocer

Millions of people in Canada can’t afford groceries because our systems are broken.Wages are too low, grocery prices keep rising, housing prices are high, and the government isn’t stepping up. Instead of fixing our systems to ensure no one goes hungry, people are told to rely on food banks, which are only meant to be temporary solutions.This is not sustainable. Food insecurity affects the health of individuals, families, and communities. No one should be going hungry: food is a right, not a privilege.Join Access Alliance, Community Food Centres Canada, and countless other organizations across the country to demand #NoMoreScraps this federal election.See link in bio to email your candidate and call on their support for ending food insecurity now.#accessalliance #communityfoodcentrescanada #scarboroughfoodnetwork

🌍🌏🌎#EarthDay should not end after April 2

🌍🌏🌎#EarthDay should not end after April 22. What do you envision for the earth's future? Make your voice heard: get out and vote on April 28!Explore the environmental platforms of each party in the 2025 Canada election to ensure your vote supports a healthy planet: see link in bio.#accessalliance #EarthDay2025 Toronto Urban Growers

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