Community strides

Tropicana celebrates 30 years of helping others

BY: KIM ENGLAND

For decades, Tropicana Community Services, a Toronto-based non-profit organization, has been providing local youth, newcomers, and people of black and Caribbean heritage with opportunities and alternatives that lead to success and positive life choices.

The agency's culturally-appropriate programming includes counselling, child care, education, employment services and youth development.

Last summer, more than 1,000 youth from Toronto's 13 under-served communities had their first experience of paid employment with the Summer Jobs for Youth program. Participants were given the tools to succeed at work through job training and support, paid employment, and post-employment support. Now these same youth have a resume with work experience, which opens up new possibilities for their future.

Last year, Tropicana also launched the Kennedy-Eglinton ProTech Media Centre. Says Sharon Shelton, executive director of Tropicana: "We're delighted to provide youth in this under-served community with free access to state-of-the-art technology that introduces them to potential careers in new media while providing computer literacy skills and creating opportunities for self-expression."

With 2010 marking Tropicana's 30th anniversary, one of the agency's key goals moving forward is to raise the required funds to secure a building for Tropicana's Centre of Excellence. Currently, several of Tropicana's programs are spread over six separate locations, making multi-service access difficult for clients. The proposed centre will enable Tropicana to provide integrated services and to house community facilities including counselling rooms, classrooms, a teaching kitchen and a gym.

- Tropicana's 17th Annual Caribbean Ball, Roots & Passion: Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence, On the Park, 1095 Leslie, June 5, 2010. For more info, call 416-439-9009 or go to tropicana community.org/Gala2010

- Email: [email protected]