Catching up with Canopy - March 2025
Through this newsletter, our aim is to strengthen our connection with our community by sharing insightful stories, impactful updates and offer a peek a into the transformative work happening every day at Canopy.
Join us in our journey as we work together to empower individuals and enhance support - because together, we can make a positive difference!
Save the Date - Canopy Inclusivity Carnival
Another year, another Canopy Carnival!
We are excited to be hosting our 3rd annual Canopy Carnival happening at Dixon Park (located behind the O’Carroll office) on
Saturday, September 13th from 11-2pm!
This year, we are doing things a little differently. We will not be including a walk with this event but we will be including more of a focus on FASD awareness month and adding some more adult friendly activities to make this our most inclusive Carnival yet. Don’t worry, all of your favourites will still be there including all the snacks, live performances & music, vendors, face painting, balloon animals & maybe even a dunk tank!
Be sure to watch our social media channel's and website for more details on this year's event!
We are excited to announce that we will officially be launching a Donor Newsletter in April! This newsletter will be provided to all who have donated to Canopy. It will include all things Canopy Cares and released twice a year. The highlights for April’s copy will include a year at a glance, upcoming events, internal Canopy programs funded by donors, fundraising stats and more!
If you are interested in receiving our Donor Newsletter you can sign up on our website here.
Canopy Cares Support Fund Donor Wall
Keep your eyes peeled next time you are at our main office at 150 O’Carroll in Peterborough to be able to view the brand new Canopy Cares Donor Wall! This has been in the works with our Central Nav team for quite some time & we are so excited to see it finally come to life!
Be sure to keep watching to see our generous donors be added!
Crisis Backpack Program Update
With the successful launch of our Crisis Backpack Program in 2023, we are excited to announce some new updates to the program based on staff feedback. Starting in April, staff will not only be able to continue to access backpacks for individuals but also be able to “mix and match” items based on needs. This means individuals can simply just take one item or two of the same, if that’s what is needed.
Canopy Merch Store
Canopy is excited to announce that within the next few months we will be giving the public option to purchase Canopy Merchandise! This means, we will have multiple options for you to purchase throughout the year. A portion of the proceeds will go to our Canopy Cares Support Fund. Be sure to watch your email & our social media channels to see when you can order!
Canopy Pantry Program
The Canopy Snack Program that launched in the summer of 2024 has now grown into the Canopy Pantry Program! This program began to help our Canopy Community who struggle with food insecurity but we have now seen that the need is even greater, and wider. This means individuals will now have access to an even broader spectrum of items that includes hygiene products, housewares, pet food, etc.
Questions or Comments about Canopy Cares?
For further information about any of our Canopy Cares programs/initiatives or to discuss how you can support them, connect with Development Specialist Katlyn at kanderson@canopysupport.ca or call 705-876-9245 ext. 200.
Goods News Share at Canopy
Staff Success Story
Canopy recently received feedback from a family enrolled in our Adult Protective Services Program.
We want to celebrate one of our Adult Protective Services Workers, Brandy. Here's what the family had to say!
"Brandy was assigned to work with my son. We began services back in September. I was unsure what we would gain or that this would be helpful. To my surprise I must say that Brandy brought a lot to the table. In a world where navigating systems and the complexities of ODSP, Canopy, Protection workers, and so forth we always hear about the negative side but I wanted to write to tell you what an excellent experience we had working with Brandy.
Brandy is professional and knowledgeable. She treated my son with respect and tried to empower him to make good decisions and set goals for himself. She challenged him to make a plan to achieve his goals. She emphasized that this was his life and his decisions. She listened to our challenges and came back with resources. These are resources I wished someone had told me about years ago.
I truly valued the knowledge and support that Brandy gave to both me and my son. I hope other families are fortunate enough to have someone like Brandy to help navigate. It's very hard on families with adult children with disabilities: having such a remarkable person like Brandy help navigate some of the challenges truly makes an impact to such an overwhelming situation."
-Thank you from a very grateful family!
Would you like to share your experience with Canopy?
Recent Events
Canopy celebrates Pink Shirt Day
Canopy at the St. Patrick's Day Parade
Upcoming Events
Chimo Youth Wellness Event
Canopy's Central Navigation team is excited to be attending for the second time the Chimo Youth Wellness Event on Friday, May 9th in Lindsay.
April is Autism Acceptance Month!
April marks the beginning of Autism Acceptance Month, a time dedicated to supporting autistic individuals and fostering a more inclusive society. This month also features World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd, an internationally recognized day to highlight the importance of
understanding and accepting autism.
Autism Acceptance Month is a valuable opportunity for us to:
📢 Raise awareness about autism. There are still misconceptions about what autism is and the month gives people an opportunity to learn more about autism and autistic people.
🗣️ Promote acceptance of autistic people. Many autistic people experience exclusion due to people’s lack of understanding about autism, so this event is a call to action for autistic allies to do more to include autistic people in society and in the workplace.
🎉 Celebrate autistic colleagues. Celebrating autistic role models can help promote acceptance of autistic people and increase the public’s understanding of their experiences.
Mother's Day
As Mother's Day approaches, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the incredible mothers who are part of our Canopy family. Whether you’re a mother yourself, or you're honoring the mother figures in your life, we recognize and appreciate the love, dedication, and strength you bring to both your personal lives and our workplace.
Thank you for your unwavering commitment, and we hope you have a wonderful and joyful Mother's Day.
National AccessAbility Week & Red Shirt Day
National AccessAbility Week is a time to celebrate and highlight key
initiatives aimed at creating a more accessible Canada. This important week
begins on the last Sunday of May each year, and in 2025,
it will take place from May 25 to May 31.
Mark your calendars for May 28th, as it is Red Shirt Day of Action for AccessAbility and Inclusion! On this day, people across Canada come together by wearing red to create a visible display of solidarity. It is an opportunity to show our support for disabled individuals and their families, celebrate the achievements of disabled Canadians, and pledge our commitment to building a fully accessible and inclusive society.
Let's join in wearing red and demonstrating our dedication to AccessAbility and inclusion!
Join Canopy's Board of Directors!
Canopy Support Services is looking for passionate, community-minded individuals to join our volunteer Board of Directors! We are seeking individuals with expertise in finance and/or the developmental services sector to help guide our mission of providing community-based, specialized support and clinical services for individuals, families, and service providers.
The Ideal Candidate:
Knowledge of non-profit governance & strategic planning
Experience in finance and/or the developmental services sector
Able to commit to attending approximately 9 meetings per year
Prepared to participate in sub-committees (Finance, Governance, etc.)
Responsibilities:
Volunteer position with a 2-year commitment
Help determine Canopy's strategic directions
Provide financial oversight and support
Actively participate in governance and sub-committees
Join Canopy and Help Make a difference!
Send your letter of interest and resume to Heather Smith,
Executive Assistant & Board Liaison at hsmith@canopysupport.ca
We look forward to connecting with you and discussing
this exciting opportunity!
Canopy Support Services Earns 2024 Great Place To Work Certification™
"We are beyond thrilled to announce that Canopy has become Great Place To Work-Certified™! This achievement emphasizes our unwavering commitment to prioritizing employee experience every single day. Our continued success is a evidence to the dedication and hard work of our incredible team. We celebrate this milestone together and extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of our staff for their contributions."
- Canopy CEO, Himanshu Shah
Canopy Support Services Earns 2024 Great Place To Work Certification™
PETERBOROUGH Ontario — CANOPY SUPPORT SERVICES (Canopy) is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work® for the 2024-2025 year as a first-time applicant. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Canopy. This year, 80% of employees said it’s a great place To Work.
Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation.
"Great Place To Work Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work. She emphasizes that Certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that Canopy stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees."
Staff Highlight-Meet Emily!
Meet Emily! Emily is part of our Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Program here at Canopy! Here's what Emily has to say about being a TAY coordinator!
"As a TAY coordinator with Canopy, I have the unique opportunity to walk alongside youth through one of the biggest transitions in life: from adolescence to adulthood. Every day in this role looks different because each individual I work with has their own unique story, background, circle of care, support needs, etc. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is directly connecting with youth during this pivotal time in their life, having meaningful conversations about their goals and dreams for adulthood. By offering guidance and resources, I help empower these young adults to navigate the challenges they face, ensuring they have the right supports in place to thrive in their future."
Land Acknowledgment
In recognition of and respect for Indigenous People and their territory both in the past and the present. It is with a clear and open heart, mind and body that we at Canopy Support Services acknowledge that we are located on the traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabeg (ANISH-AN-AW-BE) and Chippewa (CHIP-EH-WA) Nations. We honor these communities as the original and current stewards’ and caretakers of this land and water ensuring their health for future generations while teaching us about our relations to the earth. The land we reside upon is situated within the Williams Treaty (1923) and Treaty 20 (1818). We are dedicated to honoring Indigenous history and culture and committed to moving forward in the spirit of reconciliation and respect with all First nation, Metis and Inuit people. We respect these communities’ strength and resiliency and together we hold space for the ones who came before us and the generations to follow us in our path to truth and reconciliation.
Upcoming Holidays & Office Closures
Our offices will be closed for Victoria Day, on Monday, May 19th!
