Toronto, ON, September 27, 2010 – The six-alarm fire in the St. Jamestown high rise, at 200 Wellesley St. E., has forced Toronto District School Board students and their families to leave their homes with no idea when they will be able to return. Hundreds of students, from 40 different schools, are living in shelters, hotels and other temporary locations and are badly in need of supplies.
Director of Education Chris Spence is appealing to staff, schools and the community to help our students in their time of need. “My heart goes out to the children and families that have been displaced. Our social workers, principals, the young people and their families are telling me there is a need for food, school supplies, clothing, toiletries and TTC tickets. These are calls that cannot go unanswered,” Spence says.
He has asked the Toronto Foundation for Student Success, the arm’s length charitable foundation of the TDSB, to provide support to these students and their families in their time of need through the Board’s Hope in Action Emergency Fund.
The public is also being asked to donate to the Hope in Action Emergency Fund for these much-needed items. Donations may be made:
• Online at www.torontofoundationforstudentsuccess.ca
• By cheque payable to:
TFSS - Hope in Action Emergency Fund
2 Trethewey Drive, 4th Floor
Toronto, ON
M6M 4A8
Charitable receipts will be issued for donations of $10 or more.
Collection stations for school supplies will also be set up at our Administration Centres at 1 Civic Court, 140 Borough Drive and 5050 Yonge Street. The TFSS is unable to accept clothing donations at this time so the public is asked to please donate at the nearest used clothing drop-off centre.