Raised:
$8,025
40%Goal:
$20,000

Toronto Lakeshore

Hosted by Homes First

24Walkers2Teams11Volunteers

The Grand Parade is a family-friendly fundraiser walk that helps support local charities who serve and support seniors and their families across Canada. Team up, walk, and fundraise with us on Saturday, September 16, 2023!

Toronto Lakeshore Scoreboard

Are you thrashing the competition (for a good cause)? Find out here! Stats are updated every 15 minutes. See how you stack up on the national scoreboard >

Teams
Walkers

#

Team Name

Captain

Members

Raised

1

Thea's team

Paget Ross

13

6,190.00

2

Homes First Heroes

Samara Rakhraj

5

1,665.00

#

Name

Team Name

Donors

Raised

1

Paget Ross

Thea's team

27

3,045.00

2

Nathaniel Paty

Thea's team

17

1,425.00

3

Mary Proc

Homes First Heroes

6

550.00

4

L M

Thea's team

8

500.00

5

MaryEtta Cheney

Homes First Heroes

5

500.00

6

Akil Augustine

Thea's team

4

350.00

7

Dana Hansen

Homes First Heroes

1

200.00

8

Rebecca Minshall

3

170.00

9

Samara Rakhraj

Homes First Heroes

2

150.00

10

Niamh Andrew

Thea's team

11

Wynter Andrew

Thea's team

12

Ty Goard

Thea's team

13

Kathleen Walker

Thea's team

14

Minette Ross

Thea's team

15

Laurence Legare

Thea's team

16

Amy Seabourne

Thea's team

17

Maya Palacio

Thea's team

18

Manny Calderari

19

Danielle Desjardins

20

seema kamra

21

Audra Townsend

22

Hyunny Jung

Thea's team

23

Julia De Angelis

Homes First Heroes

About Homes First

https://homesfirst.on.ca/ is one of the largest non-profit housing providers in Toronto. We are committed to breaking the cycle of chronic homelessness by providing emergency shelter and supportive housing and services for people with the fewest housing options in our city.


Every day, Homes First supports over 2,000 of the city’s most vulnerable individuals with experience of homelessness, including seniors, families, single mothers, those with complex physical, psychiatric and substance use challenges.


Why do we do it? Because everyone needs a home.


There are over 10,500 people in Toronto every night without a safe, stable place to live; hundreds live “rough” – in ravines, stairwells or on the street— with hundreds more suffering concurrent mental illness and substance use challenges. The shelter system is at capacity, and we have low housing inventory. Street-involved populations, many with several years of chronic homelessness, have nowhere else to go. That’s where Homes First steps in.


We not only believe, but have witnessed firsthand, that with the right supports, majority of people with experience of chronic homelessness can maintain their housing. The first step towards getting supports must always begin with a home.


However, we are now facing a crisis of homeless seniors in our city. ))


Did you know as you read this, 81,000 people are on the waitlist for subsidized housing in Toronto; equivalent to a sold-out crowd at Scotiabank arena.


For a bachelor unit the current wait is 7 years; for a one-bedroom unit the wait is 12 years or longer.


While these current conditions may impact people at all socio-economic levels, one group is disproportionately at risk. Seniors. An alarming number of seniors in our city are lacking adequate support from family or their communities. Toronto’s seniors’ population has more than doubled in the last 5 years.


This is a critical issue that demands our attention and requires a specialized approach. Many of these seniors experience mental and physical health challenges, live on fixed incomes, and must navigate more and more barriers to access the support they require as they age.


More than 50% of the current residents in Homes First supportive housing are seniors. In fact, people aged 50 years and older are the fastest growing population who are accessing our services. We define ‘seniors’ as 50 years and older because the challenges of homelessness speed up the aging process and increase vulnerability.


Many of these seniors are isolated, with few close friends or family nearby. Most feel overwhelmed by new technology and find it difficult to navigate – keeping them from accessing critical resources or care.


On top of age-related medical challenges, over 30% of those experiencing homelessness in Toronto live with mental illness. Seniors experiencing homelessness struggle more than any other homeless population with deteriorating mental health, social isolation and loneliness, estrangement from family, limited mobility, substance-use challenges, threats of violence and daily new trauma.


Homes First recently launched our first capital campaign, https://homefulltoronto.ca/


Toronto should be Homefull.


We believe it can be.


We believe it will be.


With your support, our vision of a Homefull Toronto will become a reality. Join us September 16th, 2023, at the Grand Parade (Toronto-Lakeshore). Together, we can advocate, fundraise and come together. We can get one step closer to ending chronic homelessness in the city of Toronto.

Event Day Details

Save the date - Event Day is September 16, 2023!

StartGoogle Map

Coronation Park

711 Lakeshore Blvd. West


Start/ Finish Location: Coronation Park (711 Lakeshore Blvd. West)


Turning Point: Marilyn Bell Park (1095 Lakeshore Blvd. West)

Schedule

  • 10:00 am: Meet Check-in + Welcome
  • 11:00 am: Move Send-off
  • 12:00 pm: Munch Light meal served
  • 1:00 pm: Mosey Thank You! See you in 2024!

Not able to join us at the Main Event? We hope you'll register, fundraise and walk offsite with friends and family.

Route Details

  • Route Distances: We have a great route where you can walk 2.5 km or 5 km with us.
  • Rest Stop: There will be one rest stop with yummy snacks and drinks.
  • Signage: The route will be well-signed with our bold burgundy TGP signs.
  • Route Support: Route marshals and rest stop hosts will provide support along the route.
  • Walkers 12 and Under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
  • No Pets: We love our little furballs like you do, but pets are not permitted at The Grand Parade except for approved and trained service animals. Read more about our pet policy >

Check-in

  • All walkers check-in personally at the event on Saturday, September 16, 2023.
  • T-shirts! Fundraising walkers who raise $150+ (or $75+ for those under 18) will receive a TGP shirt as a thank you on Event Day, while supplies last.
  • There is no registration fee to participate in The Grand Parade, but most walkers raise $250-300 or more in support of their charity.

Have questions? Visit the FAQ section!

Waivers

All participants should register online.


  • Adults accept the waiver automatically when they register online.
  • Youth/Children under 18 need a waiver signed by their parent or guardian.
  • An online waiver form will be emailed to all parents/guardians before TGP Day.
  • Waiver forms will be available at check-in on TGP Day.

What to Bring

A few common sense suggestions:


  • A cell phone for emergencies (recommended but not required)
  • Good shoes for walking
  • Extra snacks if you have allergies or food sensitivities
  • Your own water bottle
  • A passion for the charity you're walking and fundraising for

Handling Money

  • Credit Card: The Best Option! Simple, secure, automatically tax receipted for gifts of $20+. Visit the Donate page, share your personal page link, or have your donor call the TGP Head Office.
  • Cheques: The Old Faithful - made out to The Grand Parade with your name on the Memo line. Mail them to TGP Head Office along with your completed pledge form.
  • Cash: You have 2 options:
  • 1. Login to FundHub, click “Enter $$ and Cheques,” create pledges for your cash donations, pay them off with your personal credit card, and keep the cash. OR...
  • 2. Write a cheque (made out to “The Grand Parade”) for the total amount of cash you’ve collected. Mail it to the TGP Head Office with your completed pledge sheet.

Toronto Lakeshore Maps

Check out this year's TGP route maps below:

2/5kmView + print!

2.5km Turnaround at Remembrance Drive

Contact Us


TGP Toronto Lakeshore 2023

The TGP Team Participant & Donor Services
Toll Free 1.877.743.3413 / Phone 519.603.2250
Email torontolakeshore@thegrandparade.org

Got questions about The Grand Parade?
info@thegrandparade.org | 1.877.743.3413