Our History

Toronto City Mission is Toronto’s oldest and longest running outreach to people living in poverty. On November 14, 1879, Toronto City Mission was established by ministers and laymen who recognized the need to reach the neglected and needy parts of the city. It was organized to care for the spiritual and material welfare of the poor throughout the Toronto area. From the beginning the focus was on assisting needy parents, children, widows, the elderly, the sick, hungry and deserted, and the unemployed.

In 1907, a home in Bronte, (now part of Oakville) was bought and used for 70 years as a camp for families and children from Toronto. It provided a time to get away together for recreation and spiritual refreshment and growth.

For 125 years, Toronto City Mission assisted people living in poverty through the provision of food, clothing, evangelism and the opportunity to escape the city in the summertime. In 1999, however, the Board of Directors and the leadership of Toronto City Mission identified a void in the work of poverty relief and transformation in the City of Toronto. While many organizations focused on providing shelter, food and clothing resources in an effort to relieve poverty, few focused on the development and transformation of people and communities where poverty is evident. Hence, for the past ten years, Toronto City Mission has been focusing on developing and transforming children, families and communities rather than providing relief assistance. We engage in this process of development and transformation through specific programs that target children and families as well as through the building of trusting relationships with our community staff and volunteers.