Building a Stronger Foundation: Our 2025–2026 Annual Report Is Here
We are proud to share the Haitians of Toronto 2025–2026 Annual Report, reflecting a year that was about more than delivering programs and events. It was a year of strengthening the organization behind the work.
One of the biggest milestones of 2025–2026 was receiving our first major capacity-building investment through the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative (SBCCI) – Strong Foundations program. For a growing, volunteer-led organization like ours, this was significant. It gave us an opportunity to invest in the systems, governance and professional infrastructure needed to build Haitians of Toronto for the long term.
A Major Investment in Our Foundation
For years, much of our focus has been on responding directly to the needs of our community. This funding gave us the opportunity to also look inward and strengthen the organization responsible for delivering that work.
Through the SBCCI Strong Foundations funding, we were able to invest in governance and organizational development, legal support, policies and procedures, accounting and financial statements, insurance, equipment and other important organizational infrastructure.
These investments may happen behind the scenes, but they are essential to our future.
As Haitians of Toronto grows, we need more than good programs. We need strong financial practices, clear policies, responsible governance and the systems necessary to manage funding and partnerships effectively. This investment allowed us to begin putting those pieces firmly in place.
For us, 2025–2026 was the year we fortified our foundation.
And the Community Work Continued
While strengthening the organization internally, we continued doing what Haitians of Toronto was created to do: show up for our community.
Our Back-to-School Festival returned, bringing families, volunteers and community partners together and distributing 111 backpacks filled with school supplies to help children begin the school year prepared.
We continued celebrating Haitian achievement through the Haitian Excellence Gala, creating a space where Haitian professionals, entrepreneurs, leaders and community members could be recognized and celebrated.
We also launched the first edition of Tim Tim Bwa Sèch to kick off Haitian Heritage Month. Through storytelling, drumming, books by Haitian authors, arts and crafts, music and activities for children, we created a space for the next generation to learn about where they come from and take pride in being Haitian.
Haitians of Toronto also joined other Haitian organizations in welcoming the Haitian National Soccer Team for a community Meet & Greet that brought hundreds of people together around sport, culture and national pride.
A Year of Recognition
This year also brought another special milestone: Haitians of Toronto received an Ubuntu Award from Coalition Créole Ontario in recognition of our work in the community.
For an organization that is still growing, being recognized alongside others making meaningful contributions within the Creole community meant a great deal to us. It reminded us that the work is being seen and, more importantly, that it is making an impact.
The Next Chapter: A Home for Our Community
Everything we strengthened this year connects to a much bigger vision.
Our long-term goal remains to establish a physical community hub for the Haitian community—a place where people can access settlement support, employment resources, youth and family programs, workshops and cultural programming under one roof.
The capacity-building work completed this year brings us another step closer to being the organization capable of operating that kind of space.
We know there is still considerable work ahead. We need sustainable funding, stronger partnerships and continued investment in our organizational capacity. But we are entering
2026–2027 with a stronger foundation than we had one year ago.
To our funders, partners, Board, volunteers, sponsors and community members: thank you for continuing to build with us.
We look forward to another year of serving, growing and getting one step closer to opening the doors to a place our community can call its own.
UNITY • COMMUNITY • STRENGTH
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