Volunteer Toronto Celebrates 50 Years!

Click here to see how volunteers are #weavingustogether

2023 marks Volunteer Toronto’s 50th year making a positive impact on the City of Toronto through innovative initiatives that inspire, inform, and connect volunteers and the organizations that need them.

Although Volunteer Toronto's roots stretch back nearly a century, it wasn’t until 1973 that The Volunteer Centre of Metropolitan Toronto, as it was known then, was officially incorporated as a charity.

Since then, Volunteer Toronto has gone from strength-to-strength to become Canada’s largest volunteer centre. Through it all, our vision for a Toronto that is caring, inclusive, and engaged where volunteering is an important avenue through which everyone can participate and contribute meaningfully, stands unchanged and continues to inspire us to do more.

Will you join us in empowering volunteers to make a meaningful impact in their community over the next 50 years?

There are many ways to get involved and give back whether donating your money, time or skills, you can make a positive impact in your local community. If you’re not sure where to start, consider joining one of our virtual or in-person info sessions on How to Become a Volunteer. Or check out the top 5 areas that continue to need your help.

We believe that volunteering is a rewarding experience that not only helps others, but gives us a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Don’t believe us? We asked volunteers, past and present, to share their stories.

Volunteering Weaves Us Together

Click on individual patchwork tiles below to read testimonials from real volunteers and volunteer managers!

National Volunteer Week: April 16 – 22

This year we’ll be kicking off our 50th Anniversary in tandem with National Volunteer Week 2023! Every April, Volunteer Toronto is proud to celebrate our city's 1.6 million volunteers because volunteers weave us together and make Toronto a better place for everyone to live. Toronto is a city of volunteers. A city of helpers. It's who we are.

Click the button below to discover the ways we're marking the occasion!

Let's Celebrate!

T. 416-961-6888

E. info@volunteertoronto.ca

CRA# 119287092RR0001

www.volunteertoronto.ca

"By volunteering, we give back to the communities that shape us meanwhile growing as individuals, making new connections, learning new skills, and making a difference for the better."

Bogdana Borysova

Ignite Fair

"As an immigrant, and after a sabbatical, while I in the process of applying for jobs here in the city, I came across a volunteer role posting that I applied to and was selected. I have ever since been so grateful for the chance that someone took on me, it gave me the validation I needed at that point in my life; that my skills and what I had to give back were important. It's been 4 years, and I still have a relationship going on with Volunteer Toronto!"

Roshini Mathews

Non-Profit Engagement Specialist, Volunteer Toronto

"Volunteering is important to me because it gives me a sense of identity, helps me foster incredible friendships, and provides great satisfaction as I support and give back to my local community."

Garima Sharma

VT Volunteer

"Volunteer Toronto kicked started my career in the non-profit sector. It introduced me to a sector I knew little about. I can't imagine what I would be doing if it weren't for VT."

Jillian Rago

Interval House

"In a city where so many are struggling, it’s easy to become disparaged and to lose hope. To me, volunteering is an active choice against hopelessness and a choice to engage with people and organizations that seek to amplify and uplift causes and communities....In Toronto, the momentum VT has is living proof that the city is dedicated to giving back."

Matthew Ferguson

"Volunteering is a way to make a contribution to a community or organization. It may start as wanting to give back, to share skills or expertise, but then ends up being a case of getting back much more than you give. Volunteering is a multi-faceted experience where one can get involved in a role that is enjoyable and rewarding while learning new things and meeting people from all walks of life."

Karen Raittinen

"Volunteer Toronto has enlightened me on the extent of volunteerism not only in Toronto, but in all of Ontario. Through Ignite Fair, powered by Volunteer Toronto, I have learned about the countless organizations working towards building better communities and been able to find opportunities to make an impact."

Bogdana Borysova

Ignite Fair

"I am grateful that VT was my first serious volunteer experience. It's such a compassionate and professional organization. They providevaluable support and training opportunities for their volunteers. Additionally, the VT team makes their volunteers feel appreciated and valued."

Nancy Fowler

"In working with Newcomers who are Internationally Trained Professionals, the struggle to gain relevant Canadian experience and referrence is a huge barrier. Volunteer Toronto's services and advisor have enabled me to link these highly employable individuals with positions that relate to their skills and goals."

Glynis D'Souza

TESS

"Volunteer Toronto provides so much: training, support, resources, willingness to bring various sub-sectors together to talk, explore, and effect change, opportunities to learn, share, and grow."

Heather Johnson

Community Development Halton

"Volunteering is important to me because it represents how we choose to engage with one another and the wider world. It is deeply personal while having impacts on many others."

Jessica Pang-Parks

Volunteer Engagement Leader

"Volunteering is important because it transforms the community, organization and the volunteer. It has the ability to give people purpose and meaning in life."

Aloha Cruz

"As a volunteer, Volunteer Toronto has connected me to my community through various enriching experiences. Their workshops helped to demystify the process of finding a position and gave me the confidence to approach any volunteer position I wanted."

Safiyyah Memon

VT Volunteer

"(Volunteering) Provides and instills confidence in myself."

Todd Van Horne

Company The Independent Order of Foresters

"Volunteering is an important part of my overall health and wellness. Connecting with people, sharing my skills, learning new skills, doing something that is not part of my job or 'expected' of me is very liberating."

Heather Johnson

Community Development Halton

Click each square to see how various volunteers and volunteer managers have experienced the benefits of volunteering!

"Volunteering is so important to me as I've been very lucky to have had a lot of support in my community throughout many years. It is my way of saying thank you and giving back."

Leslie Fauvelle

"The feeling of being helpful to the society is satisfying."

Vinod Puri

Evergreen YSM Toronto

"I genuinely enjoy helping people. It's also given me an additional sense of purpose in my life as I head into my senior years."

Nancy Fowler

"My first encounter with Volunteer Toronto was years ago when I was coordinating volunteers and was new in the field. Volunteer Toronto was my one stop shopping for support and resources in my role."

Karen Raittinen

"Volunteering is important to me because I believe they are teaching moments, that allow you the opportunity to learn and, or unlearn either individually or in the company of others, and it helps you grow as a person."

Roshini Mathews

Non-Profit Engagement Specialist, Volunteer Toronto