Make Green Your Favourite Colour!
Start Your “Bran” New Day
Get your greens with this easy recipe.
Try this delicious and fibre-rich recipe.
By Jennifer Schneider, RD, MPH
Beans and greens bruschetta
By Katie (Kit Ting) Lam, RD
he markets and grocery stores are
once again bursting with beautiful
dark leafy green vegetables such as
kale, spinach, arugula, bok choy, collard
greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens,
rapini, Swiss chard and turnip greens.
Makes 4 servings
he bran is the outermost layer of the grain. It contains a lot of “great stuff” including fibre, B vitamins,
minerals and a small amount of protein. On average,
adults need about 25–38 g of fibre a day and crushing bran
cereals to add to muffins, breads, waffles and pancakes can
help you add fibre to your diet. Each muffin in this recipe
contains about 5 g of fibre. Why not make the muffins in
advance and heat them up for breakfast to kick-start your
day? They’re easy to take to work and pack for children’s
snacks. This recipe was featured in the From Theory to the
Kitchen cooking workshop that took place in January 2015.
Everyone loved them!
T
T
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ tsp
crushed red pepper flakes
2 canswhite kidney beans, drained
and rinsed
1 bunch kale (or other dark leafy green),
ribs removed, leaves torn into
bite-size pieces
½ cup
low-sodium vegetable or
chicken broth
1 Tbsp
fresh lemon juice
to taste salt and pepper
Canada’s Food Guide recommends that
you eat one dark green vegetable every
day. Greens are nutrient-dense with folate,
vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C and calcium. They are also high in fibre.
Greens are quick and easy to prepare. Try
adding them to sauces, salads, stir-fries,
soups, stews, eggs and sandwiches. To
make it easier to use your green leafy
Directions:
vegetables, rinse them in a colander, drain
(or use a salad spinner) and pat dry with 1. Heat a large skillet to medium-high
and heat oil in skillet. Add garlic and
a paper towel or clean tea towel as soon
red pepper flakes and cook, stirring,
as you bring them home. Store in clean
until
fragrant, about 30 seconds.
paper towels or a tea towel in a sealed
plastic bag in the fridge.
2. Add beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to blister, about
The following recipe is tasty, inexpensive
three minutes. Using a spoon, lightly
and nutritious and works with any type
mash about half of the beans. Add
of dark leafy green. The white kidney
kale and broth and cook, tossing often,
beans (also called cannellini beans) add
until kale is wilted and bright in colour,
cholesterol-lowering fibre plus protein,
about two minutes. Add lemon juice;
folate, potassium and iron. Overall,
season with salt and pepper.
this easy meal or snack is good
3. Serve beans and greens
for your heart, bones and eyes.
mixture over toast.
Enjoy!
Our Locations
Steeles Ave W
Dufferin St
Lawrence Heights
12 Flemington Road
Toronto, ON M6A 2N4
Phone: 416-787-1661
Finch Ave W
Keele-Rogers
Sheppard Ave W
Bathurst St
Keele St
1651 Keele Street
Toronto, ON M6M 3W2
Phone: 416-653-5400
400
Bathurst-Finch
Wilson Ave
Jane St
401
540 Finch Avenue West
Toronto, ON M2R 1N7
Phone: 647-436-0385
Jane-Trethewey
JT
PE
LH
Lawrence Ave W
Hum
ber
Allen Rd
Dufferin St
Eglinton Ave W
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KR
Dund
Caledonia Rd
y
Dr
Pathways to Education
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e
Riv
the
we
Keele St
Tre
d
nR
sto
We
1541 Jane Street
Toronto, ON M9N 2R3
Phone: 416-645-7575
Rogers Rd
St Clair Ave W
as St
Runnymede Rd
Lawrence Square
700 Lawrence Avenue West,
Suite 440B
Toronto, ON M6A 3B4
Phone: 416-787-6800
BF
W
Annette St
Bloor St W
Unison VOICE is a publication of Unison Health and Community Services, 12 Flemington Road, Toronto, ON M6A 2N4, 416-787-1661
© 2015 by Unison Health and Community Services.
Editor: Ana Garcia, [email protected] Layout: Pass It On Communications Inc., www.passiton.ca
Unison VOICE
FALL 2015/WINTER 2016
Health & Community Services
.......................................
Engage. Empower. Enhance.
Carrot bran muffins
Makes 12 servings. Preparation time: 40 minutes.
Ingredients:
2
eggs
1 cup
carrots, grated
1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cup high-fibre bran cereal
⅓ cupbrown sugar or brown Splenda
¾ cup buttermilk
¼ cup
vegetable oil
½ cup
raisins or dried cranberries
1 tsp
baking powder
1 tsp
baking soda
1 tsp
ground cinnamon
½ tsp
ground nutmeg
½ tsp
salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Place cereal in a resalable sandwich bag and slightly
crush it up.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, crushed cereal, baking
powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, beat eggs thoroughly. Blend in carrots,
buttermilk, brown sugar and vegetable oil. Add to dry
ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Stir in raisins.
5. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin cups,
filling about three-quarters full. Bake in preheated oven
for about 20 mins.
6. Insert a toothpick into the centre of the muffin and muffin
is ready when the toothpick comes out clean.
Adapted from: Rose, R. (2001). Dietitians of Canada Cook Great Food
(p. 25). Toronto: Robert Rose.
On the Road and Going Strong!
A successful initiative between community partners brings mobile health
clinics to our neighbourhoods.
By Ayesha Adhami and Anna Cioffi
he Immigrant Women’s Health Centre (IWHC)
is an independent sexual health clinic funded
by the City of Toronto through Toronto Public
Health. For 40 years, IWHC has been providing confidential, culturally sensitive and language-accessible
sexual health clinical services, counselling and support
services to women across the City of Toronto. We
serve our clients in multiples languages and cultural
communities with all female Centre staff and medical
service providers. IWHC encourages and empowers
clients to be well-informed about their sexual healthcare needs and choices, and supports them by providing
a variety of clinical services, counselling, information,
education and outreach.
IWHC’s services include:
STI testing and treatment
• family planning such as pregnancy tests, birth control counselling, contraceptive prescriptions and
sales, and IUD-related services
• birth control and IUDs sold at lower cost
• Pap testing, hepatitis B testing and vaccinations
•
Mobile Health Clinic (MHC)
Unison Health and Community Services will be closed:
In the 1980s, IWHC partnered with Toronto Public
Health on a pilot project to bring sexual health services
to women where they work – at the time, it was primarily garment factory workers in the clothing factories
around Spadina Avenue.
Stay in touch with Unison!
• Check our website at www.unisonhcs.org.
• Get on our mailing list. Email Ana Garcia,
Executive Assistant, at [email protected].
• Follow us on Twitter @UnisonHCS
• Become our fan on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/UnisonHCS.
• Call us or drop by one of our locations.
Engage.
Empower. Enhance.
........................................
www.unisonhcs.org
Mobile Health Clinic (MHC) services include:
Are You Looking to
Sponsor Your Spouse?
New Members
Wanted!
ABOVE: The Mobile Health
Clinic.
LEFT: From left to right: Ana
Sanchez, Community Health
Promoter; Anna Cioffi,
Mobile Clinic Coordinator;
Dr. Erin Johnston, MHC
doctor; Cam Tran, Chinese
Counsellor and member of
IWHC’s Management Team.
Three key reasons why this partnership is successful:
1. Mobility: Both programs are mobile! In order to
make the services accessible and available both program travel to where the community congregates.
2. Target populations: The MHC targets immigrant
women and provides services in different languages.
The DPP targets immigrant populations (men and
women alike), particularly those from the East
African, Caribbean and Latin America.
3. Outreach strategies: Both agencies have a wealth
of contacts that they share to better serve their
communities.
The partnership between Unison’s DPP and IWHC
may be new and exciting, but the MHC has been serving clients in the Lawrence Heights area for over a
decade through partner organizations such as North
York Community House and Voces Latinas. IWHC has
always found a strong connection to this diverse and
Partnership: Unison and MHC
welcoming community and looks forward to an ongoing
In the past two years, MHC has develop a strong part- and dynamic partnership with Unison to provide even
nership with Unison’s Diabetes Prevention Program more services to clients in the Lawrence Heights area.
(DPP). You may be wondering: How do a diabetes
prevention program and a sexual health program come For more information, contact the Mobile Health
together to serve an immigrant community? Easy! Clinic Coordinator, Anna Cioffi, 416-323-9986 ext 27,
Together they provide accessible services to see a doctor or the Diabetes Prevention Program, 416-787-1676 ext
and a registered dietitian on the spot. In addition, the 235. Learn more about the MHC at immigranthealth.
DPP refers participants to family doctors, community info/?page_id=12. IWHC is located at 489 College
programs (such as diabetes education programs) and Street, Suite 200 (Bathurst and College) in downtown
Toronto. Services are free; IWHC serves OHIP and
other Unison services.
non-OHIP clients.
STI testing and treatment
• family planning such as pregnancy tests, birth control
counselling, contraceptive prescriptions
• Pap testing
•
The Diabetes Exercise
Education Program
Unison Snapshot:
Legal Clinic
T
DATES TO REMEMBER
Monday, October 12, 2015 Thanksgiving
Friday, December 25, 2015 Christmas Day
Friday, January 1, 2016 New Year’s Day
Monday, February 15, 2016 Family Day
Friday, March 25, 2016 Good Friday
ALSO IN THIS
ISSUE:
Flu Season is Coming:
Will You Get Your Flu
Shot?
Introducing the Urban
Health Team
The Tick-Tock Group
Thriving on
Interdisciplinary Work
Healthy Recipe:
Make Green Your
Favourite Colour!
Healthy Recipe:
Start Your “Bran” New
Day
Dates to Remember
Check our most recent
program calendar, or
www.unisonhcs.org for
information on all our
current programs and
services.
The Diabetes Exercise Education Program
Improve your quality of life! Coming soon to two more Unison locations.
By Pallavi Kashyap and Cheryl Bamford
hysical activity is necessary for health, prevention of disease and reduction of disease
burden. Specifically for individuals with diabetes there are multiple benefits, such as: increased
fitness, decreased body fat, regulated blood glucose,
decreased blood pressure and improved quality of
life. The current science is clear about the benefits of
exercise and Health Canada recommends a minimum
of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity during
most days of the week.
P
Cheryl Bamford, our registered kinesiologist, is an
expert in exercise and the body’s motion, and can help
you move better, live longer and be healthier. She will
be applying the latest evidenced-based research to help
people living with diabetes and those with pre-diabetes
enhance their quality of life through the promotion of
physical activity.
Cheryl hopes to be able to provide better care and
services to clients who are pre-diabetic or are living with
type 2 diabetes through the provision of an individual
physical assessment and group exercise programs at
all four Unison locations.
We have completed two sessions of the 12-week program at the Bathurst-Finch and Keele-Rogers sites, and
are in the process of conducting kinesiology diabetes
exercise education program intakes and are taking
on Jane-Trethewey and Lawrence Heights clients that
meet the following criteria:
1. must have diagnosis of pre-diabetes or diabetes
2. are not meeting the current exercise guidelines
and want to start exercising
For further information on the upcoming Diabetes
Exercise Program please call Cheryl Bamford at
416-653-5400 ext 1398 or connect with her via email at
[email protected].
Unison
Snapshot:
Legal Clinic
A successful resolution to
a landlord-tenant issue.
By Vinay Jain
client was being taken to the
Landlord and Tenant Board
for eviction for arrears,
despite the fact that the tenant
stated that he had given proper
notice to the landlord. At the hearing, the landlord did not show up
and the eviction application was
dismissed. At a later point, the client
was applying for a job for which
he required a clean credit record.
The client applied and was turned
down solely because the landlord
had reported the “unpaid” rent as
a debt to Equifax. At this point the
client contacted us. On his behalf,
we attempted to resolve the matter
with Equifax through their dispute
resolution process — to no avail. We
then filed a claim at Small Claims
Court against both the landlord and
Equifax. We were then able to come
to a settlement which amounted to
a cash award and removal of the
“unpaid” debt from Equifax.
A
Are You Looking to Sponsor Your Spouse?
any of our clients come to us for advice or
assistance with matters related to sponsorship.
They want to sponsor their spouses, children
or parents. There are many laws and rules related to
sponsorship of family members. In this article we will
deal with the issue of sponsoring spouses who are
living overseas, and provide basic information about
the application and process.
M
You can apply to sponsor your spouse who is living
overseas if you are 18 years old or older and are a
permanent resident or Canadian citizen. Your spouse
can be someone you are legally married to, are in a
common-law relationship with, or in a conjugal relationship with. There are different ways to show that
you meet one of these categories; if you are uncertain
if your relationship would be considered common law
or conjugal it is a good idea to get legal advice.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada will review your
completed application in two steps. The first step will
be to check that you and your spouse are eligible to
be sponsored. They want to see that the marriage is
genuine and has not been entered into for the purpose
of coming to Canada. If you meet all of the criteria to be
a sponsor and your spouse is eligible to be sponsored,
your application will move into the second stage. At
the second stage, Citizenship and Immigration Canada
will be checking to see that your spouse is admissible
to come to Canada and you are admissible to sponsor.
They will look at your spouse’s health and criminal
history. They will look at your financial circumstances.
If you meet these criteria then you will be informed
that your spouse can come to Canada and become a
permanent resident. You can look online at cic.gc.ca for
information about processing times for applications
from your spouse’s country of origin.
When you complete your application you will be
required to sign an undertaking to financially support your spouse for three years. This means you must
ensure your spouse has housing, clothing, food and
money to pay for necessary items. If you are unable
to support your spouse during this period of time,
and your spouse applies for Ontario Works or Ontario
Disability Support Program benefits, the government
may take steps to have you pay them back.
In the past, when a spouse arrived in Canada he or she
automatically became a permanent resident. In 2012, the
government introduced conditional permanent resident
status. If your spouse has been in a relationship with
you for two years or fewer, and you have no children
together at the time of submitting the application, your
spouse will be given conditional permanent resident
status. This means that you and your spouse must live
together for two years from the date of your spouse
becoming a permanent resident. If you do not live
together as spouses, your spouse’s status in Canada
can be revoked. There are exceptions to this rule in
cases where the sponsor dies, or if a sponsored spouse
is being abused or neglected. Please get legal advice if
you need help due to domestic violence.
I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us at
416-653-5400 ext 1244 for more information or advice.
The influenza vaccine is the best way to protect
yourself and others from getting this flu.
By Barbara Lupu
I
nfluenza (the flu) is a respiratory infection caused by the
Influenza A and B Viruses.
Influenza is easily
spread by direct
contact or air borne
droplets during
breathing, talking,
sneezing, or coughing. Most people
will recover within a
week to 10 days. Each
year in Canada approximately
12,200 people are hospitalized and
3,500 die due to influenza and its
complications.
Getting a flu shot is the best way
to protect yourself and others from
getting influenza.
Each year the vaccine is updated to
include the current type (strains) of
influenza virus. That is why you
need a flu vaccine each year.
For healthy adults and children
flu shots are about 60% effective
in preventing you from getting the
flu. In the elderly, the vaccine is less
effective but will still decrease the
symptoms of the flu.
Children from six months to nine
years old who get the flu shot for
the first time need two doses
given four weeks apart.
The flu vaccine is safe,
and well tolerated. You
may have soreness at
the injection site that
can last up to two days.
Children may get a
fever after vaccination.
Severe side effects and allergic reactions are rare. Detailed information
is available from your health-care
provider. You cannot get influenza
from the vaccine as it contains no
live virus.
Other ways to prevent influenza is
regular hand washing, and covering
your mouth when you cough and
sneeze. It is best to stay home and
rest when you are not well.
New Members
Wanted!
You are invited to become
a member of Unison
Health and Community
Services. Here are some of
the benefits and privileges
of membership:
• Members have the right to vote
at our annual general meeting.
• Members receive regular
updates about our programs
and services.
• Membership is a great way
to help strengthen your
community.
• I t’s a great way to connect with
others in your community.
• Bonus: New members receive a
free Unison t-shirt!
Sign up or renew your
membership today! Get a
membership form from the
front desk at any Unison site,
download it from our website at
unisonhcs.org or call Ana Garcia
at 416-787-1676 ext 257.
ick-Tock, our resident-led
group, is a safe place for the
women of our neighborhood
to come together to share experiences and activities. Our members are
women from different countries and
cultures with a wonderful spirit for
life. Through their generosity, Unison’s
Bathurst-Finch Hub affords
us an opportunity to
explore the different dimensions
affecting our
lives as women,
both within the
neighborhood,
and within the
City of Toronto.
At the same time,
we are interested in
examining our roots and
the traditions which have helped to
make us into the people we are.
T
Representatives have kindly accepted
to come and inform us on various topics
and we are always open to new presenters. A few examples of people who have
shared with us are: Constable Howard
Clements of 32 Division, who taught us
about protection against different types
of fraud; Professor Emeritus Russell
Brown, retired from the University of
Toronto, who revealed insights into the
visionary aspect of Canadian literature;
Dedicated to responding to community needs.
By Amy Cheng
eing situated within the
northwest area of the GTA,
Unison recognizes that our
neighborhoods experience very
similar health equity challenges as
those of the downtown core. We recognize that what we face today will
continue to be an increasing threat
to our community health: cancer
and diabetes, unemployment and
food insecurity, HIV infection, substance use and addictions, mental
illness, and violence.
B
At Unison, we are committed to
work towards achieving our vision
— Healthy Communities. In the fall
of 2015, the Urban Health Team
was formed as one strategy to better
respond to community needs in a
more collaborative, coordinated
way. The team is made up a number
of smaller sub-teams: health promotion, diabetes prevention, harm
reduction, prenatal health, mental
health and community safety.
Although each of these teams has its
distinct strategies and approaches to
respond to its sub-population health
issues, collectively we form a strong
outreach network. Through our collaborative efforts in reaching out to
the communities and engaging with
community members and partner
agencies, and with support from
other teams at Unison, we can better
leverage resources and respond
to neighborhood issues in a more
timely fashion.
We also see ourselves as a team
working primarily in the communities. We go to where people are
gathering and residing. The team’s
mission is to increase access and
to facilitate referral for those who
would otherwise have difficulties
navigating the health-care system
and challenges accessing health
services and programs.
For further information about the
Urban Health Team, please contact
Amy Cheng, Urban Health Programs
Manager, at 416-787-1661 ext 252 or
[email protected].
Reference: Toronto Public Health 2014.
A multi-dimensional women’s group in Bathurst-Finch.
By Lidja Dhimitri and Debbie Hackett
Introducing the Urban Health Team
The free vaccine is available starting
in October. Please check with your
heath-care provider about getting
the flu shot.
The Tick-Tock Group
General information about the sponsorship application and process.
By Joanna Mullen
Flu Season is Coming:
Will You Get Your Flu Shot?
and Lidja Dhimitri, a member of our
group and former linguistics professor in Albania, who presented how
important it is to share our histories in
our relationships with our children and
grandchildren. In this way, they may
give value to all the good aspects of
what they inherit from us and thereby
carry their culture forward with them.
Next, Samer Kolta from Northview
Pharmacy will be coming
in to discuss health
care as it relates to
diabetes.
Usually we begin
our meetings with
gentle exercise to
center ourselves.
In addition to the
other activities, we
dance, do art, knit
and enjoy our time talking together. We have a wonderful
snack at the end of each meeting.
One of our members, of whom we are
very proud, began working within the
political and social agencies upon her
arrival in this neighbourhood many
years ago, to lobby for a place like the
Bathurst-Finch Hub to be created. We
are so glad that she and others did,
and so grateful to the Hub for making
it possible for us to meet and grow into
the people we want to be!
Thriving on Interdisciplinary Work
Coordination between many Unison teams is a big
help to clients – here is just one success story.
By Jakir Chowdhury
s. Cohen came to Unison’s Housing Department at the KeeleRogers site early in August 2014, to request assistance transferring
from her current Toronto Community Housing Corporation
(TCHC) unit. She indicated she was having a hard time dealing with
building management and other tenants; she was stressed out and didn’t
want to live in the building anymore. After further inquiry the housing
team determined this was a complex case and required additional support.
M
The client was referred to a Case Coordinator, Liliana Pieres, who assigned
her to a Social Worker, Laura Notton, for regular therapy sessions to deal
with her day-to-day stress and anxiety. Ms. Cohen was also given priority
access to Primary Care Services because of her previous medical history
and medication mismanagement.
During this time, Ms. Cohen received several eviction notices, which led to
her trying to commit suicide. Several case conferences were scheduled to
coordinate her housing and medical needs. Unison’s Legal Team swiftly
intervened and represented the client at the Landlord and Tenant Board.
In July 2015, a mediation agreement was reached where the landlord
promised to continue its effort in actively looking to find another TCHC
unit suitable for Ms. Cohen’s needs.
Ms. Cohen would like to sincerely thank all Unison staff, particularly Jakir
Chowdhury, Rosalinda Paredes, Dr. Jayla Chen and Laura Notton. She
says she believes these individuals played a vital role in “saving my life.”
Ms. Cohen regularly participates in the Streets to Home Community
Kitchen Program and is truly gratefully for the programs, services, support
and guidance she continues to receive from Unison.
The Diabetes Exercise Education Program
Improve your quality of life! Coming soon to two more Unison locations.
By Pallavi Kashyap and Cheryl Bamford
hysical activity is necessary for health, prevention of disease and reduction of disease
burden. Specifically for individuals with diabetes there are multiple benefits, such as: increased
fitness, decreased body fat, regulated blood glucose,
decreased blood pressure and improved quality of
life. The current science is clear about the benefits of
exercise and Health Canada recommends a minimum
of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity during
most days of the week.
P
Cheryl Bamford, our registered kinesiologist, is an
expert in exercise and the body’s motion, and can help
you move better, live longer and be healthier. She will
be applying the latest evidenced-based research to help
people living with diabetes and those with pre-diabetes
enhance their quality of life through the promotion of
physical activity.
Cheryl hopes to be able to provide better care and
services to clients who are pre-diabetic or are living with
type 2 diabetes through the provision of an individual
physical assessment and group exercise programs at
all four Unison locations.
We have completed two sessions of the 12-week program at the Bathurst-Finch and Keele-Rogers sites, and
are in the process of conducting kinesiology diabetes
exercise education program intakes and are taking
on Jane-Trethewey and Lawrence Heights clients that
meet the following criteria:
1. must have diagnosis of pre-diabetes or diabetes
2. are not meeting the current exercise guidelines
and want to start exercising
For further information on the upcoming Diabetes
Exercise Program please call Cheryl Bamford at
416-653-5400 ext 1398 or connect with her via email at
[email protected].
Unison
Snapshot:
Legal Clinic
A successful resolution to
a landlord-tenant issue.
By Vinay Jain
client was being taken to the
Landlord and Tenant Board
for eviction for arrears,
despite the fact that the tenant
stated that he had given proper
notice to the landlord. At the hearing, the landlord did not show up
and the eviction application was
dismissed. At a later point, the client
was applying for a job for which
he required a clean credit record.
The client applied and was turned
down solely because the landlord
had reported the “unpaid” rent as
a debt to Equifax. At this point the
client contacted us. On his behalf,
we attempted to resolve the matter
with Equifax through their dispute
resolution process — to no avail. We
then filed a claim at Small Claims
Court against both the landlord and
Equifax. We were then able to come
to a settlement which amounted to
a cash award and removal of the
“unpaid” debt from Equifax.
A
Are You Looking to Sponsor Your Spouse?
any of our clients come to us for advice or
assistance with matters related to sponsorship.
They want to sponsor their spouses, children
or parents. There are many laws and rules related to
sponsorship of family members. In this article we will
deal with the issue of sponsoring spouses who are
living overseas, and provide basic information about
the application and process.
M
You can apply to sponsor your spouse who is living
overseas if you are 18 years old or older and are a
permanent resident or Canadian citizen. Your spouse
can be someone you are legally married to, are in a
common-law relationship with, or in a conjugal relationship with. There are different ways to show that
you meet one of these categories; if you are uncertain
if your relationship would be considered common law
or conjugal it is a good idea to get legal advice.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada will review your
completed application in two steps. The first step will
be to check that you and your spouse are eligible to
be sponsored. They want to see that the marriage is
genuine and has not been entered into for the purpose
of coming to Canada. If you meet all of the criteria to be
a sponsor and your spouse is eligible to be sponsored,
your application will move into the second stage. At
the second stage, Citizenship and Immigration Canada
will be checking to see that your spouse is admissible
to come to Canada and you are admissible to sponsor.
They will look at your spouse’s health and criminal
history. They will look at your financial circumstances.
If you meet these criteria then you will be informed
that your spouse can come to Canada and become a
permanent resident. You can look online at cic.gc.ca for
information about processing times for applications
from your spouse’s country of origin.
When you complete your application you will be
required to sign an undertaking to financially support your spouse for three years. This means you must
ensure your spouse has housing, clothing, food and
money to pay for necessary items. If you are unable
to support your spouse during this period of time,
and your spouse applies for Ontario Works or Ontario
Disability Support Program benefits, the government
may take steps to have you pay them back.
In the past, when a spouse arrived in Canada he or she
automatically became a permanent resident. In 2012, the
government introduced conditional permanent resident
status. If your spouse has been in a relationship with
you for two years or fewer, and you have no children
together at the time of submitting the application, your
spouse will be given conditional permanent resident
status. This means that you and your spouse must live
together for two years from the date of your spouse
becoming a permanent resident. If you do not live
together as spouses, your spouse’s status in Canada
can be revoked. There are exceptions to this rule in
cases where the sponsor dies, or if a sponsored spouse
is being abused or neglected. Please get legal advice if
you need help due to domestic violence.
I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us at
416-653-5400 ext 1244 for more information or advice.
The influenza vaccine is the best way to protect
yourself and others from getting this flu.
By Barbara Lupu
I
nfluenza (the flu) is a respiratory infection caused by the
Influenza A and B Viruses.
Influenza is easily
spread by direct
contact or air borne
droplets during
breathing, talking,
sneezing, or coughing. Most people
will recover within a
week to 10 days. Each
year in Canada approximately
12,200 people are hospitalized and
3,500 die due to influenza and its
complications.
Getting a flu shot is the best way
to protect yourself and others from
getting influenza.
Each year the vaccine is updated to
include the current type (strains) of
influenza virus. That is why you
need a flu vaccine each year.
For healthy adults and children
flu shots are about 60% effective
in preventing you from getting the
flu. In the elderly, the vaccine is less
effective but will still decrease the
symptoms of the flu.
Children from six months to nine
years old who get the flu shot for
the first time need two doses
given four weeks apart.
The flu vaccine is safe,
and well tolerated. You
may have soreness at
the injection site that
can last up to two days.
Children may get a
fever after vaccination.
Severe side effects and allergic reactions are rare. Detailed information
is available from your health-care
provider. You cannot get influenza
from the vaccine as it contains no
live virus.
Other ways to prevent influenza is
regular hand washing, and covering
your mouth when you cough and
sneeze. It is best to stay home and
rest when you are not well.
New Members
Wanted!
You are invited to become
a member of Unison
Health and Community
Services. Here are some of
the benefits and privileges
of membership:
• Members have the right to vote
at our annual general meeting.
• Members receive regular
updates about our programs
and services.
• Membership is a great way
to help strengthen your
community.
• I t’s a great way to connect with
others in your community.
• Bonus: New members receive a
free Unison t-shirt!
Sign up or renew your
membership today! Get a
membership form from the
front desk at any Unison site,
download it from our website at
unisonhcs.org or call Ana Garcia
at 416-787-1676 ext 257.
ick-Tock, our resident-led
group, is a safe place for the
women of our neighborhood
to come together to share experiences and activities. Our members are
women from different countries and
cultures with a wonderful spirit for
life. Through their generosity, Unison’s
Bathurst-Finch Hub affords
us an opportunity to
explore the different dimensions
affecting our
lives as women,
both within the
neighborhood,
and within the
City of Toronto.
At the same time,
we are interested in
examining our roots and
the traditions which have helped to
make us into the people we are.
T
Representatives have kindly accepted
to come and inform us on various topics
and we are always open to new presenters. A few examples of people who have
shared with us are: Constable Howard
Clements of 32 Division, who taught us
about protection against different types
of fraud; Professor Emeritus Russell
Brown, retired from the University of
Toronto, who revealed insights into the
visionary aspect of Canadian literature;
Dedicated to responding to community needs.
By Amy Cheng
eing situated within the
northwest area of the GTA,
Unison recognizes that our
neighborhoods experience very
similar health equity challenges as
those of the downtown core. We recognize that what we face today will
continue to be an increasing threat
to our community health: cancer
and diabetes, unemployment and
food insecurity, HIV infection, substance use and addictions, mental
illness, and violence.
B
At Unison, we are committed to
work towards achieving our vision
— Healthy Communities. In the fall
of 2015, the Urban Health Team
was formed as one strategy to better
respond to community needs in a
more collaborative, coordinated
way. The team is made up a number
of smaller sub-teams: health promotion, diabetes prevention, harm
reduction, prenatal health, mental
health and community safety.
Although each of these teams has its
distinct strategies and approaches to
respond to its sub-population health
issues, collectively we form a strong
outreach network. Through our collaborative efforts in reaching out to
the communities and engaging with
community members and partner
agencies, and with support from
other teams at Unison, we can better
leverage resources and respond
to neighborhood issues in a more
timely fashion.
We also see ourselves as a team
working primarily in the communities. We go to where people are
gathering and residing. The team’s
mission is to increase access and
to facilitate referral for those who
would otherwise have difficulties
navigating the health-care system
and challenges accessing health
services and programs.
For further information about the
Urban Health Team, please contact
Amy Cheng, Urban Health Programs
Manager, at 416-787-1661 ext 252 or
[email protected].
Reference: Toronto Public Health 2014.
A multi-dimensional women’s group in Bathurst-Finch.
By Lidja Dhimitri and Debbie Hackett
Introducing the Urban Health Team
The free vaccine is available starting
in October. Please check with your
heath-care provider about getting
the flu shot.
The Tick-Tock Group
General information about the sponsorship application and process.
By Joanna Mullen
Flu Season is Coming:
Will You Get Your Flu Shot?
and Lidja Dhimitri, a member of our
group and former linguistics professor in Albania, who presented how
important it is to share our histories in
our relationships with our children and
grandchildren. In this way, they may
give value to all the good aspects of
what they inherit from us and thereby
carry their culture forward with them.
Next, Samer Kolta from Northview
Pharmacy will be coming
in to discuss health
care as it relates to
diabetes.
Usually we begin
our meetings with
gentle exercise to
center ourselves.
In addition to the
other activities, we
dance, do art, knit
and enjoy our time talking together. We have a wonderful
snack at the end of each meeting.
One of our members, of whom we are
very proud, began working within the
political and social agencies upon her
arrival in this neighbourhood many
years ago, to lobby for a place like the
Bathurst-Finch Hub to be created. We
are so glad that she and others did,
and so grateful to the Hub for making
it possible for us to meet and grow into
the people we want to be!
Thriving on Interdisciplinary Work
Coordination between many Unison teams is a big
help to clients – here is just one success story.
By Jakir Chowdhury
s. Cohen came to Unison’s Housing Department at the KeeleRogers site early in August 2014, to request assistance transferring
from her current Toronto Community Housing Corporation
(TCHC) unit. She indicated she was having a hard time dealing with
building management and other tenants; she was stressed out and didn’t
want to live in the building anymore. After further inquiry the housing
team determined this was a complex case and required additional support.
M
The client was referred to a Case Coordinator, Liliana Pieres, who assigned
her to a Social Worker, Laura Notton, for regular therapy sessions to deal
with her day-to-day stress and anxiety. Ms. Cohen was also given priority
access to Primary Care Services because of her previous medical history
and medication mismanagement.
During this time, Ms. Cohen received several eviction notices, which led to
her trying to commit suicide. Several case conferences were scheduled to
coordinate her housing and medical needs. Unison’s Legal Team swiftly
intervened and represented the client at the Landlord and Tenant Board.
In July 2015, a mediation agreement was reached where the landlord
promised to continue its effort in actively looking to find another TCHC
unit suitable for Ms. Cohen’s needs.
Ms. Cohen would like to sincerely thank all Unison staff, particularly Jakir
Chowdhury, Rosalinda Paredes, Dr. Jayla Chen and Laura Notton. She
says she believes these individuals played a vital role in “saving my life.”
Ms. Cohen regularly participates in the Streets to Home Community
Kitchen Program and is truly gratefully for the programs, services, support
and guidance she continues to receive from Unison.
Make Green Your Favourite Colour!
Start Your “Bran” New Day
Get your greens with this easy recipe.
Try this delicious and fibre-rich recipe.
By Jennifer Schneider, RD, MPH
Beans and greens bruschetta
By Katie (Kit Ting) Lam, RD
he markets and grocery stores are
once again bursting with beautiful
dark leafy green vegetables such as
kale, spinach, arugula, bok choy, collard
greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens,
rapini, Swiss chard and turnip greens.
Makes 4 servings
he bran is the outermost layer of the grain. It contains a lot of “great stuff” including fibre, B vitamins,
minerals and a small amount of protein. On average,
adults need about 25–38 g of fibre a day and crushing bran
cereals to add to muffins, breads, waffles and pancakes can
help you add fibre to your diet. Each muffin in this recipe
contains about 5 g of fibre. Why not make the muffins in
advance and heat them up for breakfast to kick-start your
day? They’re easy to take to work and pack for children’s
snacks. This recipe was featured in the From Theory to the
Kitchen cooking workshop that took place in January 2015.
Everyone loved them!
T
T
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ tsp
crushed red pepper flakes
2 canswhite kidney beans, drained
and rinsed
1 bunch kale (or other dark leafy green),
ribs removed, leaves torn into
bite-size pieces
½ cup
low-sodium vegetable or
chicken broth
1 Tbsp
fresh lemon juice
to taste salt and pepper
Canada’s Food Guide recommends that
you eat one dark green vegetable every
day. Greens are nutrient-dense with folate,
vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C and calcium. They are also high in fibre.
Greens are quick and easy to prepare. Try
adding them to sauces, salads, stir-fries,
soups, stews, eggs and sandwiches. To
make it easier to use your green leafy
Directions:
vegetables, rinse them in a colander, drain
(or use a salad spinner) and pat dry with 1. Heat a large skillet to medium-high
and heat oil in skillet. Add garlic and
a paper towel or clean tea towel as soon
red pepper flakes and cook, stirring,
as you bring them home. Store in clean
until
fragrant, about 30 seconds.
paper towels or a tea towel in a sealed
plastic bag in the fridge.
2. Add beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to blister, about
The following recipe is tasty, inexpensive
three minutes. Using a spoon, lightly
and nutritious and works with any type
mash about half of the beans. Add
of dark leafy green. The white kidney
kale and broth and cook, tossing often,
beans (also called cannellini beans) add
until kale is wilted and bright in colour,
cholesterol-lowering fibre plus protein,
about two minutes. Add lemon juice;
folate, potassium and iron. Overall,
season with salt and pepper.
this easy meal or snack is good
3. Serve beans and greens
for your heart, bones and eyes.
mixture over toast.
Enjoy!
Our Locations
Steeles Ave W
Dufferin St
Lawrence Heights
12 Flemington Road
Toronto, ON M6A 2N4
Phone: 416-787-1661
Finch Ave W
Keele-Rogers
Sheppard Ave W
Bathurst St
Keele St
1651 Keele Street
Toronto, ON M6M 3W2
Phone: 416-653-5400
400
Bathurst-Finch
Wilson Ave
Jane St
401
540 Finch Avenue West
Toronto, ON M2R 1N7
Phone: 647-436-0385
Jane-Trethewey
JT
PE
LH
Lawrence Ave W
Hum
ber
Allen Rd
Dufferin St
Eglinton Ave W
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KR
Dund
Caledonia Rd
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Dr
Pathways to Education
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Riv
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we
Keele St
Tre
d
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We
1541 Jane Street
Toronto, ON M9N 2R3
Phone: 416-645-7575
Rogers Rd
St Clair Ave W
as St
Runnymede Rd
Lawrence Square
700 Lawrence Avenue West,
Suite 440B
Toronto, ON M6A 3B4
Phone: 416-787-6800
BF
W
Annette St
Bloor St W
Unison VOICE is a publication of Unison Health and Community Services, 12 Flemington Road, Toronto, ON M6A 2N4, 416-787-1661
© 2015 by Unison Health and Community Services.
Editor: Ana Garcia, [email protected] Layout: Pass It On Communications Inc., www.passiton.ca
Unison VOICE
FALL 2015/WINTER 2016
Health & Community Services
.......................................
Engage. Empower. Enhance.
Carrot bran muffins
Makes 12 servings. Preparation time: 40 minutes.
Ingredients:
2
eggs
1 cup
carrots, grated
1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cup high-fibre bran cereal
⅓ cupbrown sugar or brown Splenda
¾ cup buttermilk
¼ cup
vegetable oil
½ cup
raisins or dried cranberries
1 tsp
baking powder
1 tsp
baking soda
1 tsp
ground cinnamon
½ tsp
ground nutmeg
½ tsp
salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Place cereal in a resalable sandwich bag and slightly
crush it up.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, crushed cereal, baking
powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, beat eggs thoroughly. Blend in carrots,
buttermilk, brown sugar and vegetable oil. Add to dry
ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Stir in raisins.
5. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin cups,
filling about three-quarters full. Bake in preheated oven
for about 20 mins.
6. Insert a toothpick into the centre of the muffin and muffin
is ready when the toothpick comes out clean.
Adapted from: Rose, R. (2001). Dietitians of Canada Cook Great Food
(p. 25). Toronto: Robert Rose.
On the Road and Going Strong!
A successful initiative between community partners brings mobile health
clinics to our neighbourhoods.
By Ayesha Adhami and Anna Cioffi
he Immigrant Women’s Health Centre (IWHC)
is an independent sexual health clinic funded
by the City of Toronto through Toronto Public
Health. For 40 years, IWHC has been providing confidential, culturally sensitive and language-accessible
sexual health clinical services, counselling and support
services to women across the City of Toronto. We
serve our clients in multiples languages and cultural
communities with all female Centre staff and medical
service providers. IWHC encourages and empowers
clients to be well-informed about their sexual healthcare needs and choices, and supports them by providing
a variety of clinical services, counselling, information,
education and outreach.
IWHC’s services include:
STI testing and treatment
• family planning such as pregnancy tests, birth control counselling, contraceptive prescriptions and
sales, and IUD-related services
• birth control and IUDs sold at lower cost
• Pap testing, hepatitis B testing and vaccinations
•
Mobile Health Clinic (MHC)
Unison Health and Community Services will be closed:
In the 1980s, IWHC partnered with Toronto Public
Health on a pilot project to bring sexual health services
to women where they work – at the time, it was primarily garment factory workers in the clothing factories
around Spadina Avenue.
Stay in touch with Unison!
• Check our website at www.unisonhcs.org.
• Get on our mailing list. Email Ana Garcia,
Executive Assistant, at [email protected].
• Follow us on Twitter @UnisonHCS
• Become our fan on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/UnisonHCS.
• Call us or drop by one of our locations.
Engage.
Empower. Enhance.
........................................
www.unisonhcs.org
Mobile Health Clinic (MHC) services include:
Are You Looking to
Sponsor Your Spouse?
New Members
Wanted!
ABOVE: The Mobile Health
Clinic.
LEFT: From left to right: Ana
Sanchez, Community Health
Promoter; Anna Cioffi,
Mobile Clinic Coordinator;
Dr. Erin Johnston, MHC
doctor; Cam Tran, Chinese
Counsellor and member of
IWHC’s Management Team.
Three key reasons why this partnership is successful:
1. Mobility: Both programs are mobile! In order to
make the services accessible and available both program travel to where the community congregates.
2. Target populations: The MHC targets immigrant
women and provides services in different languages.
The DPP targets immigrant populations (men and
women alike), particularly those from the East
African, Caribbean and Latin America.
3. Outreach strategies: Both agencies have a wealth
of contacts that they share to better serve their
communities.
The partnership between Unison’s DPP and IWHC
may be new and exciting, but the MHC has been serving clients in the Lawrence Heights area for over a
decade through partner organizations such as North
York Community House and Voces Latinas. IWHC has
always found a strong connection to this diverse and
Partnership: Unison and MHC
welcoming community and looks forward to an ongoing
In the past two years, MHC has develop a strong part- and dynamic partnership with Unison to provide even
nership with Unison’s Diabetes Prevention Program more services to clients in the Lawrence Heights area.
(DPP). You may be wondering: How do a diabetes
prevention program and a sexual health program come For more information, contact the Mobile Health
together to serve an immigrant community? Easy! Clinic Coordinator, Anna Cioffi, 416-323-9986 ext 27,
Together they provide accessible services to see a doctor or the Diabetes Prevention Program, 416-787-1676 ext
and a registered dietitian on the spot. In addition, the 235. Learn more about the MHC at immigranthealth.
DPP refers participants to family doctors, community info/?page_id=12. IWHC is located at 489 College
programs (such as diabetes education programs) and Street, Suite 200 (Bathurst and College) in downtown
Toronto. Services are free; IWHC serves OHIP and
other Unison services.
non-OHIP clients.
STI testing and treatment
• family planning such as pregnancy tests, birth control
counselling, contraceptive prescriptions
• Pap testing
•
The Diabetes Exercise
Education Program
Unison Snapshot:
Legal Clinic
T
DATES TO REMEMBER
Monday, October 12, 2015 Thanksgiving
Friday, December 25, 2015 Christmas Day
Friday, January 1, 2016 New Year’s Day
Monday, February 15, 2016 Family Day
Friday, March 25, 2016 Good Friday
ALSO IN THIS
ISSUE:
Flu Season is Coming:
Will You Get Your Flu
Shot?
Introducing the Urban
Health Team
The Tick-Tock Group
Thriving on
Interdisciplinary Work
Healthy Recipe:
Make Green Your
Favourite Colour!
Healthy Recipe:
Start Your “Bran” New
Day
Dates to Remember
Check our most recent
program calendar, or
www.unisonhcs.org for
information on all our
current programs and
services.