Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ajax Pickering

The Big Brother Association of Ajax-Pickering held its first meeting on June 12, 1973. This meeting was convened by the Social Planning Council of Ajax-Pickering, and was an attempt to respond to needs identified by several community agencies, most notable being the Ontario County Public Health Unit.

A year earlier, the Public Health Unit, through its program of home visitation had identified a number of single parent female-led families, and was concerned about the social and emotional adjustments of the children.

Although some of the mothers worked, the majority subsisted on Family Benefits and General Welfare Assistance. The nurses indicated concern for all the children but were particularly cognizant of the special problems of the male children. Some exhibited delinquency and truancy and the nurses attributed much of this to the absence of a father in the home. Following consultation with the Social Planning Council, a survey of need was undertaken and 29 boys in 22 families were identified as possible candidates for a Big Brother program.

During the period of October 1972 and June 1973, the Social Planning Council explored possible sources of funding. Contacts were made with the Ministry of Community and Social Services, local Municipal Welfare Departments, the Kinsmen Club of Bay Ridges, the Rotary Club of Ajax and the Pickering United Appeal. By June 1973, funding of $1,000 was tentatively arranged through the United Appeal and steps were taken to formally establish an organization.

The June 12th meeting brought together a group of business and professional men to form the Big Brothers Association of Ajax and Pickering.

1. Establishment of a Constitution.
2. Conclude funding negotiations for $1,000 with the Pickering United Appeal.
3. Engage part-time staff.

During July 1973, contacts were made with Big Brothers of Canada and at the suggestion of their Director, discussions were initiated with Big Brothers of Oshawa in an attempt to establish a joint agency for the proposed Region of Durham. This exploratory discussion did not, however, achieve fruition as the Board of Directors of the Oshawa agency felt that it wanted to work toward consolidating the financial base of its own agency and indicated that such a move was premature.

By September 1973, a Board of Directors was formally appointed for Ajax-Pickering. The Directors were assured by the Pickering United Appeal that $1,000 would be allocated to the organization in October 1973. With this funding base, the Board appointed its first Executive Director and he took up his duties in October 1973. (He was an employee of the Big Brothers of Metropolitan Toronto, and was engaged by Big Brothers Association of Ajax-Pickering for one day per week.)

On November 15, 1973, the Big Brothers Association of Ajax-Pickering was formally incorporated and received Letters Patent establishing the organization as a corporate entity. Since that time, the organization continued to grow. By 1974, the United Fund agreed to budget $3,500 for the organization and in that year, the organization appointed a new Executive Director who guided the affairs of the organization, again on a one day a week basis until June 1975. At that time, the workload demanded an increase in staffing and the third Executive Director, on a part-time basis. Since 1975, the Agency has maintained the part time position of the level of staffing between 1978 and 1984. (In 1981/82, the agency suffered a set-back in terms of both casework and general administration. Between December 1981 and April 1982, the Association functioned with no Caseworker or Executive Director and the actual number of Big and Little Brother matches dwindled to 12. In April 1982, the fourth Executive Director/Caseworker was hired and the agency has since been re-building its service to the community.) In March 1984 a part-time caseworker was added to keep up with the growing caseload demands.

In November 1995 the fifth part time Executive Director along with the Caseworker continued the service and healthy development of children and youth in the community. The Association was still located in a house converted into business offices at 61 Commercial Avenue in Ajax. In August 1990 the sixth Executive Director continued the mandate and vision of the organization along with a new part time Caseworker. In August 1993 the agency moved to 2-226 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, the original Harwood plaza.

The Executive Director became full time in October 1996 and the In-School Mentoring program was also initiated. In the fall of 1998 the first part-time contract In-School Mentoring Co-ordinator was hired.

The Big Brothers Association relocated for the third time to 1735 Bayly Street, Unit 7C in Pickering in October 2001.

In July 2001 Big Brothers and Sisters of Canada and Big Sisters of Canada / Big Sisters of Ontario merged and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. All of the individual agencies across Canada were invited to affiliate with the same national organization and follow the same program standards. Big Brothers Association of Ajax-Pickering affiliated and became a member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. Given that the agency was the only affiliated member in the community the Board of Directors applied to amend the name to Big Brothers and Sisters of Ajax-Pickering. On July 23, 2002 the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services approved the supplementary letters patent. The corporate name was officially Big Brothers and Sisters of Ajax-Pickering. Canada Customs and Revenue Agency approved the charitable status and notified the agency in September 2002.

The Big Sister and Little Sister traditional one-to-one program became a core program offered to the community. Due to program demands the agency Caseworker became full time in October 2002.
Big Brothers and Sisters of Ajax-Pickering continue to be a United Way agency.

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		The Big Brother Association of Ajax-Pickering held its first meeting on June 12, 1973. This meeting was convened by the Social Planning Council of Ajax-Pickering, and was an attempt to respond to needs identified by several community agencies, most notable being the Ontario County Public Health Unit. A year earlier, the Public Health Unit, through its program of home visitation had identified a number of single parent female-led families, and was concerned about the social and emotional adjustments of the children. Although some of the mothers worked, the majority subsisted on Family Benefits and General Welfare Assistance. The nurses indicated concern for all the children but were particularly cognizant of the special problems of the male children. Some exhibited delinquency and truancy and the nurses attributed much of this to the absence of a father in the home. Following consultation with the Social Planning Council, a survey of need was undertaken and 29 boys in 22 families were identified as possible candidates for a Big Brother program. During the period of October 1972 and June 1973, the Social Planning Council explored possible sources of funding. Contacts were made with the Ministry of Community and Social Services, local Municipal Welfare Departments, the Kinsmen Club of Bay Ridges, the Rotary Club of Ajax and the Pickering United Appeal. By June 1973, funding of $1,000 was tentatively arranged through the United Appeal and steps were taken to formally establish an organization. The June 12th meeting brought together a group of business and professional men to form the Big Brothers Association of Ajax and Pickering. 1. Establishment of a Constitution. 2. Conclude funding negotiations for $1,000 with the Pickering United Appeal. 3. Engage part-time staff. During July 1973, contacts were made with Big Brothers of Canada and at the suggestion of their Director, discussions were initiated with Big Brothers of Oshawa in an attempt to establish a joint agency for the proposed Region of Durham. This exploratory discussion did not, however, achieve fruition as the Board of Directors of the Oshawa agency felt that it wanted to work toward consolidating the financial base of its own agency and indicated that such a move was premature. By September 1973, a Board of Directors was formally appointed for Ajax-Pickering. The Directors were assured by the Pickering United Appeal that $1,000 would be allocated to the organization in October 1973. With this funding base, the Board appointed its first Executive Director and he took up his duties in October 1973. (He was an employee of the Big Brothers of Metropolitan Toronto, and was engaged by Big Brothers Association of Ajax-Pickering for one day per week.) On November 15, 1973, the Big Brothers Association of Ajax-Pickering was formally incorporated and received Letters Patent establishing the organization as a corporate entity. Since that time, the organization continued to grow. By 1974, the United Fund agreed to budget $3,500 for the organization and in that year, the organization appointed a new Executive Director who guided the affairs of the organization, again on a one day a week basis until June 1975. At that time, the workload demanded an increase in staffing and the third Executive Director, on a part-time basis. Since 1975, the Agency has maintained the part time position of the level of staffing between 1978 and 1984. (In 1981/82, the agency suffered a set-back in terms of both casework and general administration. Between December 1981 and April 1982, the Association functioned with no Caseworker or Executive Director and the actual number of Big and Little Brother matches dwindled to 12. In April 1982, the fourth Executive Director/Caseworker was hired and the agency has since been re-building its service to the community.) In March 1984 a part-time caseworker was added to keep up with the growing caseload demands. In November 1995 the fifth part time Executive Director along with the Caseworker continued the service and healthy development of children and youth in the community. The Association was still located in a house converted into business offices at 61 Commercial Avenue in Ajax. In August 1990 the sixth Executive Director continued the mandate and vision of the organization along with a new part time Caseworker. In August 1993 the agency moved to 2-226 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, the original Harwood plaza. The Executive Director became full time in October 1996 and the In-School Mentoring program was also initiated. In the fall of 1998 the first part-time contract In-School Mentoring Co-ordinator was hired. The Big Brothers Association relocated for the third time to 1735 Bayly Street, Unit 7C in Pickering in October 2001. In July 2001 Big Brothers and Sisters of Canada and Big Sisters of Canada / Big Sisters of Ontario merged and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. All of the individual agencies across Canada were invited to affiliate with the same national organization and follow the same program standards. Big Brothers Association of Ajax-Pickering affiliated and became a member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. Given that the agency was the only affiliated member in the community the Board of Directors applied to amend the name to Big Brothers and Sisters of Ajax-Pickering. On July 23, 2002 the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services approved the supplementary letters patent. The corporate name was officially Big Brothers and Sisters of Ajax-Pickering. Canada Customs and Revenue Agency approved the charitable status and notified the agency in September 2002. The Big Sister and Little Sister traditional one-to-one program became a core program offered to the community. Due to program demands the agency Caseworker became full time in October 2002. Big Brothers and Sisters of Ajax-Pickering continue to be a United Way agency.