The St. Vincent and Grenadines Association of Toronto Incorporated, is a not-for-profit association formally established in 1968 in Toronto. The association is committed to providing assistance and support to groups and institutions in Ontario and wherever the association deems fit. It is committed to provide an anti bias forum for cultural, educational, social and recreational enrichment and to maintain a network of communication through information and referrals.
The prime objectives of the Association is to encourage a high level of volunteerism through recruitment, training and effective utilization of skills and to organize and promote events to enrich the lives of children, youths, adults and seniors in order to strengthen their relationship and transfer information and experience among them.
The early days:
The first meeting of the Association was convened Sunday, December 1, 1968 at 2 PM, at 12 Queen Street East, Toronto. The following officers were appointed: President- Dr. S. Allan Liverpool, Vice President- Mr. Fred Isaacs, Secretary- Ms. Shirley Sutherland, Treasurer- Ms. Edna Hunte, and PRO- Mr. Caley Bonadie.
Mr. M. A. Zuker, a lawyer, represented the Association in filing an application for Letters Patent at The Department of Finance & Commercial Affairs, in Toronto on November 23, 1970. The Letters Patent was granted by the Province of Ontario on February 26, 1971 under the name of “The St. Vincent Association of Toronto”.
Where SVGAT now and what are its aims?
Several months ago (2014), the executive committee of the St. Vincent and Grenadines Association of Toronto Incorporated (SVGAT) began work on two initiatives for the Association:
(1) Updated the Association’s documents for compliancy with the current legislation of the Ontario Business Corporation Act, 1990, under which the Association is incorporated
(2) Approved as a charitable organization December 11, 2014, and
(3) Applied for charitable number with Canada Revenue Agency.
Mission Statement
The Association recognizes that the demographics and therefore, the needs of the community have changed since the organization came into being in 1970. It is with this view that the Association seek to become a charitable organization to better serve the SVG community in the Greater Toronto Area.
The St. Vincent and Grenadines Association of Toronto Inc. (SVGAT) is a non-profit community-based Association. We are committed to providing assistance and support to groups and institutions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ontario, and wherever the Association deems fit. We are also committed to provide an anti-bias forum for Cultural, Educational, and Social and Recreational enrichment and to maintain a network of communication through information and referral.
Objectives
- To maintain a high level of volunteerism through recruitment, training and effective utilization of skills
- To provide a forum to promote leadership and advocacy for the enrichment of Culture and Education
- To provide an anti-bias environment for the discussion of matters of general interest to its members
- To plan, implement and participate in fundraising activities to meet urgent human needs.
- To promote social and recreational events to enrich the lives of Children, Youths, Adults and seniors
- To maintain a network of communication through information and referral.