2018/09/06 Tzu Chi North Toronto volunteers promoted vegetarian diets to officials of Richmond Hill
Meanwhile, Tzu Chi volunteers in Northern Toronto, Canada, also promoted vegetarian diets to officials of Richmond Hill. The mayor of Richmond Hill specially praised Tzu Chi for saving the earth, as well as, helping people in times of disasters.
北多倫多慈濟人，也向列治文山市府員工，分享素食，市長甚至稱讚慈濟救地球，還幫助災區民眾。
【Tzu Chi This Week】2017/02/25 Toronto winter aid distribution 多倫多街友發放
多倫多街友發放 Since 2005, theTzu Chi Toronto Branch in Canada has been collaborating with a local organization, Street Health, to host a winter aid distribution for the homeless at a church every year. Recently, they held the event again to care for more than 250 homeless people by distributing clothing and hot vegetarian meals.
自2005年開始，加拿大慈濟多倫多支會，與當地一個街友身心關懷組織合作，每年冬天會在一座教堂，為街友舉辦冬令發放，最近他們再次合作，關懷250多位街友，贈送防寒物資，遞上素食熱食給他們。
Help cleaning domestic violence shelter for Yellow Brick House
Every 3 months Tzu Chi volunteers prepare 50 care packages to local domestic violence shelterTzu Chi North Toronto Office volunteers visit Yellow Brick House -- a domestic violence shelter regularly to help sort and organize donated goods. Every 3 months Tzu Chi volunteers also prepare 50 care packages (large towels and small towels, toothbrushes, shower gels, shampoos, moisturizers and antiperspirants, and toothpastes etc.) to local domestic violence shelter to provide assistance to the survivors. This time 14 Tzu Chi volunteers also brought cleaning supplies and tools because they had received an emergency call from Yellow Brick House to help cleaning an domestic violence shelter's apartment at Aurora, this is due to sudden cancellation of cleaning company.
Most women at the shelter need at least 3-6 months to cope with their new lives after escaping with their children. Therefore every time a family moves out, a throughout clean again to welcome domestic violence survivors.
Ms Kathy Powers from Yellow Brick House thanks Tzu Chi volunnters for cleaning the transitional housing apartmentLoving Moments Overflow at Parents Day
Young children learn to massage parents’ back, thanking them for their unconditional love.
Teachers at the Tzu Chi Academy of Mississauga began planning for the annual Parents’ Day weeks ago, creating meaningful activities that represent Tzu Chi’s mission of cultural humanities and filial piety.
Children of all ages used their own ways to show their love for their parents. Many parents’ hearts melted with sweetness when the little ones put hand cream on their parents’ hands, massage their backs, or bowed to them with gratitude. One parent, Mr. Mu, was deeply touched when his two children put hand cream on his hands, saying that it’s something he has done for them year after year. Wendy Tan, teacher of the children’s bilingual class, asked her students a few questions about their parents. Her students were shocked to realize how little they knew about what their parents really like to do or eat.
Teenagers often have more conflicts with their parents. In order to enhance proper communication, Grade 6 teacher Cecilia Hsueh designed an activity called “I Describe, You Draw”, which put their communication skills and mutual understanding to the test. Graduating class teacher Sammi Huang played a short film showing how a family member’s unintentional reply can affect someone’s mood dramatically. A few of the mothers couldn’t hold their tears as they watched the movie, probably reflecting on similar moments in their lives. Other teachers used inspirational videos to encourage their students to maintain confidence and courage in the face of life’s obstacles.
The purpose of these activities is to strengthen the bonding and enhance communication between the two generations. As we watched the smiles of satisfaction on the faces of the students and parents as they left the school, we can come to a conclusion that the teachers have once again accomplished an important mission.
This game is to transport a fragile egg together, representing how parents always take care of their children with extreme dedication. 
Junior kindergarten teacher Tina Wang asked parents and children to use simple acts to represent “I Love You”.
A junior kindergarten student serves tea to show her gratitude to her mother. 
小朋友拿乳液擦拭父母的雙手，感恩這雙保護及溫暖他們的雙手。攝影者：洪友仁
譚珍珍老師帶領雙語班的學生與家長玩「真心話大冒險」的遊戲。攝影者：何信賢 
四年級吳麗珠老師教小朋友幸福要與家人一起分享。攝影者：王耀明
Parents peruse the displays showcasing their children’s learning achievements and exciting class photos from the school year.
Tzu Chi Illuminates Hearts of Survivors at Chantel's Place
2018/03/23 Tzu Chi West Toronto 
When Tzu Chi volunteers presented the donations in 2013, they showed our gratefulness for the opportunity to contribute by bowing at a 90-degree angle.Chantel's Place was opened in November 1998 in partnership with the Peel Regional Police as one of 35 centres in Ontario that specialize in caring for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Named after Chantel Paquette, a woman who was killed by her abusive boyfriend, the facility is a service within the Mississauga Hospital that provides 24-hour service and medical care for the survivors.
Tzu Chi’s donations to Chantel’s Place vary year to year depending on their needs. People who arrive at Chantel’s Place are often in need of clothing; to show our respect for the patients, Tzu Chi has always donated items that are new and fashionable. In 2011, Tzu Chi donated computers and photocopiers for their forensic services. In 2016, the clinic started using arts as a therapy for healing. Tzu Chi donated most of the required equipment, as well as supplies of arts and crafts, hoping to lend a helping hand to those who have experienced severe trauma by providing inner peace to their hearts at an early stage.
Nurse Jennifer Keeler, the co-ordinator of Chantel’s Place, has worked with Tzu Chi volunteers since their involvement, and is grateful for what Tzu Chi has provided. “Tzu Chi has donated a lot of supplies to us in the past seven years. Tzu Chi volunteers are loving, caring, generous, and compassionate. I can see so many similarities between us, which is why we are such well-matched partners. We both focus on providing medical assistance, but we also pay attention to the patients’ psychological and mental health, which is very similar to the disaster relief that [Tzu Chi does]. We both hope that the people who suffer from painful experiences know that we care for them and do our best to help them. The principles of our two organizations is the same.”
Nurse Keeler was presented with the Toronto Star Nightingale Award during the annual Nursing Week in 2016. The Star used “Nurse is a light in a victim’s darkest moment” to describe her immense compassion and devotion to her work over the decades.
In addition to essential clothing for the patients, this year’s donation includes arts and crafts supplies used for therapies and for the children's activity room. 
In 2014, Tzu Chi’s donations included Jing Si Aphorisms printed in 4 languages, hoping that the Jing Si sayings can bring inner peace to heal the victim’s souls.
Jennifer Keeler accepts Tzu Chi’s donation supplies on behalf of Chantel’s Place. 
Donations in 2013 included a multi-purpose printer, projectors and computers for children to use.
At the tea party hosted by Tzu Chi in 2013, Nurse Jennifer Keeler, the co-ordinator of Chantel’s Place, thanked Tzu Chi for their support and donations.
Sending Clean Drinking Water Across the Globe on World Water Day
2018/03/22 Tzu Chi West Toronto 
The hygiene packs include tooth brush, tooth paste and soap, necessities that can help the families stay healthy.March 22, 1993 was designated by the United Nations to be the first annual World Water Day, an internationally-recognized day that serves as a reminder to protect this vital resource, and an opportunity to promote responsible management of global water supply.
On this year's World Water Day, twelve volunteers from Tzu Chi West Toronto gave four hours of their time to help GlobalMedic bring clean water to Syrian refugees living in Turkey and the Yemeni population suffering from a recent cholera outbreak. Having collaborated with GlobalMedic for many years, Tzu Chi volunteers were already familiar with the assembly process and jumped in with no hesitation, working with the efficiency of a well-oiled machine. Being assembled that day were packages that included a family hygiene kit—4 adult toothbrushes, 2 children’s toothbrushes, 3 tubes of toothpaste, and 4 bars of soaps—and a water purification unit, which would give recipients the ability to filter dirty water into clean drinking water.
Theresa Liao, Director of Tzu Chi West Toronto Office, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to take action on World Water Day. “Today, billions of people around the world still live without proper access to safe fresh water, especially those in war-torn countries. Although we cannot physically go to Yemen or Syria to help these people, our volunteers are sending them our love and well-wishes through long distance support.”
Volunteers form production lines so packing can be done smoothly. 
Volunteers Shu Lee and Rongqing Guo only returned from Taiwan on the previous day. Despite being tired from jet lag, the compassionate couple step up to the tasks to help others who are in need.
Volunteers separate garbage from items that can be recycled, helping to protect the environment when packing things up. 
Volunteers from Tzu Chi and GlobalMedic form two production lines, one to pack personal hygiene products and the other to package the water purification units.Tzu Chi Students Convey Jing Si Sayings through the Power of Song
The adult bilingual class impressed with their performance of “Commit to Good Deeds and Use Positive Words”.The air was abuzz with excitement at the Tzu Chi Academy in Mississauga, as students and teachers geared up for competition day. They had spent weeks rehearsing and making props, and were eager to present the fruits of their labour to their peers. Junior Kindergarten teacher Marian Huang commended the school for providing students with this opportunity to perform on stage while also incorporating educational content. Both the Senior Kindergarten and Grade 3 classes chose to perform “Please, Thank You, and I’m Sorry”. The younger class’ performance was innocent and lively with cute body movements, while the third-graders put up a more energetic and ernest act. Next, the Junior Kindergarten class—youngest in the school—sang “So Adorable” while wearing paper hats they had made themselves, showing the entire school just how adorable they were.
The first-graders had chosen “Learn to Agree, Learn to Compromise, but Don't Learn to Fight” for the competition, but ended up learning much more than just the lyrics in the process. Their teacher, Grace Li, described an incident that took place during class: “Two boys had a disagreement during break. I gently asked them what they learned from the song. I said we ‘learn to agree and compromise’, and the two children unanimously responded with ‘don't learn to fight’. Then the two of them surprised the whole class by taking the initiative to say sorry to each other.”
Fifth grade teacher Janice Ting hopes the song “I Am Blessed” can teach her students to understand how fortunate they are, to cherish what they have, and to give back to those less fortunate. To complement their performance, the class created two posters illustrating their interpretations of what it means to be happy and blessed, as well as props based on the lyrics of the song including hands, feet, and cartoon eyes. Their efforts paid off; the combination of singing, choreography, and props earned them the most enthusiastic applause of the competition.
Although the singing contest has come to an end, its positive effects will prove to be long-lasting. The process of preparing for this event has fostered a strong comraderie among the students, and the teachers have successfully harmonized the learning of humanities and Chinese language through this entertaining and educational experience.
The Senior Kindergarten class earned the Audience Choice Award with their cheerful performance. 
Ms. Ting beams with pride as she holds the posters created by her class.
Principal Peggy Lin presents the Best Performance Award to the graduating class. 2018/07/03 Helping a Domestic Violence shelter in North Toronto
Tzu Chi volunteers help clean a domestic violence shelter to provide residents a better environment. Tzu Chi North Toronto Liaison Office in Canada visits a local domestic violence shelter regularly to help sort and organize donated goods. Every 3 months, Tzu Chi volunteers also prepare 50 care packages for the domestic violence survivors at the shelter. Recently, 14 volunteers have helped clean an apartment for residents moving out of the shelter.
Delicious Sticky Rice Dumplings Become Healthy Fundraising Tool
2018/06/30 Tzu Chi West Toronto
Volunteers prepare the leaves by washing them in hot water and trimming them to the proper size.Tzu Chi West Toronto volunteers began mobilizing in mid-May to prepare for the production of thousands of rice dumplings, which would be sold to fundraise for the development of the Tzu Chi Clinic of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Humber College, as well as the expansion of the Emergency Department at the Credit Valley Hospital. Back by popular demand, the dumplings were made under strict quality control every step of the way.
Amy Lu, a Tzu Chi member, has been buying our rice dumplings year after year to share with her customers and friends, and commented that her family loves the quality ingredients and delightful flavour. Volunteer Mei Wen Hoogendoorn said that the dumplings remind her not only of the tastes of her home country, but also of Tzu Chi’s dedication towards causes that safeguard the health of our community.
More than 80 volunteers worked tirelessly to fulfill all the orders (and reorders), producing over 3,100 rice dumplings in total. Despite their fatigue, the volunteers were thrilled that the strings they used to wrap the dumplings were also connecting the hearts of their members, families, and friends for the benefit of a healthier future.
Each rice dumpling contains ingredients of a standardized weight so that the size of each cooked dumpling will be identical. 
The cooking procedure is a key success factor.
Volunteers wrap their love and blessing into the rice dumplings. 
The aroma from the cooked rice dumpling is irresistible.
Nourishing the Community & Fundraising for Charity at Starr's on the Credit
2018/06/21 Tzu Chi West Toronto
Guests praise the taste and crispiness of the spring rolls, which were deep-fried on-site.A few times a year, Tzu Chi volunteers host some type of activity or charity sale to promote vegetarianism, in the hopes of encouraging people to not only eat healthy but, by doing so, reduce their carbon footprint and help to protect the environment. Mississauga City Councillor Ron Starr has proven to be a staunch supporter, attending many Tzu Chi activities and even bringing home our vegetarian food items to share with his family.
Ron and his late wife Elaine have always been passionate about supporting charities in any way they can. Since 2005, they have hosted their annual Starr’s on the Credit fundraising event in their own backyard, donating proceeds to charities in the Peel Region. Every year, the event receives strong support from government officials and the business community, and the numbers of participants has increased year after year. Even after Elaine’s passing, Ron has carried on the tradition, continuing to share their love outwards. Institutions that have benefited from this event over the years include Interim Place, Trillium Health Partners, and the Alzheimer's Society of Peel.
On June 21, 350 guests showed up for this gathering of kindness and love to support the ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development. ErinoakKids specializes in the rehabilitation of disabled children, helping those with physical disabilities, autism, communication disorders, visual impairment, and hearing impairment.
Mississauga City Councillor Ron Starr welcomes Tzu Chi volunteers to his fundraising event. 
Guests of different backgrounds enjoyed Tzu Chi’s vegetarian food.
This is the second consecutive year that Tzu Chi West Toronto has been invited to participate as a food vendor. This year, fried spring rolls and Taiwanese-style fried rice noodles were served. Guests of all backgrounds had high praise for our food, even alongside well-known restaurants in the community. Some of the guests said they remembered us from last year and specifically came to our booth to support us. Other guests told our volunteers: “I was told I HAVE to come to your booth because your vegetarian food is delicious AND healthy!”
This year’s Tzu Chi booth also featured our humanistic missions, displaying three posters about domestic and international disaster relief. Although guests were attracted by the aroma of the food, many were astonished to learn about Tzu Chi’s international presence. Volunteers told them about our missions and disaster relief activities around the world, and guests praised both the tastiness of our vegetarian food and our efforts to bring peace and joy to those in need. Volunteers also had the opportunity to mingle with ErinoakKids staff as well as volunteers from the Alzheimer's Society of Peel, giving them Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s Jing Si Aphorism as a kind gesture.
Although some say that it is difficult to ask the privileged to donate, when there is a will, there is a way. The event was attended by a group of kind-hearted people who are willing to share their blessings with others, raising $150,000 in just a few hours. Volunteers may have felt tired after the day’s work, but everyone was thrilled to have contributed to the success of the event.
Volunteers promote vegetarianism and introduce Tzu Chi’s missions to the public. 
Guests are astonished to learn about Tzu Chi’s disaster relief activities around the world.
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie supports Tzu Chi’s vegetarian booth. 
Tzu Chi’s vegetarian menu is highlighted alongside the dishes of famous local restaurants.