Our Casey House Countdown looks back at 12 accomplishments we’re proud to have achieved this year before we spring into 2025. Casey House was delighted to make a splash with our HIV stigma campaign, Stigmavir.
With these 12 little pills and an ‘HIV stigma-free’ toolkit, we provided a glimpse of what it’s like to be a person living with HIV experiencing stigma in medical settings. This PSA was truly a feat only achievable through community, including people with lived experience, the creatives, and of course, and the brilliant minds that brought this idea from paper to reality.
If you haven’t already, visit smashstigma.ca to learn more about Stigmavir.
11 items included in the smudge kits
There are eleven components in the smudge kits found across multiple client spaces at Casey House: matches, an eagle feather, an abalone shell, paper towels, liquid smudge, prairie sage, tobacco, cedar, sweet grass, and a copy of instructions with several scenarios on how to facilitate smudging, all enclosed in an attractive cloth drawstring bag.
Providing smudging kits is one step to creating a more culturally affirming setting for health care in partnership with our Indigenous advisory committee. In addition to the instructions with each kit, staff were trained in the personal and cultural significance of smudging and the importance of making it available to everyone in the space. And for any sceptics, we can happily report that there have been no fire alarms set off since launching this initiative.
10 decades of June Callwood
Our intrepid lead founder June Callwood would have celebrated her 100th birthday this past June. Casey House began as a dream shared between a group of big-hearted volunteers; a place where everyone would receive the warmth and care that they deserved, no matter what circumstances they lived with. This spirit of love emanated throughout Casey House back then, and still does today through our incredible team of staff, volunteers, peers, and community. We are honoured to carry June Callwood’s torch, and continue her mission to fight against social injustice.
9 outpatient programs on a Wednesday
We’re pleased to offer eight outpatient groups, in addition to our midday lunch, that make Wednesdays a bit brighter! This past fall season, we had tai chi, open art drop-in, ecotherapy, circuit exercise class, then after lunch there was falls prevention, meth and me support group, bingo, and gardening. Our outpatient group programs are full of variety, from physical activities, social support groups, self-care and relaxation groups, life skills workshops, and creative activities. Our dedicated team of interdisciplinary facilitators support growth and connection for our clients every step of the way. Stay tuned for our 2025 winter programs calendar, coming soon!
8 digital signs:
We’ve blasted into the 21st century with eight new digital signs located across the hospital. We make use of these revitalized displays to showcase programs, infection, prevention and control messaging, service disruptions, lovely images of the building as well as Casey House throwback photos. Waiting areas have never been so entertaining! We are always proud to share the amazing programs and services offered by our outpatient department, and encourage clients to get involved and drop in.
7 days left to get a tax receipt
Don’t miss out – your generosity can make a difference and provide you with a 2024 tax receipt.
This winter, many people living with HIV will go without necessities. At Casey House, we have set up a special Care and Comfort Fund to provide essentials like warm meals, groceries, winter clothes, toiletries, and assistive devices. We call these gifts Healing Hugs, because they bring true comfort to people in need. Make this year count. Give a Healing Hug today, before the year runs out…
6 spokes on the core values
In the sixth spot, are the six principles in Casey House’s strategic model that guide our approach as a health care provider for people who have been systemically excluded from receiving care. Embrace how we work together Nurture our people Optimize resources
Continuously Refine our services Partner and collaborate with aligned organizations Demonstrate the value we bring to the world
Each of these aspects are crucial to propelling us forward towards our core purpose, to transform lives and health care through compassion and social justice. To do this, we build relationships that enable people living with and at risk of HIV to access and engage in stigma-free health care.
5 Casey House Award Winners
The Casey Awards annually celebrate individuals and organizations across Canada that demonstrate leadership in social justice and commitment to HIV/AIDS. The inaugural recipient, and inspiration, for the awards was June Callwood, one of the founders of Casey House.
In 2023, we honoured five recipients – Elder Wanda Whitebird, Blue Door Clinic. Positive Pregnancy Program (P3 Clinic), Gord Hamilton and TD Bank Group.
We admire and thank each of these recipients for their contribution to social justice for our community. To learn more about their impact, read about it through the link in our bio or on our website The Casey Awards.
4 Purposes of food in the Food Philosophy
For our fourth spot in the Casey House countdown, is the four principles of our food philosophy.
These tenets expand upon the thought that food—not just nutrition– is part of holistic health. That’s why we’re proud to offer a hot midday lunch as part of our outpatient care. . In outpatient, we offer seasonal cooking workshops, which sometimes use foods grown from our very own rooftop garden, and we are working to add more food-related programs. Our kitchen crew is an essential part of our team here at Casey House. They work around the clock to plan meals for hundreds of clients, including a full day’s menu for our inpatient clients. As an essential vessel for connection, you cannot understate the importance of food. We’re excited to present our new approaches to food for clients in the new year.
3 days a week for Blue Door Clinic
Blue Door Clinic is a program hosted at Casey House provides interim health care and social supports for uninsured/ precariously insured people living with HIV in the greater Toronto area. Care is provided collaboratively by community partners contributing their time and expertise in-kind. Our care team includes physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, case managers and peer support workers. Blue Door Clinic services can be accessed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
2 new doors
We’re walking 2024 right out the door… two doors actually! We debuted our newly renovated front reception area at our main entrance earlier this year. In addition to providing a more accessible and inviting space for passage, we also included a new land acknowledgement right at the entrance. This message was created in collaboration with our Indigenous advisory committee, and we later celebrated its reveal in a ceremony together with community. We hope that all community members feel welcomed when they set foot through our door(s)!
1 new event, David’s Disco
In March 2024, we kicked off our very first David’s Disco fundraising event, and what a night it was! With your incredible support, we raised over $335,000 to ensure that people living and at risk of HIV receive the care, dignity, and support they deserve.
This event was inspired by the life of David Shannon, a passionate activist, journalist who passed away at Casey House in 2018.He was a fierce advocate for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and used his powerful voice for change – speaking out against discrimination of those living with HIV.
January 1, 2025
The Casey House Countdown 2024
12 Stigmavir pills
Our Casey House Countdown looks back at 12 accomplishments we’re proud to have achieved this year before we spring into 2025. Casey House was delighted to make a splash with our HIV stigma campaign, Stigmavir.
With these 12 little pills and an ‘HIV stigma-free’ toolkit, we provided a glimpse of what it’s like to be a person living with HIV experiencing stigma in medical settings. This PSA was truly a feat only achievable through community, including people with lived experience, the creatives, and of course, and the brilliant minds that brought this idea from paper to reality.
If you haven’t already, visit smashstigma.ca to learn more about Stigmavir.
11 items included in the smudge kits
There are eleven components in the smudge kits found across multiple client spaces at Casey House: matches, an eagle feather, an abalone shell, paper towels, liquid smudge, prairie sage, tobacco, cedar, sweet grass, and a copy of instructions with several scenarios on how to facilitate smudging, all enclosed in an attractive cloth drawstring bag.
Providing smudging kits is one step to creating a more culturally affirming setting for health care in partnership with our Indigenous advisory committee. In addition to the instructions with each kit, staff were trained in the personal and cultural significance of smudging and the importance of making it available to everyone in the space. And for any sceptics, we can happily report that there have been no fire alarms set off since launching this initiative.
10 decades of June Callwood
Our intrepid lead founder June Callwood would have celebrated her 100th birthday this past June. Casey House began as a dream shared between a group of big-hearted volunteers; a place where everyone would receive the warmth and care that they deserved, no matter what circumstances they lived with. This spirit of love emanated throughout Casey House back then, and still does today through our incredible team of staff, volunteers, peers, and community. We are honoured to carry June Callwood’s torch, and continue her mission to fight against social injustice.
9 outpatient programs on a Wednesday
We’re pleased to offer eight outpatient groups, in addition to our midday lunch, that make Wednesdays a bit brighter! This past fall season, we had tai chi, open art drop-in, ecotherapy, circuit exercise class, then after lunch there was falls prevention, meth and me support group, bingo, and gardening. Our outpatient group programs are full of variety, from physical activities, social support groups, self-care and relaxation groups, life skills workshops, and creative activities. Our dedicated team of interdisciplinary facilitators support growth and connection for our clients every step of the way. Stay tuned for our 2025 winter programs calendar, coming soon!
8 digital signs:
We’ve blasted into the 21st century with eight new digital signs located across the hospital. We make use of these revitalized displays to showcase programs, infection, prevention and control messaging, service disruptions, lovely images of the building as well as Casey House throwback photos. Waiting areas have never been so entertaining! We are always proud to share the amazing programs and services offered by our outpatient department, and encourage clients to get involved and drop in.
7 days left to get a tax receipt
Don’t miss out – your generosity can make a difference and provide you with a 2024 tax receipt.
This winter, many people living with HIV will go without necessities. At Casey House, we have set up a special Care and Comfort Fund to provide essentials like warm meals, groceries, winter clothes, toiletries, and assistive devices. We call these gifts Healing Hugs, because they bring true comfort to people in need. Make this year count. Give a Healing Hug today, before the year runs out…
6 spokes on the core values
In the sixth spot, are the six principles in Casey House’s strategic model that guide our approach as a health care provider for people who have been systemically excluded from receiving care.
Embrace how we work together
Nurture our people
Optimize resources
Continuously Refine our services
Partner and collaborate with aligned organizations
Demonstrate the value we bring to the world
Each of these aspects are crucial to propelling us forward towards our core purpose, to transform lives and health care through compassion and social justice. To do this, we build relationships that enable people living with and at risk of HIV to access and engage in stigma-free health care.
5 Casey House Award Winners
The Casey Awards annually celebrate individuals and organizations across Canada that demonstrate leadership in social justice and commitment to HIV/AIDS. The inaugural recipient, and inspiration, for the awards was June Callwood, one of the founders of Casey House.
In 2023, we honoured five recipients – Elder Wanda Whitebird, Blue Door Clinic. Positive Pregnancy Program (P3 Clinic), Gord Hamilton and TD Bank Group.
We admire and thank each of these recipients for their contribution to social justice for our community. To learn more about their impact, read about it through the link in our bio or on our website The Casey Awards.
4 Purposes of food in the Food Philosophy
For our fourth spot in the Casey House countdown, is the four principles of our food philosophy.
Food is sustenance.
Food creates connections.
Food builds trust.
Food facilitates engagement.
These tenets expand upon the thought that food—not just nutrition– is part of holistic health. That’s why we’re proud to offer a hot midday lunch as part of our outpatient care. . In outpatient, we offer seasonal cooking workshops, which sometimes use foods grown from our very own rooftop garden, and we are working to add more food-related programs. Our kitchen crew is an essential part of our team here at Casey House. They work around the clock to plan meals for hundreds of clients, including a full day’s menu for our inpatient clients. As an essential vessel for connection, you cannot understate the importance of food. We’re excited to present our new approaches to food for clients in the new year.
3 days a week for Blue Door Clinic
Blue Door Clinic is a program hosted at Casey House provides interim health care and social supports for uninsured/ precariously insured people living with HIV in the greater Toronto area. Care is provided collaboratively by community partners contributing their time and expertise in-kind. Our care team includes physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, case managers and peer support workers. Blue Door Clinic services can be accessed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
2 new doors
We’re walking 2024 right out the door… two doors actually! We debuted our newly renovated front reception area at our main entrance earlier this year. In addition to providing a more accessible and inviting space for passage, we also included a new land acknowledgement right at the entrance. This message was created in collaboration with our Indigenous advisory committee, and we later celebrated its reveal in a ceremony together with community. We hope that all community members feel welcomed when they set foot through our door(s)!
1 new event, David’s Disco
In March 2024, we kicked off our very first David’s Disco fundraising event, and what a night it was! With your incredible support, we raised over $335,000 to ensure that people living and at risk of HIV receive the care, dignity, and support they deserve.
This event was inspired by the life of David Shannon, a passionate activist, journalist who passed away at Casey House in 2018.He was a fierce advocate for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and used his powerful voice for change – speaking out against discrimination of those living with HIV.
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