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History

September 1987
Community consultations at OISE form the basis of our philosophy for a community based, multidisciplinary and holistic health centre.
 
August 1988
Whole Centre for Women’s Health receives Letters of Incorporation.
 
December 1989
Whole Centre for Women’s Health approved for funding.
 
Early 1990
First five staff members were hired prioritizing Health Promotion. Three Health Promoters were hired – one African, one Caribbean, and one African-Canadian.
 
Early 1991
One day anti-racism session led by Amah Harris of Theatre in the Rough. We rename ourselves Women’s Health in Women’s Hands.
 
October 1991
WHIWH hosts Toronto appearance of African American women’s health pioneer Byllye Avery’s presentation – Women helping Women.
 
Community members staged a sit-in, occupying the centre, and held a press conference and negotiate with the Ontario Ministry of Health political staff to secure the future of WHIWH.
 
Early 1992
Mediation led by St. Stephen’s Centre to resolve conflict.
 
October 1992
WHIWH delivers the first Canadian Training Sessions on Female Genital Mutilation.
 
January 1993
Joan Grant Cummings was hired as Executive Director of WHIWH.
 
May 1993
WHIWH holds the first open Annual General Meeting and elects board that represents our priority communities.
 
November 1993
WHIWH hires doctors and nurses and begins to deliver Clinical services.
 
Spring 1994
WHIWH publishes the first Canadian booklets on Female Genital Mutilation for service providers.
 
Spring 1995
WHIWH moves to the beautiful new site at 2 Carlton Street.
 
September 1995
WHIWH lead Canadian NGO on women’s health issues for United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women.
 
June 1996
Joan Grant Cummings elected president of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women. Vuyiswa Keyi appointed as Acting Executive Director.
 
Summer 1996
We hire our first dietician and establish our Nutritional Health Promotion Program.
 
November 1997
Fely Villasin appointed Interim Executive Director.
 
Summer 1998
Eunadie Johnson hired as Executive Director.
 
Spring 1999
Begin delivering our Pre and Post Natal programs and support groups.
 
Fall 1999
Host our first World AIDS Day event and begin collaborating with Public Health, BlackCap, APPA and ACHES to develop outreach and to promote HIV/AIDS awareness for African and Caribbean women.
 
Winter 1999
Hire a consultant to conduct a needs assessment and develop the WHIWH HIV program.
 
Spring 2000
Participate in UN Beijing +5 Consultations and provide input into the outcome document especially to include wording around issues of racism as a determinant of health.
 
Summer 2000
We present WHIWH Model of Care for Black Women and Women of Color to the International Conference on Primary Health Care in Melbourne Australia.
 
Spring 2001
Achieve Building Healthy Organizations Accreditation with two “gold stars” for innovation.
 
Summer 2001
WHIWH presents a Brief on the New Immigration and Refugee Protection to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.
 
Fall 2001
Participate in World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa and deliver a statement to the General Assembly.
 
Fall 2001
Present our Model of Care for HIV/AIDS for Black Women to the UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS.
 
Spring 2002
Receive funding from National Health Research and Develop Program for a first research study on African and Caribbean Women and HIV/AIDS in Canada “Silent Voices of the AIDS Epidemic: African and Caribbean Women”.
 
2002
Deliver several research projects including Research Skills. Building/Enhancement and Racism as a Determinant of Health for Young Black Women.
2003
Open Chakula Bora, Emergency Food Cupboard.
 
2004
Participate in the second round of BHO again achieving accreditation.
 
Chiropodist added to WHIWH clinical team
 
Receive funding from the Ministry of Health for the research study “A Collaborative Process to Achieve Access to Primary Health Care for Black Women and Women of Colour.
 
2005
Deliver "Personal is Political" Research Forum to disseminate findings from our innovative collaborative study on the health promotion strategies of immigrant and refugee women.
 
2006
WHIWH takes the lead with ACCHO in developing and delivering the first ever:
  • African/Black Diaspora Stream at the 16th International AIDS Conference
  • HIV Prevention Guidelines and Manual: A Tool for Service Providers Serving African and Caribbean Communities Living in Canada
  • African and Caribbean HIV Research Summit
 
Notisha Massaquoi was hired as Executive Director.
 
2007
Receive our largest ever budget enhancement from the Ministry of Health.
 
Produce and Launch the first documentary on Black women and HIV/AIDS in Canada “The Woman I have Become”.
 
Receive funding to establish a Diabetes Education Program.
 
Designated as an HIV Anonymous Testing Site.
 
2008
Established a Chronic Disease Management Program.
Adopt Moto: Increase-Innovate-Ignite during Strategic Planning Session.
 
A psychiatrist was added to the WHIWH team through a shared care psychiatric model in partnership with Women's College Hospital and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
 
2009
Premier Dalton McGinty visits WHIWH and announces proposed legislation changes to healthcare professionals in Ontario.
 
Present statement on the barriers to accessing primary healthcare for racialized women in Canada at the UN special session on the Millennium Development Goals in Geneva.
 
WHIWH develops a new resource entitled " Your Health and HPV."
 
2010
WHIWH celebrates its 20th anniversary with the first facelift.
 
2011
Study finding from The Every Woman Matters Report released. The study looks at Racialized Women accessing Primary Healthcare in Ontario.
 
WHIWH was named Innovator of the year for our HIV Program by the Association of Ontario Health Centres.
 
WHIWH Celebrates its 20th anniversary with the first Women of Resilience Awards Gala. 20 community activists were selected and honoured on September 8th, 2011.
 
2012
WHIWH launches a new 3 year Strategic Plan with 3 dimensions as its focus; Client Centred Care, Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Service Delivery.
 
We launch our Diabetes Ambassador peer education program delivering over 100 diabetes education workshops in the community.
 
Executive Director Notisha Massaquoi is awarded the Amina Malko Award for women who have made a significant contribution in policy, advocacy and settlement services for newcomers.
 
Former WHIWH Health Promoter Hawa Mohammed was awarded the Nansen Refugee Award by the UN High Commission for Refugees for her exceptional work with Somali refugees and internally displaced persons.
 
2013
Launch of 3 Chronic illness initiatives Mental Health, Diabetes and HIV.
 
Minister of Health Deb Matthews visits WHIWH and launches the Positive Pregnancy Program created by pioneer Midwife Jay MacGillvray and obstetrician Mark Yudin.
 
WHIWH receives core funding to expand a new culturally adapted cognitive behavioural therapy counselling program.  WHIWH is the lead agency in partnership with Sherbourne Health Centre, Centre for Victims of Torture and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
 
2014
Physiotherapy services are added to WHIWH in partnership with Anishnawbe Health Toronto and Centre for Francophone de Toronto
 
WHIWH Research and Program Manager Wangari Tharao is added to the Ontario AIDS Network Honor Roll with the Community Partners award for her 22 years of work in the field of HIV/AIDS.
           
2015

WHIWH establishes a new volunteer program

2016

WHIWH celebrates the 25th anniversary of the "sit-in" to secure funding for the Centre!

The Provincial Minister of Health, Dr. Eric Hoskins launches the " Putting Patients First Strategy" at WHIWH

WHIWH hires its first Clinical Research Nurse

2017

The Provincial Minister of Health announces new provincial Investments in inter-professional care at WHIWH

The Provincial Minister of the Status of Women Indira Naidoo and Attorney General Yasir Naqvi announced the availability of Mifegymiso in Ontario at WHIWH

2018
Midwifery Services have finally arrived at WHIWH!
 
 
FGM programming is relaunched through new federal funding
 

WHIWH receives its first United Way Grant for the implementation of a poverty reduction model of Mental Health

WHIWH launches the Networking Program for Young Black Women's Mentorship

2019

Lori-Ann Green Walker was hired as the Executive Director of WHIWH

WHIWH hosts Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Honourable Maryam Monsef Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality

 

2020

WHIWH receives its first grant from Canadian Heritage to support Young ACB Women’s anti-Racism Insights to Action Program

WHIWH was honoured with the Racial Justice Award in Healthcare from the Urban Alliance on Race Relations

 

 
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