For most of the families we serve, the double whammy of poverty and HIV and AIDS makes it exceedingly difficult for them to adequately provide for their children. Our Family Support Program helps by offering practi­cal assistance options such as:

• Kids Lunch Pack Program focuses on helping families to provide healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks for their child on a monthly basis.
• Back to School Program provides new backpacks filled with school supplies for school aged children and youth on an annual basis. (Click here for a slideshow of some of our Back to School Program volunteers).
• Get Ready for Winter Program provides warm hats, mitts and outerwear for children.
• TTC Tokens are available to make it easier for our families to get to medical appointments, school and other services.
• Emergency Assistance helps families with some of the costs of telephone or utility bills, rent or help with clothing or other necessities for their children.
• Welcome Home Baby delivers a new diaper bag, filled with baby clothes, a toy, a blanket and bottles to new mothers while in the hospital or at home.
• Diapers are available for infants and toddlers up until the child’s third birthday on a monthly basis.
• Baby Formula Program drastically reduces the risk of HIV transmis­sion through breast milk by offering free formula for a year to new moth­ers who are HIV positive living anywhere in Ontario. The program is funded through the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.
• Clothing Bank offers new and used clothes as well as a limited number of childcare items such as cribs, strollers and car seats.
• Birthday Presents provides toys and games especially for children’s birthdays.
• Tutoring Program provides students in Grade 2 - Grade 12 with one hour of one-on-one or small group tutoring each week throughout the school year.

The Teresa Group holds various support groups for children and families which provide a continuum of care. These are:

• Pre-Natal Group focuses on pre-natal issues specific to HIV, AIDS and pregnancy. Specialists from other community agencies and hospitals work with The Teresa Group to present the information.
• New Mom’s Group provides a safe place for moms to connect with others who have a baby and who also live with HIV. The activities are designed to engage, teach and stimulate as new moms and their babies get to know one another in their first year together. Many topics are covered including nutrition, and age and stage of development, and there is always time for songs and stories. This group helps reduce the isolation many new mothers experience.
• Parents Group Parents with children between the ages of 1 and 6 have an opportunity to meet and learn parenting skills from each other.
• Leading the Way is a support group for children and youth living with or affected by HIV and AIDS. The groups are available to children/youth ages 5 – 18 and run for nine weeks each spring and fall. Children/youth have the chance to meet others in similar situations in a fun, safe and supportive environment.
  

  The Teresa Group gratefully acknowledges the financial support of The Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health at CHEO which allowed us to conduct an evaluation for the Leading the Way Program for children and youth affected by HIV and AIDS. To view the summary report please click here.

• Counselling individual or family counselling is available for children, youth and adults who feel they need to talk to someone.