History of SAINTS
SAINTS began in
the late 1970's, when a group of parents and
teachers
at North Toronto Collegiate realized that there was a two-fold need in
the community around Yonge and Eglinton. They knew there were many
seniors
who were regular users of local stores and services, living in highrise
apartments close to the school. The parent-teacher group were also
concerned
for their young people, who needed meaningful jobs which would fit into
their busy lives and give them a real sense of helping in the
community.
SAINTS was born!
The original
title: "Student Assistance
in North Toronto for
Seniors"
was quickly shortened to this highly appropriate acronym, and a
generation
of "heavenly" helpers was launched.
In the years
since SAINTS was incorporated in
1983, several two
thousand
young people who live or go to school in North Toronto have had the
positive
experience of working with a group of their neighbours whom they may
not
otherwise have met.
The generations
in many modern families are
separated by distance
and
by the sad realities of divorce and estrangements. Seniors as well as
young
people often miss the casual contact which was the norm not too many
years
ago. As a result both groups have developed images of the other which
promote
negative stereotypes: teenagers are loud, uncaring and selfish, while
seniors
are frail and confused, and have nothing useful to contribute to
society.
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