Parkdale Project Read

For 40 years, volunteers have been at the heart of PPR, helping to nurture a community rooted in learning, connection, and care. Your time and dedication make a lasting difference. This National Volunteer Week, we’re so grateful for you!

Image description: Tutor pairs working together.

📙ABOUT US: HOW?📙

Thanks to people like you!

Generous donations and volunteer tutors are the foundation of our learning community. 

Tutors receive ten-hour training, regular support sessions, and the chance to work with a student for at least one year. 

Want to get involved but don’t have the time? Consider making a contribution to our Learners First Fund.

ID: Orange slides feature the text above. The text is framed by an illustration of two people working on math together. One person is wearing a hoodie; the other person is wearing a plaid shirt.

📗ABOUT US: WHEN? WHERE?📗

We are located at 180 Sudbury Street, Unit C7. We are on the left side of the building, just past the bike racks! 

Our weekly program schedule includes Computer Basics, Grammar, Creative Writing, Math, Creative Expressions, English Conversation, and more!

PPR also offers one-to-one tutoring. We currently have about 35 tutor-learner pairs!

ID: Green slides feature the text above. The second slide features a stylized map of PPR’s location at 180 Sudbury, just southeast of Queen and Dufferin. The third slide features a sneak peek at the weekly program schedule. Computer Basics is in person 2-4 PM on Mondays. Grammar Group is online 2-4 PM on Tuesdays. Creative Writing is in person 2-4 PM on Tuesdays. Math Group is in perwon 5-7 PM on Tuesdays. Creative Expressions is online 2-4 PM on Wednesdays. English Conversation is in person 2-3 PM on Thursdays. Thursday Club is online 2-4 PM on Thursdays.

📒 ABOUT US: WHO? WHAT? 📒

Parkdale Project Read (PPR) is a community literacy centre that offers free literacy services to adults in Parkdale.

PPR was first founded by Dr. Rita Cox out of the Parkdale branch of the Toronto Public Library, where she was head librarian.

Today, our community includes adult literacy learners, their children and grandchildren, volunteers, and a small staff team.

ID: Yellow slides feature the text above. The text is framed bu an illustration of two people reading. One person is standing, and one person is seated in a wheelchair.

🤖Tech Tuesdays 2.0! 🤳

This January and February, PPR partnered with Kababayan Multicultural Centre for the second time to offer weekly in-person tech workshops for seniors. For five Tuesdays, participants met from 10-12 to learn more about online safety, email, cloud storage, QR codes, Google forms, and AI.

⭐ Speak out ⭐Read Together ⭐Write Freely ⭐Rise Up! ⭐

Parkdale Project Read (PPR) is a community literacy centre that offers free literacy service to adults in the Parkdale area. Want to learn more about donating or getting involved? Check out the link in our bio for more.

Image descriptions: Smiling seniors at Kababayan Multicultural Centre work with staff and volunteers on their smart devices.

🕸️“Even if you are tiny and they are big, you can have some agency over your body.”🕸️

This afternoon, Storyteller and Educator Murphy Browne came to visit our Creative Writing Group. Through sharing the history of and embodying the characters of three Anansi stories, Murphy conjured the world-changing power of imagination and reminded us that, thanks to Anansi, “we all received a little bit of wisdom.”

Video descriptions: Dressed in all yellow, Murphy Browne sits facing a group of Parkdale Project read community members. She uses her hands to create her story. In the first video, she rolls her hands over one another to mime tumbling. In the second video, she wiggles her right hand like a snake. In the third video, she mixes with her hand in a circular motion, miming Anansi’s web.

⭐ Speak out ⭐Read Together ⭐Write Freely ⭐Rise Up! ⭐

Parkdale Project Read (PPR) is a community literacy centre that offers free literacy service to adults in the Parkdale area. Want to learn more about donating or getting involved? Check out the link in our bio for more.

Eating the best fish and chips 🤝 supporting PPR. We are very grateful to be the beneficiary of Pay It Forward programme this quarter! Hope to see you there 🍽️

Light Up Literacy This Holiday Season

This December, we’re inviting our community to help Light Up Literacy at Parkdale Project Read.

Just like a candle lights the way during the darkest days of winter, the gift of literacy brings confidence, connection, and possibility to adult learners in our community. Your support helps make reading and writing accessible, welcoming, and empowering for people in Parkdale.

Our holiday fundraising goal is $3,000, and every donation, big or small helps keep our free, community-based literacy programs shining bright.

Give the gift that lights the way:
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/parkdale-project-read-inc/p2p/LightUpLiteracy2025/

Thank you for supporting literacy, learning, and community care this holiday season.

We Did It! Thank You!

Thanks to our incredible community, we not only reached our Giving Tuesday goal — we exceeded it within a couple of hours of sending our follow-up email!

Your generosity supports community-led literacy programs at Parkdale Project Read, including the Learner Advisory Committee, reading and writing circles, and one-to-one learning support.

This success shows what’s possible when a community believes in the power of words and in each other. Thank you for making this campaign such a meaningful victory.

Thank You for the Incredible Support!
Words truly change worlds — and thanks to your generosity, we’ve already raised $1,025 of our $2,000 goal in just 24 hours! We are so grateful to everyone who has donated, shared, and supported Parkdale Project Read through our GivingTuesday campaign.

Your support helps power our community literacy programs, including our Learner Advisory Committee, where learners’ voices play a vital role in shaping our work. This is community-led change in action, and we couldn’t do it without you.

Our campaign is still open until December 9th, and we’re inviting our community to help us cross the finish line and reach our $2,000 goal. Every donation makes a real difference for youth and adults in Parkdale.
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/parkdale-project-read-inc/p2p/givingtuesday2025/

We’re excited to launch Parkdale Project Read’s Words Change Worlds Giving Tuesday campaign!
Every day, adult learners in our community work to improve their reading, writing, and digital skills — opening new doors in employment, education, and personal empowerment. Your support makes this possible.
This Giving Tuesday, help someone write their next chapter.
Donate today through CanadaHelps: https://www.canadahelps.org/.../p2p/givingtuesday2025/

Hello friends,

As we head into the holiday season, we’re reaching out with a heartfelt request. Parkdale Project Read will be hosting its annual Holiday Party on December 16th, celebrating the incredible adult learners who have worked so hard this year to build their literacy and essential skills. We’d love to honour their dedication by offering each learner a small gift, something thoughtful that shows our community is rooting for them.

We’re aiming to provide gifts for 30–35 learners, and we’d be so grateful for your support.
How you can help
We welcome donations of new, unwrapped gifts. Some ideas:
Cozy socks, winter accessories

- Notebooks, journals, pens, stationery

-Mugs or reusable water bottles

-Toiletries or self-care items

-Small treats (individually packaged)

-Gift cards (grocery, coffee shops, bookstores, etc.)

Calling all local businesses
We would also love to highlight and support businesses in our neighbourhood. If you’re a local business owner or know one, we warmly welcome donations such as:

-Gift cards

-Small products

-Services or experiences

-Treats or snacks for the event

We’re happy to acknowledge contributing businesses at the party and on our social channels (if desired).