The 519 Church Street Community Centre is a 3-star charity. The charity has a C+ Results Reporting grade, which is below average. Its overhead spending is 56%, outside Ci’s reasonable range, and its reserve funds can cover 7 months of program costs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.  

Founded in 1976, The 519, formally known as the 519 Church Street Community Centre, is a City of Toronto agency committed to creating an inclusive and respectful space for 2SLGBTQ+ communities. According to the charity, 64% of police-reported hate crimes in 2021 were based on sexual orientation, and 85% of trans and 77% of trans respondents had experienced severe online harassment, including physical threats, stalking, sexual harassment, doxing, and swatting. In 2023, the charity reported 7,137 2SLGBTQ+ refugees asking for help, six times the number of requests from 2022. The charity does not provide a breakdown of program spending.  

The 519 runs many programs that promote education and inclusivity for members of 2LGBTQ+ communities. This includes Legal Initiatives, Food Security, Housing Support, Youth Programming, and Education and Training.  

The charity ran a variety of educational programs for its clients. In 2023, the charity reported that its New to Canada program served 15,293 newcomers and ran 80 settlement workshops to provide advice and resources for 2SLGBTQ+ refugees. According to the charity, the Education and Training program trained 6,580 participants in how to create inclusive and respectful environments for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals. During the same year, the charity reported that its Legal Initiatives ran 33 legal education workshops with 2,880 hours of support from volunteers.  The Sunday Drop-in program provides a welcoming space for 2SLGBTQ+ people experiencing poverty with a meal and resources. The charity reported 1,885 attendees in 48 workshops for the Sunday Drop-in program. 

The charity provides essential support services to its clients. In 2023, the charity reported that it provided 855 naloxone kits and 13,872 harm reduction items in its Break the Ice addiction recovery program. According to the charity, the Food Security program served 118,686 meals to 2,735 participants in 2023.  The charity operates a shelter specifically for 2SLGBTQ+ adults, which housed 57 new residents and helped move 26 residents into permanent housing.  

The 519 programming also included art, culture, and recreational activities for youths and families. In 2023, the charity reported 200 participants for its Sports Day.  Youth Action and Arts Spaces (YAAS) led 41 arts and movement-based activity workshops for 248 teenagers.  

The 519 Church Street Community Centre’s audited financial statements do not follow activity-based costing which does not align with best practices. For 2023, The 519 changed auditors. The 2023 financial statements do not report fundraising costs. Charity Intelligence takes the 2023 fundraising cost from the 519’s T3010 filing with the CRA Charities Directorate.  

The 519 received $5.1m in donations and $4.7m in government funding in 2023. The charity received $313k in fees for services and had an investment income of $102k in 2023. 

The charity spent $6.2m (61% of revenue, excluding investment income) on its programs. The charity spent $2.1m on administration, which is 21% of revenue. The charity spent $1.8m on fundraising, which is 35% of donations.  For every dollar donated, 44 cents are available to go to the cause. This is outside Charity Intelligence’s reasonable range of overhead, which is between 65 and 95 cents.  

The 519 recorded a net surplus of $107k in 2023. It has net funding reserves of $3.9m in 2023. The reserves can cover 62% or 7 months of its annual program costs. This is within Charity Intelligence’s reasonable range. As per Note 9, the 519’s OMERS employee retirement plan reported a net deficit of $7.6m in 2023. 

Profile updated by Leah Holmes on May 30, 2025. This charity report is an update that has been sent to the charity for review. Comments and corrections may be forthcoming.