Founded in 1998, Toronto Foundation for Student Success (TFSS) works closely with the Toronto District School Board to provide food and after-school programs for students so they can succeed in school. In Toronto’s inner-city neighbourhoods, as many as 68% of children go to school hungry every day and 95% of children and youth do not have access to after-school programs. TFSS runs many of its programs in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (as identified by the City of Toronto) to make sure it reaches youth who are most in need of support. Besides food and after-school activities, TFSS provides students with medical care as well as financial aid in emergency situations.

A Charity Intelligence 2020 Top 10 Canadian Youth Impact Charity

Most of Toronto Foundation for Student Success’s program spending goes to its Student Nutrition Programs. TFSS is under contract with the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to run breakfast programs in 817 schools across Toronto. The charity served 212,890 meals every day in F2019 – 40,023,320 meals in total. This is a 29% increase from 31,137,111 meals served in F2018.  With 817 active nutrition programs in both years, more children and youth are using the service.

Beyond 3:30 is Toronto Foundation for Student Success’ after-school program for at-risk youth living in inner-city Toronto communities. As of F2019, the program runs in 18 schools and has 1,200 enrolled students (same as F2018). Beyond 3:30 is for middle school students (aged 11 to 14 years) and runs from 3:30pm to 6:30pm each day. Students have access to homework help, cooking lessons, one-hour fitness training sessions, a financial literacy program, and a rotating schedule of arts programs. Community dinners, where students cook and serve meals to family and teachers, also provide youth the opportunity to showcase what they have learned from the program.

TFSS’s Gift of Sight and Sound program performs vision and hearing checks in schools found in high-needs communities to identify students who need glasses or hearing aids. In F2019, 14,844 kids were screened, 4,029 were referred to optometrists, and 1,836 received free glasses. The charity’s Model Schools Paediatric Healthcare Initiative provides health clinic services directly in schools that are located in high needs areas. These clinics provide medical care for kids who may not have a family doctor or health card, and/or are from families who recently moved to Canada and are unfamiliar with the Canadian healthcare system. As of F2019, there are four active clinics.

Toronto Foundation for Student Success is a medium-sized charity that received just under $4.0m in donations in F2019. Government funding of $19.8m is 82% of total revenues in F2019. TFSS is largely supported by municipal and youth ministry funding. Administrative costs are 3% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 5% of donations. For every dollar donated, 92 cents go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

TFSS holds $5.1m in funding reserves. This can cover annual program costs and grants at current levels for less than three months.

This report is an update that has been reviewed by Toronto Foundation for Student Success.

Updated on June 9, 2020 by Katie Khodawandi.