2024-2025 ANNUAL REPORT
2024-2025 ANNUAL REPORT
See how our vision is
transforming communities.
About Us
Banyan is a not-for-profit organization that has provided quality services to the youth justice, children’s services, and seniors’ community support sectors since 1978. Banyan is committed to improving the mental, physical, and social well-being of at-risk populations in our service areas of Hamilton, Niagara, Brant, Norfolk, and Wellington.
For more information on Banyan’s services, please visit our website.
Our Vision
A transformational
partner in the
journey to build safe,
inclusive and barrier
free communities.
Our Mission
Providing client-centered, quality care to individuals and families with complex needs. Supporting people to build independence, resilience, life skills and connection to community through a multidisciplinary approach.
Message from our Leaders
Banyan Community Services has had an extraordinary year of growth, innovation, and impact, driven by our unwavering commitment for improving the lives of at-risk populations.
From expanding our youth justice programs and modernizing the Young Parent Program to launching groundbreaking initiatives like the Transitional Out-of-Home Program, we have stretched beyond our comfort zone to create safe, inclusive, and barrier-free communities.
Our Values
Respect & Dignity • Integrity & Ethical Conduct • Equity & Inclusion Advocacy & Social Justice • Accountability & Transparency
Our Visionary Mindset In Action
Banyan’s vision is to be “a transformational partner in the journey to build safe, inclusive and barrier free communities”. One of Banyan’s greatest strengths for achieving this is to challenge teams and individuals to be innovative and rethink approaches, to stretch beyond for the better good of those served. 2024-25 was no exception to this mindset.
Where Vision and Passion Meet
Community Connection at our Core
On June 24, 2021 Banyan’s Board of Directors approved the launch of our 5-year strategic plan. Nearing the 2025-26 finish line, Banyan brought new meaning to its tagline “The Vision to Inspire. The Passion to Care” through astounding, transformational, community connections in 2024-25.
Leading Collective Adaptability
The passion to care – Breaking down barriers to foster a sense of collective responsibility to address systemic problems creates relevant, inclusive and diverse perspectives. This passion is at the forefront of building and sustaining our partnerships and collaborations.
Legitimately Ground-Breaking
The vision to inspire – Banyan’s Engagement Day brought together 28 community partners and service providers to better understand the needs of the community and how to partner and strengthen ongoing work being done within the sector. During discussion local child welfare agencies identified the desperate need to provide a stable, responsive, and supportive home environment for Hamilton’s youth in crisis.
The passion to care – Taking this feedback to heart, Banyan embarked upon and successfully became the first licensed Staff Model Home program under the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services in the Province of Ontario. Banyan’s 2-bed Transitional Out of Home Program not only effectively utilizes space at The Manor located on Mohawk Road in Hamilton, but it provides the following evidence informed services as core elements of the program:
• Short- and long-term housing and support as required
• Comprehensive Case Management
• Collaboration with other service providers to ensure the youth receive integrated services
• Goal Planning
• Counselling services for youth
• Reintegration support
• Independent living training- Life skills training in a ‘home’ environment
• Increasing access to education
• Recreational programs
• Community activities
Stewardship Maximized
The passion to care – From the Board of Directors to the frontline workers, Banyan provided educational trainings across the organization to ensure understanding of and compliance with the BPSAA. By extension, Banyan publishes their BPSAA financial accountability online.
Beyond Imagination
The passion to care: Uniting people around the cause, Banyan set a course for attracting community funders to maintain current program growth while opening new opportunities and synergies. The success of our 2024-25 efforts went beyond our wildest imagination.
Staff-Led Quality Improvement Initiatives
Quality Improvement Success Stories
“Anything that we can do, let’s do better!” seems to be the collective mantra at Banyan when it comes to quality improvement. Continuous learning, innovation, and experimentation is encouraged through Banyan’s Quality & Performance efforts.
Supporting our Future Youth
Taylor Howell’s Journey
Taylor Howell completed Mohawk College’s Social Service Work final year placement at Banyan Community Services with the Self-Understanding and Regulating Emotions program (SURE).
Breaking the Ice
Reintegration received a referral from Probation Services for a fifteen-year-old female who showed a keen interest in playing hockey.
Call 289-246-9064 or email [email protected] to find out more about Banyan’s individualized ongoing support for pregnant and parenting youth and their children who live in the Hamilton area.
Quality Links Service Outcomes
Quality Meets Learning at Banyan!
Banyan’s Adult Protection Service Workers (APSW) main role is to help connect a client to community supports so the person can achieve their goals. When the APSW program started to support adults with developmental disability the team found common threads within their planning meetings.
Our People
Service Award of Excellence and Employee Engagement Dinner
The Employee Service Awards and Recognition dinner was hosted by Banyan Community Services on October 26, 2023 at Winona Vine Estate to recognize employees’ service contribution. There were 16 service awards and a service award of excellence presented.
Banyan by the Numbers
Corporate Profile
Our organization has a deep and rich history serving some of the most vulnerable populations in our communities.
Banyan has been providing programs and services since 1978. In that time, we have acquired a diverse range of knowledge and expertise to assist children and young people in need of support and advocacy throughout the Niagara, Hamilton, Simcoe, Haldimand and Brant regions. We are known for our quick response to emerging needs and innovative approach to service.
Meet our Board of Directors and team members:
Board of Directors
Angela Morgan (Chair)
Jill McKenzie (Vice Chair)
Mark Garcia (Treasurer)
David Borsellino
Donnaa Fredrick
Yvonne Kaczanowski
Miles Markovic
Katharine Short
Goran Zivkovic
Community Member
Julie Lajoie
Senior Management Team
Kim Ciavarella
Chief Executive Officer, Board Secretary
(Ex Officio)
Fran Doodeman,
Director, Community and Professional
Practice
Stephen Pringle
Director of Corporate Services
Cam Uhler
Director of Operations
Locations
Corporate Office
Arrell Youth Centre
George R. Force
Peninsula Youth Centre
The Manor
For more information on Banyan’s services, please visit our website.