Helping Newcomers
Make Canada Home

The Mennonite New Life Centre comes into being under the leadership of founding directors Adolfo and Betty Puricelli.

A Board of Directors is formed, with representation from supporting Mennonite churches.

 In partnership with the St Clair O Connor housing project, MNLCT opens a reception centre to offer temporary shelter to refugees arriving in Toronto.

 MNLCT launches our LINC Program, to support refugees and immigrants in learning the English fluency needed to be successful in Canada.

 MNLCT moves to 1774 Queen St E, a building shared with two Toronto Mennonite churches. Around this time, the Centre begins to respond to a new refugee movement from the former Yugoslavia.

 MNLCT extends settlement services in Mandarin to a growing Chinese immigrant community.

 MNLCT conducts a visioning process, identifying community engagement, employment and mental health as strategic priorities. Work begins on the development of the Newcomer Skills at Work Project, which combines employment mentoring and civic engagement strategies to support newcomers in contributing their skills to the labour market and their voice to the political process.

 MNLCT opens a new office at 2600 Birchmount Rd, bringing its language and settlement services to a growing number of immigrants in Scarborough.

 MNLCT celebrates its 25th anniversary by launching our first two internships for internationally trained psychologists, strengthening our mental health supports for refugees and immigrants struggling with different kinds of stress and trauma.

 MNLCT opens a new office at 2737 Keele St, deepening its relationship with the Latin American community.

 MNLCT launches the Bridge Training Program for Internationally Trained Psychologists and Allied Mental Health Professionals.

 MNLCT amended its bylaws to better reflect its identity as an inclusive organization, and adopted a community-based membership structure.

 MNLCT become the settlement partner to Aurora House to provide transitional and mental health supports to those in need.

 The Toronto New Life Wellness Place opened its doors in June.

 MNLCT opened a Finch office. The office is home to two bridging programs – Bridge to Registration and Employment in Mental Health (BREM) and Bridge to Employment in Media and Communications (BEMC) – as well as settlement and mental health counselling services. 

MNLCT held a number of community events

• the Integration Through Recreation Celebration,
  a Volunteer and Donor Appreciation Concert and Luncheon
• a Community Picnic in High Park
• the Giving with Love Fundraiser
• the Holiday Crafts and Food Marketplace

The COVID-19 global pandemic washed over our lives, our plans, and our dreams. We made the decision to pivot to full virtual services. 

We launched an #AskMNLCT weekly  webinar series. Participants could ask their most pressing questions.

 MNLCT served 4500 people this year. We launched two new bridging programs:

• Bridge to Employment in Services for Immigrant Populations (BESIP)
• Bridge for Immigrant Women Reskilling into IT Coding Professions (C-Women)

MNLCT will celebrate its 40th anniversary!