EDOYR visits Holy Trinity CHS!

Ways to show support and raise awareness!

Marco, a grade 11 student at Holy Trinity CHS in Richmond Hill, poses with Janice, Executive Director of Eating Disorders of York Region (EDOYR).

Marco and his group chose EDOYR as their charity for the (YPI) Youth and Philanthropy Initiative project, in Grade 10.  Continuing to provide support, Marco proposed EDOYR as one of the non-profit agencies that would benefit from “Dress Down Day” at Holy Trinity. 

Thank you Marco and the students and staff at Holy Trinity for your community support!

Read the follow-up post here!

Thank you Abbas Jahangiri!

“When words no longer express, music starts,” wrote Abbas Jahangiri, former owner of the el Mocambo, 12 years ago.

Jahangiri purchased the elMo in 2001 and renovated both floors of Toronto’s oldest and most historic music venue to prepare for a wide range of musical acts. 

EDOYR’s ticket booth at Rock for Charity 2.0 at the el Mocambo in Toronto.

The elMo also became the number one booker for charity events and fund raisers, including EDOYR’s very own Rock for Charity and Rock for Charity 2.0, concerts where all proceeds benefited our organization. With both of these benefit concerts, EDOYR raised over $4,000.00.

Other organizations like War Child, Amnesty International, Free the Children and World Vision have held fund raisers at the Spadina Ave. and College St. location. 

Jahangiri is also the founder of Serving Charity, a non-profit, charitable organization that has opened orphanages, women’s shelters, Soup Kitchens, family homes schools and several other projects in eight countries around the world.

It was on July 25 that the former owner of the elMo e-mailed all his musical and charitable contacts to say he was closing this chapter of his life to start a new one: A life fully dedicated to Serving Charity.

Like its former owner, the elMo has also turned over a new leaf. The venue will remain open and all shows will continue, just this time under new ownership.

EDOYR thanks the el Mocambo and Abbas Jahangiri for their hospitality, willingness and support. With Rock for Charity and Rock for Charity 2.0, both held at the historic Toronto venue, we have been able to continue to provide support for people struggling with eating disorders as well as for their families and friends.

We wish Jahangiri all the best in his future endeavors. It was great working with you!

— Leviana Coccia

You’re invited to the Neighbourhood Network Volunteer Celebration

To the friends, supporters and volunteers of Eating Disorders of York Region:

Join us for volunteer appreciation at the 2012 Neighbourhood Network Volunteer Celebration Event at Fairy Lake Park in Newmarket.

When: Thursday, August 23
Time: 5:30 to 7:30pm
RSVP: Lisbeth at info@neighbourhoodnetwork.org or call 905-726-3737 by Friday, August 17

Neighbourhood Network is a non-profit community-based organization that brings together volunteers with local charities and organizations that assist Newmarket and Aurora residents in need.

Tom Taylor, former town councilor and Mayor of Newmarket, will emcee the event as we celebrate the amazing work of volunteers in the York Region  community.

There will be a free BBQ for Neighhbourhood Network partners and volunteers as well as live music by the ONYX Vocal Band!

Brooke Harrison, Neighbourhood Network’s student Ambassador as well as Canada’s “Top 20 Under 20” for 2012 will share her community experiences.

Thank you to all of EDOYR’s helpers and friends!

 

Natalia and Janice at the Neighbourhood Network Event!

Moksha Yoga Maple Karma Charity Classes – Date to be Rescheduled

EDOYR will be Moksha Yoga Maple‘s Karma Charity of Choice for an upcoming month!

Each Friday night during that specific month at 6:15pm for 75-minutes, a yoga class will take place. Anyone can attend with a minimum donation of five dollars, even if you are not a member of Moksha Yoga Maple.

We were originally scheduled for every Friday night in August, but this has been changed.

Please stay tuned to our Twitter and Facebook pages for more information.

Thank you Moksha Yoga Maple for the honour of being your karma charity sometime in the near future!

Richmond Hill Honda benefit car wash a huge success!

Michelle (placement student) and Leviana (Events and Communications Coordinator) go back out to Yonge St. Don’t worry, we didn’t let them leave without taking a photo (and dancing).

Thanks to everyone who made our car wash at Richmond Hill Honda a HUGE success!

Natalia (Admin Assistant) and Michelle (placement student) get ready for our very first customer!

Our very first customer gets their car washed!

Car wash tickets! We have some nonexpiry tickets left over for your convenience. Contact info@edoyr.com or phone 9058866632 if you’d like to purchase some! They’re going quickly.

Natalia (Admin Assistant), Michelle (placement student) and Leviana (Events and Communications Coordinator) workin’ at the car wash!

Our lovely hand-made sign!

Leviana (Events and Communications Coordinator) and Natalia (Admin Assistant) show their signature dance moves before going over to Yonge St. to encourage drivers to get their cars washed!

SNAP Richmond Hill came by our car wash and took a few photos for their publication. Thanks!

Some Honda + EDOYR staff!

EDOYR at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival on June 3

On Sunday June 3, EDOYR was at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival. See how things went through the array of photos, below.

Our booth at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival allowed people of all ages to make a friendship bracelet, learn more about eating disorders, donate and receive a gift with donation.

We were also giving away our famous “Wings of Hope” bracelets. See them there in pruple?

Steppin’ Out Theatrical Productions was also with us at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival. They were giving guests the chance to win two adult subscriptions for next year!

Steppin’ Out Theatrical Productions will also be putting on “Fiddler on the Roof.” Proceeds from the November 24 show will go directly to EDOYR. E-mail info@edoyr.com for more information!

It was a tad windy out…so we used our lovely quoted rock as a paper weight.

These handcrafted bracelets were created by one of our amazing volunteers to represent hope and inspiration. Support EDOYR and receive this beautiful gift with a donation of $10 or more – a great gift for any occasion and supports a worthy cause. E-mail info@edoyr.com!

These handcrafted key chains were created by one of our amazing volunteers to represent hope and inspiration. We even have handcrafted earrings! Support EDOYR and receive this beautiful gift with a donation of $10 or more – a great gift for any occasion and supports a worthy cause. E-mail info@edoyr.com!

Touch someone’s heart today with your support and receive this beautiful sterling silver and crystal double-heart butterfly pendant as our gift with a donation of $50 or more. E-mail info@edoyr.com to receive the gift with a donation of $50 or more.

Nice beads, huh? Guests were spelling out their names and friends’ names on their bracelets. We thought that would fit nicely with our Circle of Friends theme!

Leviana (Events and Communications Coordinator) is making her very own friendship bracelet. She used the letter “L” in the centre of her bracelet. The other beads she used were purple in support of EDOYR.

A huge thank you to our sponsors!

This guy was so funny! He was sponsored by Viva/YRT and put on a great show. Fire. Magic. Laughter. Everyone was lovin’ it!

EDOYR at the Richmond Hill Public Library’s Health Fair

Leviana (Events and Communications Coordinator) and Michelle (placement student) at our booth at the Richmond Hill Public Library’s Health Fair!

We got some great comments about this quote, so we thought we’d share it!

Allison Jorgens, Canadian author, stopped by our booth to give us a personally autographed copy of her book, “Read It With A Grain of Salt.” The message reads, “Dear EDOYR, Empower yourself to make healthful choices.” Thanks Allison!

This is the front cover of Allison Jorgen’s book, “Read It With A Grain of Salt.”

A ton of different vendors were at the Richmond Hill Public Library’s Health Fair.

The Richmond Hill Public Library’s Health Fair was from 10am until 1pm Friday.

EDOYR at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival

On Sunday, June 3, you’ll be able to find EDOYR at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival!

We’ll be offering information brochures and resources. We’ll also be hosting a “Make Your Own Friendship Bracelet” station, where people of all ages are welcome to make their own bracelet and become a part of our Circle of Friends.

Photo by: moiracrochetsplarn.  Please note, these friendship bracelets are simply an example of what you could make on June 3 at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival.

As you may have read in an earlier post on our Circle of Friends, the “Friend Raising” campaign was established to help raise awareness and funds so EDOYR can continue to provide support for people suffering from eating disorders or disordered eating as well as for their families and friends. 

Click here for an example of a “Friend Raising” event I planned in January. The second event in this series will take place on June 21.

When friends come together to embark on any given initiative, the encouragement and support they provide one another is inexplicable. We see this first hand at many of the fundraising events hosted not only by [EDOYR], but by the friends we have gained over the years. We are hoping to take this idea one step further! With the help of even just one friend, EDOYR is able to make great strides. If that one friend were to encourage their circle of friends, not only would this increase awareness around eating disorders but lessen the stigma as well. Everyone knows someone who in some way, shape or form, is affected by an Eating Disorder. We need to come together, to empower one another and add that human touch to relationships that is often left behind.

 Nisha Thomas, a former EDOYR placement student, wrote the above when initially describing “Friend Raising” for our blog.  

“Friend Raising” also teaches members of the community how to be a friend to someone suffering from a mental illness.

Thomas went on to explain that a Circle of Friends would include groups of friends coming together to arrange events within their local community to raise money. All proceeds would then, in turn, go towards EDOYR.

A Circle of Friends could also include ongoing online donations of any amount per month. Should one person make a donation each month and then encourage four of their friends to do so as well, this monthly contribution from your Circle of Friends will not only increase with the more people who donate, but so will eating disorder awareness.

Be sure to visit us at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival to make your own friendship bracelet and learn more about how you can become a part of our Circle of Friends.

Allow me to introduce myself…

Hi everyone!

My name is Alyson I am here simply to introduce myself as a placement student at Eating Disorders of York Region.

After some discussions with my supervisor and executive director, Janice Morgante, I have decided to use this space to share my thoughts with you and for you also to share yours with mine. As you know, the internet has become a limitless forum for exploring ideas, reactions, responses, and in essence, is a vast turf for self-expression. As a result, I want to use this space to do exactly that. Share.

What will I be talking about?

Well, that is very much dependent on the week. As I see it now, I think it would be great to discuss an important theme or idea that I feel has come up throughout the week. These themes can range from self-care, recovery, personal development, challenges, and healing. Life is changing everyday and we are constantly learning new things and finding ourselves bending and adapting to our surroundings.  Life is teaching us everyday and showing us more about ourselves in how we feel, react, and understand our world.  I want to use this blog as a way to understand these changes that we all encounter.

I want to highlight that I want to be very inclusive of readers and their struggles. No one experiences the same difficulties, nor do we trudge through the same challenges as one another. But one thing in which we can find unison is that at our basic human level, we simply do struggle.  Even thoug this blog will actively acknowledge these struggles, whether they be addiction, an eating disorder(s), depression, I  do hope that this space becomes a place of support, optimism, growth, and a hand to hold.

Although I won’t be able to hold your hand, physically, I want my words to be some support to you, as I have found a hand to hold through people’s words even though I never knew him or her.

I look forward to connecting with you or just simply offering another perspective.

A.

Thornhill Village Festival!

On a warm, sunny day on the 3rd Saturday of September, EDOYR took part in the Thornhill Village Festival! Thank you everyone who came out to support EDOYR! A special thank you to Bob from Steppin’ Out Productions for sharing their table with us, Tara for helping, and Nisha for being our photographer for the day!