Annual General Meeting 2024

This past Sunday June 2, 2024, the Vietnamese Women’s Association of Toronto (VWAT) held its annual general meeting (AGM) at our office with the attendance of numerous members and friends.

The meeting commenced with the playing of the national anthems (Canadian and Vietnamese) and a moment of silence to honor fallen veterans, followed by the introduction of incumbent Board of Directors and the Meeting Chair and Co-Chairs. Among 123 voting members with current memberships with VWAT, 77 attended the meeting (including 7 proxies). The Chair concluded that the total number of attending members was sufficient to reach a quorum, and the meeting was therefore allowed to proceed. Both the AGM Agenda and last year’s AGM Meeting Minutes were accepted and were circulated by a majority vote.

Next, Ms. Binh Minh Hoang, Chair of the Board, delivered her opening speech to cordially welcome everyone to the AGM. Her speech also highlighted VWAT’s proudest achievements from last year. Over the past year, our settlement services have assisted 1,757 clients. The number of clients from other ethnic groups served by VWAT increased by 40% compared to the previous year, and VWAT has expanded its services to meet the increase in clientele.

“As we gaze ahead, our aim is to evolve and diversify our programs in alignment with the evolving needs of our communities. We seek to seamlessly integrate into Canada’s rich tapestry of diversity while cherishing our cultural heritage as Vietnamese peoples, steadfast in our commitment to uphold the values of freedom.” Ms. Binh Minh Hoang said.

The report on VWAT’s annual activities, presented next by Mr. Vinh Truong, VWAT’s Executive Director, also highlighted our outstanding achievements and continued growth and expansion. According to the report, VWAT refurbished its facilities, improved its website, and upgraded VWAT’s online management system. Clients can now easily schedule appointments online with staff through VWAT’s website at https://www.vwat.org/appointments/. This not only provided convenience but also significantly increased the number of new clients. Clients are encouraged to leave their constructive feedback on Google Reviews to enhance our quality-of-service delivery. VWAT consistently achieved high ratings, with an average score between 4.8 and 4.9 stars.

The organization currently has 10 staff members with many years of experience, including 6 full-time employees and 1 IT volunteer, all committed to serving the community. Our motto is “We are Large Enough to Deliver and Small Enough to Care”.

Mr. Vinh highlighted that VWAT’s credibility and service quality are increasingly substantiated through seven core values encapsulated by WECAIRE: Wholesome, Excellence, Care, Accountability, Inclusion, Respect, and Equity. He emphasized that the “I” in WECAIRE signifies inclusion and underscores the expansion of services to all, with a particular focus on GBA+ and Indigenous groups.

According to the report, the year 2024-2025 witnessed a substantial increase in funding allocated by IRCC to VWAT. The funding rose by 47%, from $360 K to $530k. Additionally, the overall contract value for the period of 2020-2025 increased by 39%, from $1,624 K to $2,263 K. Currently, VWAT is seeking a grant of $4,269,212 for the 2025-2030 phase, awaiting IRCC’s evaluation.

Overall, VWAT provides four main categories of programs and services: Newcomer, Employment-Related Support, Youth, and Seniors. In addition, VWAT organizes special events for the community such as The Trung Sisters Commemoration Ceremony, the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Lunar New Year, and the Canadian Multiculturalism Day.

In the past year, VWAT has provided 5,631 services for newcomers, an increase of 9%, and the number of clients has increased by 68% compared to the previous year. The association regularly organizes classes and workshops on various topics: citizenship test preparation, the English conversation group, basic digital literacy skills for newcomer women, and G1 driver’s license study support for newcomers, etc., to help newcomers easily integrate into their new lives.”

VWAT tax services saw a notable increase in demand, earning trust from recognized organizations such as The Stop Community Food Centre, the Office of the Commissioner of Housing Equity, and the Offices of Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Programs. To meet this growing demand, the number of volunteers for tax season tripled, and operational hours were extended throughout March and April, including all Saturdays in April 2024, to provide enhanced service for the community.

VWAT assisted over 241 newcomers in their search for employment in Canada. The agency’s comprehensive employment program addressed a range of employment needs, offering counseling, resume assessments, mentorship, licensure/certification preparation, and networking opportunities. VWAT organized 36 employment-focused workshops, providing a total of 288 services to equip newcomers for job opportunities. Moreover, Employment Counsellors conducted 1,787 one-on-one counseling sessions. Throughout this reporting period, VWAT served an increasingly diverse clientele, aligning with our mission to support newcomers from all cultural and social backgrounds, thereby fostering a sense of belonging for all those seeking assistance from the agency.

During the past year, VWAT conducted four cohorts comprising a total of 47 sessions for the “Job Training for Newcomers in the Food Service Industry Program,” engaging 84 participants. An impressive 90% of participants successfully passed the exam and obtained their Food Handlers’ Certificate, underscoring the program’s efficacy and educational quality. Additionally, personalized support was also extended to 227 individuals in resume building and interview preparation, facilitating their entry into the workforce within this sector. Impressively, 80% of these individuals secured employment in hospitals, nursing homes, and various business establishments, all of which are partners in VWAT’s employment initiatives.

VWAT is proud to offer one of the few youth programs catering to Vietnamese racialized minority and newcomer youth in the city. The agency has a team of 100+ youth volunteers who help organize and run activities, events, and cultural celebrations. These opportunities foster leadership, friendships, and encourage community engagement among our youth.

In partnership with Kids Up Front, VWAT distributed more than 292 tickets to diverse events such as sports, theater, festivals, museums, galleries, and movies, enabling newcomer families to explore the rich offerings of our city. In addition to these opportunities, along with our comprehensive programming and events, we delivered a total of 586 services to youth throughout the fiscal year.

In 2023, the summer day camp was expanded to span four weeks, offering extended opportunities for engagement and learning. Furthermore, VWAT coordinated three group excursions to prominent cultural institutions, specifically the Royal Ontario Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario, and the Ontario Science Centre, during March Break. Additionally, the organization hosted a festive Children’s holiday party to celebrate Christmas, providing a memorable experience for young participants.

Thanks to Canada Service Corps, VWAT launched the Leader Maker Microgrant program, empowering newcomer and visible minority youth with 4 x $5,000 to execute meaningful community projects. The four projects were selected for their impact and altogether engaged over 100 young participants. Due to its success, the program has been extended for three years to support 12 more youth leaders and their community-serving project.

The Seniors’ programs and services are among VWAT’s key strengths. Last year, VWAT provided assistance to 332 seniors who were interested in applying for government benefits. These included the Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement, Canada Pension Plan, and Toronto Subsidized Housing, among others.

In addition, VWAT organized many field trips, health workshops, and ESL as well as fitness classes for seniors, including Zumba and Low-Impact Cardio classes, ballroom dance classes and integral Tai Chi classes. Julie Dzerowicz, MP for Davenport, was invited to deliver an informative session on the Federal Canadian Dental Care Plan to seniors at VWAT office. Her presentation offered valuable insights into the plan’s benefits and provisions.

Next, Mr. Vinh Truong passed the floor to Ms. Kim Quy Tran, VWAT’s ex-Treasurer. Ms. Kim Quy Tran has been authorized by Mrs. Margaret Phan, the current Treasurer, who was not present, to report on details of VWAT’s Financial Statements for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The revenue mainly came from funding by all three levels of government: federal, provincial, and municipal, in addition to grants VWAT obtained from several community, charitable organizations. The Statement of Operations and Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the year ended October 31, 2023, showed that the total revenue and the expenses also rose accordingly, as VWAT ran newly funded programs and allocated resources to meet the projected outcomes of new programs and services. Based on the audit completed by Chan & Co. Professional Corporation, an independent Canadian auditing firm, it was confirmed that VWAT’s financial statement had been prepared and presented in accordance with all Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations. VWAT also filed its annual organization tax return on time.  The audited financial statement was thus approved as presented. 

The AGM Chair then announced that VWAT was seeking new board members for the year 2023-24. Ms. Khanh Lan Ho and Ms. Thi Be Nguyen were elected to the Board of Directors. Mr. Tang Trang Nguyen was elected to the Audit Committee. Mr. Vu Tuan Kiet Dang, Ms. Phuong Lan Nguyen and Mr. Tang Trang Nguyen were elected to the VWAT Bylaw Amendments Committee.

On this occasion, Ms. Binh Minh Hoang presented congratulatory letters from the Governor General, Mary Simon, on behalf of King Charles; the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau; the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford; and the Mayor of Toronto, Olivia Chow; congratulating Mr. Thien Thanh Tran, a VWAT advisor, on his 100th birthday.

The AGM was adjourned at 2:00 PM on that same day.