Ralph Thornton Community Centre

Are you looking for a Fun & Meaningful Way to Spend Your Summer? ☀️

Make a difference and earn your volunteer hours with RTCC’s Chinese Newcomer Mentor Program! 🎉

👧👦 Be a mentor, make a friend! Support a newcomer child (ages 6–12) as they settle into life in Canada—help them practice English, explore Canadian culture, and feel at home!

📍 Where & When:
🏡 In-person at RTCC (765 Queen Street East) on Mondays & Tuesdays.
🕐 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

🙌 What You’ll Do:
🗣️ Chat, play, and guide kids in a fun learning environment
🌈 Help your mentee build confidence and English language skills
💜 Make a real impact in someone’s life

Requirements:
✅️ Be at least 15+ years old
👍️MUST commit to at least 1 day/week for the full 6-week program (July 6 – Aug 13, 2026)
🧍Attend orientation: Tuesday, June 30

We provide all the teaching tools — all you need is a love for working with kids and confidence in a mentoring role.

Apply now!
🔗 https://buff.ly/Y3sp1fl
🚨 Applications due by midnight on June 25, 2026 🚨

As summer begins, we proudly celebrate another successful season of RTCC’s Mentor Program, where dedicated volunteer mentors supported Chinese newcomer children (ages 6–12) in developing their English skills, confidence, and building meaningful connections.🎊

👏 A heartfelt thank you to our incredible volunteer mentors for the time, care, and dedication they so generously shared. We also commend our amazing mentees for their enthusiasm, openness, and commitment to learning. 📚️

A big round of applause to RTCC's amazing Settlement Services team for making this program possible and creating such a meaningful experience for all involved. 💜

To those returning, we look forward to seeing you again this summer or in the fall! And to our mentees who are graduating, we are so proud of all that you’ve accomplished and wish you continued success on your journey ahead. 🥳

Celebrate Canada Day with Us at Riverdale Park East! 🍁

Join us on Wednesday, July 1 from 11:30 AM - 3:30 PM for our annual Neighbours Together on Canada Day community celebration!🎉

Enjoy a fun-filled day of free, family-friendly activities including:
🦁 Lion dance
🪘 Indigenous drumming
🍔 BBQ
🎨 Kids’ activities
ℹ️ Info booths from local community groups & elected reps

❤️ Everyone is welcome — come celebrate Canada Day with community!

Proudly presented by: Canadian Heritage, Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Don Valley Community Legal Services, Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre, Julie Dabrusin, Paula Fletcher, Peter Tabuns, Ralph Thornton Community Centre & Scout Group.

Additionally, thank you to the following local businesses for their support of this event: A&W (Gerrard and Broadview), Dine & Dim restaurant, Galaxy Fesh Food, Home Depot (Gerrard Square), Queling Vietnamese Cuisine, Wok & Roast BBQ restaurant and Yao Hua Supermarket.

🧊 Thanks for chilling with us at our Game On East End 2026 Pop-up Cool Zone this weekend! 🆒

Happening between June 11 and July 19, when temperatures are above 30°C, RTCC will be hosting Pop-up Cool Zones at 765 Queen St. E as part of Game On East End 2026.⚽️

Follow us and stay tuned for updates on upcoming Pop-up Cool Zones! 📻️

To learn more about Game On East End, visit:
🔗 https://buff.ly/Ny45fg1

We thank the City of Toronto’s Community Celebration Support Fund for supporting Game On East End 2026 programming.

Celebration of Life for Lucile Barker🌞

Join us today at RTCC (765 Queen St. E.) from 2–4 PM in the 2nd-floor Auditorium, for a celebration of life for Lucile Barker—a long-time activist and deeply beloved member of the South Riverdale community. 💜

We warmly invite you to come together with friends, neighbours, and community members to honour and remember Lucile’s life and the lasting impact she had on all of us. ✨️

📰 RTCC Update June 12, 2026 📰

Eats & Beats Recap, AGM Recap, Chill with RTCC at the Game On East End 2026 pop-up Cool Zone, Lucile Barker's Celebration of Life, Celebrate Pride with Community, Volunteer Opportunities and More! 🍔 🌭 🎵 🎟️ 🧊 🥳 🐣 🌈 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ 💜 ➕️

If you're not subscribed to our newsletter, you may be missing out on great things happening in the neighbourhood! 😱
Click here to subscribe now! ✍️
🔗https://buff.ly/nOSJN8F

🏳️‍🌈 Celebrate PRIDE with Community on Thursday, June 25 from 12-3 PM at 955 Queen St. E.🏳️‍⚧️

🌈 Join the Ralph Thornton Community Centre, South Riverdale Community Health Centre, and Ontario Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy for an afternoon of FREE and FUN activities:

🍔 BBQ (12-2:30 pm)
💃 Drag Performance by Selena Vyle
✨ Glitter Tattoos
🎨 PRIDE Arts & Crafts
📸 Photobooth
🩸Naloxone Training and Hepatitis C Testing
🍪 Rainbow cookies and more!

📣 Everyone's invited so please share this with you networks!

🥳 We hope to see you there!

🖤 🤎 🩵 🩷 🤍 ❤️🧡 💛💚 💙 💜

RTCC’s AGM is happening TODAY from 5:30 PM (doors open) to 8:30 PM at 765 Queen St. E. (2nd Floor Auditorium).💜

Join us in celebrating this past year and all that we’ve achieved together! There will be a community meal, a Community Showcase, our Community Impact Awards and more.🏅

This event is completely free to attend and open to all; however, only RTCC members may vote. To register as an RTCC member, visit:
🔗 https://buff.ly/dt3uUH6

Thank you to the Riverside BIA for an incredible weekend at Eats & Beats—and to everyone who stopped by to say hello! ☀️ We had such a great time connecting with the community and seeing so many friendly faces, both familiar and new. 💜

A special shoutout to Nell & Natasha of Real Estate Homeward Brokerage for hosting their Free Neighbourhood BBQ, which has already raised an amazing $1,537.72 (and counting!) to help send local kids from low-income households to summer camp.

We’re also so grateful to our amazing building partners, dedicated RTCC staff, and the wonderful volunteers who helped bring all the creative crafts and activities to life. Thank you for making the day so special! 💫✨