The Jean Tweed Centre has been improving women’s lives for more than 40 years and still relentlessly pursue that goal today.

Jean Tweed was a courageous woman who battled alcoholism in the 1980s, a time when people weren’t speaking openly about their struggles with substance abuse. As a woman who had to face her own journey to recovery, she wanted to establish an organization that would help other women like her on their road to healing.

In 1983, from that seed the Jean Tweed Centre was born, a community- based not-for-profit that provides treatment programs, support and a safe place for women and their families who want to overcome substance abuse, gambling addiction and/or mental-health challenges. For more than four decades, the organization has helped women gain valuable life skills and develop healthy habits, for a new start as well as a better future. Now with seven locations serving women and children throughout Ontario, it has supported over 3,000 women and impacted more than 15,000 lives for the better.

“Doing work from the heart is No. 1 — people matter, and we’re here to serve,” said Belinda Marchese, the Jean Tweed Centre’s executive director. “It’s about finding an opportunity to come together and hear someone’s story and have them reflect on their experience. We’re learning and evolving, and today we have 25 different programs. It started with one program — we listened to people and now we have programs and services that embrace motherhood, pregnancy and parenting, and can also link to housing, community and partnership programs.”

Since the pandemic, the centre has found innovative ways to connect with women and make getting support easier, which includes offering services both in-person and virtually. “Not everyone has access to primary care or treatment programs like we do here, and having a component where we can have therapeutic modalities that are virtual-based has created great access,” Marchese said. “The interesting thing with our virtual programs is that one-third of the participants had never sought treatment before, so we’re able to get access to individuals who are ready to do the recovery work.”

This year, the organization is launching several new initiatives, including a one- year pilot project designed for older youth. It would also like to revitalize Cumberland House, its transitional housing residence. “You have to have a safe place to land,”said Marchese. “Everyone needs a friend, food on the table and shelter — if you don’t have those three fundamentals, it’s going to make it a lot harder.” Cumberland House can provide transitional housing for up to a year, said Marchese, but the building, a beautiful heritage home, is in need of some TLC. With improvements, occupancy could be doubled.

“Not everyone has access to primary care or treatment programs like we do here, and having a component where we can have therapeutic modalities that are virtual- based has created great access.”

“The Jean Tweed Centre is mobilizing a high-impact Executive Leadership Committee, a powerhouse team committed to raising critical funds, building awareness and expanding trauma-informed services across Ontario,” said Laura Compagni, a force of nature in both business and philanthropy who has been appointed to lead the newly formed Executive Committee.

Compagni was excited to share with City Life that the centre is launching several initiatives, including the inaugural Taste of Italy Gala on October 24 in Vaughan, a vibrant business-networking fundraiser designed to unite the community in support of women and children.

Those who are interested in supporting the Centre can take part in this or one of many other planned fundraising activities — the Jean Tweed Centre is always looking for volunteers as well as donors. “Philanthropy is not just giving — it’s showing up, it’s listening, it’s leading with empathy,” Compagni explains. “We’re here to amplify the voices of women and children who deserve to be seen, heard, and healed.”

INTERVIEW BY MARC CASTALDO

www.jeantweed.com
@thejeantweedcentre