N.I.P.’s History

Neighbourhood Information Post (N.I.P) opened in July, 1970, as a result of:

• recommendation of the Don District Study by the Social Planning Council;
• co-operation and interest of the Toronto Public Libraries;
  expressed need of local groups, individual residents and the local inter-agency council.

Staffing at N.I.P. was almost entirely voluntary for the first year of operation.
The agency was incorporated and registered as a charitable organization in 1972, Over the years,
from a small volunteer-based organization, N.I.P. has evolved into an integral part of the Downtown
Toronto East community.

The following are some highlights of Neighbourhood Information Post in the last four decades:

Midge Sandiland wrote the proposal to apply for the first local initiative grant to establish
Neighbourhood Information Post.

1970

- Neighbourhood Information Post opened.

1971

- First staff hired,

1972

- Incorporated and registered as a charitable organization.

1973

- N.I.P. started food relay service.

1974

- N.I.P. in conjunction with the Oak Street Community Project and the Don Vale Community Centre, sponsored an Information Sharing Workshop for all groups in the Ward Seven Area.

1977

- Inquiries and requests reached 5,000.

- N.I.P.’s Ward 7 Directory went on sale. Over two hundred copies were sold.

1978

- N.I.P handled over 6,000 inquiries.

N.I.P. sponsored “Food and Fitness” month in the fall.

1979

- N.I.P.’s revised Downtown East Directory went on sale.

- N.I.P. held “Community Information Week”.

1980

- N.I.P. produced 60 minute shows for Rogers Cable, Channel 10.

- N.I.P. and Regent Park Services Unit produced “Now’s The Time” an informal booklet with pictures and maps about the services in the East Downtown Area of Toronto.

1981

- N.I.P. began a regular column on 7 News – “N.I.P. Answers Your Questions”.

- N.I.P. Dances were organized to raise money.

- N.I.P.’s volunteers sold fresh holly door to door, to raise funds.

1982

- The Downtown East Directory was first published, with more than 700 entries.

- N.I.P. received 7,000 requests for assistance. Letter Carriers Alert Program was added to N.I.P’s list of services. It was a security program for senior citizens, shut-ins, and people living alone in the downtown area.

- Published the Downtown East Handbook for Single Parents.

- Supplement for the East Toronto Directory was published.

- N.I.P. started the Odd job Registry.

1985

- N.I.P. was automated.

1986

- Case management opened.

1987

- St. Jamestown Neighbourhood Office opened.

1988

- Data transferred to Edibase.

1989

- Inquiries reached 18,000.

1990

- N.I.P. joined On-line Ontario.

1991

- Case management closed: staff laid off.

1993

- St. Jamestown. Emergency meeting took place on Jan. 6. N.I.P. closed effectively on Jan. 11. N.I.P. resumed operation in September. New staff was hired.

- N.I.P. held an Open House in October. N.I.P. organized a series of Community Consultation meetings with service providers and residents of the community.

1994

- First edition of N.I.P.’s newsletter: The N.I.P. Update, was published in the spring.

- N.I.P. was featured on CFTO’s Eye on Toronto. Language capabilities included: Arabic, Cantonese, Pilipino, Hindi, Malayalam, Portuguese, Sinhalese, Tamil.

- First meeting of the Program Advisory Committee in September.

1995

- N.I.P. began a partnership with Metro Social Service Area Office “J”. Welfare intake now available at N.I.P. one day a week.

- N.I.P’s Program Advisory Committee organized a series of “Brown Bag Meetings” to educate the community on various social services available in the downtown Toronto East community.

- N.I.P. received The Trillium Grant to start a community development project in St. Jamestown.

- N. I. P.’s funding from MCSS and MCTR was cut. N.I.P. went through scenario planning and developing a two-year business-plan to survive the cuts.

- N.I.P., in partnership with City of Toronto, conducted community consultation in St. Jamestown.

1996

- Community Consultation meetings were held with various ethnic groups in St. Jamestown.

- St. Jamestown Multicultural Work Group was formed.

- St. Jamestown Multicultural Work Group published a news bulletin, featuring information on English As Second Language and Computer Classes.

- N.I.P. started receiving Winter Relief Grant from United Way.

- N.I.P. established own Web site and set up E-mail.

1997

- St. Jamestown Women’s Friendship Group was formed.

- N.I.P., in partnership with CNH and Dixon Hall, received funding from City of Toronto (Housing Initiative Fund) to undertake a “Housing Trusteeship Pilot Project”.

- N.I.P., in partnership with CNH and Dixon Hall, received funding from Industry Canada to start providing free internet and email access