OUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

Working for change owns and operates several nonprofit, Work Integration Social Enterprises. The social mandate of these small businesses is to provide supportive, stable, trauma informed employment for people with lived experience of mental health, addiction, homelessness, trauma, gender-based violence, incarceration, and refugee histories. These lived experiences often mean that people face chronic and persistent challenges in accessing work which plunges them into poverty. Research shows that people with severe mental illness experience between 70-90% rates of unemployment. We help to address this. Revenue from our social enterprises go directly into staff wages and supports. Through access to work, people are able to move slowly into more independent and dignified living, relying less and less on systems supports such as shelters, Emergency Rooms and food banks. Our enterprises operate in two areas: Food Services and Landscaping/Horticulture.

Out of This World Cafe

With a blend of two retail cafes located in the Queen W neighbourhood and a catering kitchen that serves nonprofits who are addressing the needs of the unhoused to whom we provide healthy meals at scale, OTW is our flagship brand and serves our community in partnership with our anchor partner CAMH.

The Raging Spoon

The Raging Spoon is a catering enterprise located in Parkdale, that serves excellent food at variable price points for a wide customer base. Think of using our services for your next meeting or event! 
For 16+ years, The Raging Spoon has catered to the GTA, providing jobs for those with mental health/addiction concerns in food service. Serving west-end and central Toronto. 

Parkdale Green-Thumb

A social horticulture business. We install/maintain plants for BIAs, nonprofits, hospitals, private sector, and community. Designing outdoor/indoor plantings for streetscapes, offices, and institutions.

CONTACT US

Main Office

Anita Prasad, Executive Director
Working for Change

1499 Queen Street West Suite 203
Toronto ON, M6R 1A3
Phone: 416-504-1693 x 222
Email: anita@workingforchange.ca
Hours of operation: 9:00: 5:00pm

Mike Creek, Director of Strategic Initatives
Working for Change
1499 Queen Street West Suite 203
Toronto ON, M6R 1A3
Phone: 416-504-1693 x 228
Email: mike@workingforchange.ca
Hours of operation: 9am-5pm

Judy Cong, Financial Aministrator
Working for Change
1499 Queen Street West Suite 203
Toronto ON, M6R 1A3
Phone: 416-504-1693 x 227
Email: finance@workingforchange.ca
Hours of operation: 9am-5pm

Social Enterprises

Matthew Neil, Director of Food Services
Out of This World Cafe
101 Stokes Street
Toronto ON, M6J 0A6
Phone: 416-535-8501x 33006
Email: matthew@workingforchange.ca
Hours of operation: 9am-5pm

Anjali Rawat, Manager
Out of This World Cafe on Queen
1051 Queen St W. #4
Toronto ON, M6J 1H3
Email: OTWQueen@workingforchange.ca
Hours of operation: 8am-3pm

Michael Ellis, Manager
Raging Spoon
1658 Queen Street West
Toronto ON, M6R 1A3
Phone: 416-504-6128
Email: ragingspoon@workingforchange.ca
Hours of operation: Varies due to catering

Michael Ellis, Manager
College and Russell Street Cafe & Catering
250 College Street
Toronto ON, M5T 1R8
Phone: 416-504-1693 x 32991
Email: collegestcafe@outlook.com
Hours of operation: 8:00am-3:00pm

Aaron Harpell, Manager
Parkdale Green Thumb Enterprises 1499 Queen Street West Suite 203
Toronto ON, M6R 1A3
Phone: 416-537-9551
Email: aaron@workingforchange.ca
Hours of operation: Varies seasonally

Leadership Programs

Dawnmarie Harriott, Program Manager/Peer Support Facilitator
Speakers Bureau & Leadership Employment Training
1499 Queen Street West Suite 203
Toronto ON, M6R 1A3
Phone: 416-504-1693 x 233
Email: dawnmarie@workingforchange.ca
Hours of operation: 9:30am-5:30pm

Lubna Khalid, Program Manager
Speakers Bureau & Leadership Employment Training
1499 Queen Street West Suite 203
Toronto ON, M6R 1A3
Phone: 416-504-1693 x 231
Email: lubna@workingforchange.ca
Hours of operation: 10:00am-5:30pm

Working For Change ©2023 

Working For Change is a registered Charity ( BN: 884795352RR0001) in Ontario, Canada