Food Skills For Families Begins
Last month, we introduced our Food Skills For Families to build food literacy skills for newcomer women, teaching them how to prepare and cook new and unfamiliar foods and to … Read more
News Blog
PIRS Stands in Solidarity with Ukraine
PIRS is gravely concerned by the growing humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. According to the WHO, over 18 million people have been affected by the conflict to … Read more
Cindy’s Story: Making the Most of the Present
For over 20 years, Cindy Chan led innovative programs and projects at prominent universities in Hong Kong. When she arrived in Canada in 2021, she was eager to find work … Read more
“If you empower the women, you empower the children”: Reflections of Inge, former PIRS board member
Inge Bailey joined the PIRS community as a volunteer in the mid 1980s, and is still an active contributor to PIRS today. As a board member during the early days of … Read more
Learn Through Play: Anna’s Pop-Up Childcare Story
“Painting, creating, and playing give children, especially those who have experienced trauma, the chance to express themselves in creative ways. They don’t feel pressured or judged. When children paint, it … Read more
“When we help women, we help the entire family”: A Message From Gyda, former PIRS President and Chair of the Board of Directors
Our PIRS community is so grateful and lucky to have volunteers, donors, and mentors who have been with us since the beginning, and we love learning from their stories and … Read more
Finding Joy and Belonging In Community and Volunteering: Hamida’s Story
Have you met Hamida? In February 2020, Hamida joined our PIRS family as a participant. In only five months, she quickly graduated from our LEAD, Building Bridges, and Moving Forward … Read more
Roqiya’s Story: Growing Confidence and Giving Back
In Afghanistan, the recent return to power of the Taliban has affected and displaced millions of families, especially threatening important progress towards gender equality and women with unique challenges. While … Read more
“Accepting Limitations, Growing Stronger”: Carolina’s Story
Meet Carolina: Carolina first learned about PIRS when she saw an ad for our Women’s Leadership and Development program: After graduating from PIRS’ programs, Carolina became one of the three … Read more
Growing Confidence: Virginia’s Story
Meet Virginia! Virginia joined our Community English Class with very few digital skills. When the pandemic began, Virginia’s husband bought her a tablet so she could attend our classes online. … Read more