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Welfare Council of Toronto
- Level
- Series
- ID
- Fonds 87; Series 18
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 87
- Series
- 18
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1931-1942
- Physical Description
- 8 cm of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The Welfare Council of Toronto and District was Toronto's first community-wide social planning body. It was involved with other community, religious and labour groups in advocating for unemployment insurance, affordable housing, health insurance, public pensions, minimum wage levels, family support services and other social programs. Prior to its creation, multiple social welfare councils existed in Toronto under the Federation for Community Service; including the Child Welfare Council of Toronto. In 1925 the Family Welfare Association of America conducted an audit of the welfare agencies in Toronto and recommended the creation of a community-wide Council of Social Agencies. The formation of the Toronto Department of Public Welfare further heightened the need for a total Community Council, which would ensure joint planning and cooperation between the new municipal department and Toronto’s welfare agencies. Discussions for such a council began in 1934 and the Welfare Council of Toronto and District was created in 1937. Upon its creation, the Child Welfare Council ceased to function and many of its concerns were inherited by the new Council.
- By the 1950s, the Welfare Council was involved in coordinating the many social and charitable services in the fields of health, welfare and recreation, through its member agencies. In the 1940s the United Community Chest was created as an outgrowth of the Council, but in 1956, when its name changed to the United Community Fund, the two entities decided to function as separate, independent agencies. In 1957, the Welfare Council’s name was changed to the Social Planning Council of Metropolitan Toronto.
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of textual records documenting the JFWB's professional membership with the Welfare Council of Toronto, involvement on its various committees, and participation in its various projects and studies. Included is correspondence, reports, meeting notices and minutes, statistics, forms, and questionnaires. Some records are of the Child Welfare Council of Toronto, an agency that ceased to exist upon the Council's formation in 1937 and whose activities were absorbed by it.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing some of the records.
- Related Material
- See also the Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds 86, series 15.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions