On May 7, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School's Mental Health Action Team hosted a Family Wellness Night to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week and Catholic Education Week together. It was such a joyful and meaningful opportunity to welcome our school families for an evening focused on connection with their community.
To start the event, Father Earl from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish led us in prayer and local partner booths shared valuable resources and services available to families in our St. Jamestown neighbourhood:
MLSE Launchpad
Toronto Public Health
Toronto Public Library
Toronto Parks and Recreation
Toronto SickKids Hospital
Kids Help Phone
Lumenus
Culture Link
St. James Town Community Corner
The night continued with families circulating through four activities, including low-organizational games in the gym (led by MLSE Launchpad), movement meditation in the library (led by Mr. Donovan), bookmark making (led by Ms. Blonde and Ms. Freitas), and a healthy snack demonstration (led by MLSE Launchpad).
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening so special. Special thanks to Ms. Martino for organizing this event and to our community partners, our Catholic School Parent Council, and all our school staff and students who volunteered their time to help make this night possible. Their care and energy helped create a warm and welcoming space for everyone who attended.
Families left the evening not only with helpful information and resources, but also with a renewed sense of connection: to their children, to one another, and to the broader community around them. This special event reminded us that even small moments of togetherness, encouragement, and shared experiences can have a lasting impact on family wellness.
