Highlights from this week
- Useful Tax Season Resources
- Circle of Care Receives Platinum Recognition in 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards
- Nominate a Coworker: Champions of Care Awards
- Upcoming Events that May Impact Transit and Traffic
- Complete the Global Workforce Survey
- Sympathy vs. Empathy in Caregiving
- Refresh Your CPR Skills
- Our Strategy & Action Plan
- Intro to Therapy
- Frontline Wellness: Mental Health Support
- Happy Spring: Benefits of Sunlight
- Final Reminder: Nutrition Month Challenge
- Nutrition Month Recipes & Resources
- Perkopolis: Save Time on Grocery Shopping with PC Express
- Sign Up for a GoodLife Fitness Membership!
- Financial Education Modules
- Years of Service Milestone Anniversaries
- Successful Referrals
- High Fives
Useful Tax Season Resources
Tax Season Resources for Newcomers
Doing your taxes is important, even if you had little or no income this year. Filing taxes can help you access benefits and credits you may be eligible for, including the GST/HST credit and other government supports. Learn more about Canada’s tax system below.
CRA Free Tax Clinics
Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto – Free Tax Clinic
Low-income individuals and families may be eligible for free tax filing support by appointment.
To book, call 437-524-5920 or tax@newcomerwomen.org. You can also visit their website below to learn more.
Reminders & Announcements
Circle of Care Receives Platinum Recognition in 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards
We’re proud to share that Circle of Care has received Platinum recognition in the Senior Services category of this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
Because these awards are based on public nominations and votes, this recognition reflects the voices of the people we serve every day: our clients, caregivers, partners, and supporters.
This is a direct reflection of the care, compassion, and dedication you bring to your work. Your efforts are making a meaningful difference in the lives of our clients and their families and they are proactively showing their appreciation in the community.
Thank you for everything you do to make this possible!
Nominate a Coworker: Champions of Care Awards
The nomination period for Circle of Care’s Champions of Care Awards is officially open! Through these annual awards, we recognize the exceptional contributions of our staff. We encourage you to nominate a colleague who you believe has gone above and beyond in their role, and who embodies one or more of our values of community, respect, excellence, and dignity.
You can nominate as many colleagues as you would like. Please note that we only accept individual nominations, so if you would like to nominate more than one person, you will need to submit separate nominations for each person.
The award winners will be announced in June and celebrated at a Circle of Care event and luncheon with Carey.
To nominate, please fill out the form that is linked below. The deadline to nominate is Thursday, April 30.
Upcoming Events that May Impact Transit and Traffic
Gardiner and Lakeshore
- When: Until May 2026
- Details: The westbound Gardiner on-ramp from Lake Shore Boulevard will be fully closed. Westbound Gardiner Expressway will be reduced to two lanes from the Lake Shore Boulevard on-ramp to Grand Avenue.
DVP to Richmond Street
- When: Until Spring 2026
- Details: The southbound off-ramp of the DVP to Richmond Street remains closed until Spring 2026.
Complete the Global Workforce Survey
Please take a few minutes to complete the Global Workforce Survey. This is your chance to share your thoughts about your workplace. Your feedback helps us learn what’s going well and what we can make even better for you.
Note that the survey is anonymous (your name will not be shared). Thank you in advance for your participation!
Please complete the survey below:
Sympathy vs. Empathy in Caregiving
Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can offer someone is not a solution, but our understanding. When a client shares something emotional or difficult, you may feel unsure about what to say. This is where empathy can help you reassure your client.
Sympathy says: “I feel bad for you.”
Empathy says: “I’m here with you.”
Both come from a good place, but empathy creates connection and helps clients feel heard.
Watch the video above to learn examples of empathy, and why it matters. Consider reading the blog article below to see how empathy can help you build stronger, more trusting relationships with clients and families.
Health & Safety
Refresh Your CPR Skills
Many people who survive a cardiac emergency are helped by someone nearby (a bystander). In this short video, you’ll learn Hands-Only CPR so you can provide life-saving support until emergency responders arrive.
Watch this quick Hands-Only CPR refresher to help you stay prepared.
Our Strategy & Action Plan
At Circle of Care, we are committed to the health, safety and well-being of our employees. We aim to create a healthy, safe workplace where you feel valued, engaged, and able to thrive in your role.
Our Workplace Well-being and Employee Engagement Committee has developed a Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Strategy and Action Plan.
Review our plan below — it reflects our ongoing commitment to the community, society, and engaging you in sustainable practices and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Intro to Therapy
Not everyone understands therapy or feels comfortable seeing a therapist. It is normal to have questions or feel unsure. This video will help explain what therapy is and what to expect, so you can feel more comfortable and informed.
Frontline Wellness: Mental Health Support
Caring for others can be rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming at times. Frontline Wellness is a free, confidential, and virtual program created just for health-care workers in Ontario.
With Frontline Wellness, you can:
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Talk 1:1 with a professional for support, coping strategies, CBT tools, or system navigation (services also available in French).
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Join group sessions in a safe space to share, learn new skills, and strengthen resilience.
Getting started is easy, simply complete a self-referral using the button below and book a time that works for you.
For questions contact:
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(705) 549-5144 | 1-877-341-4729 x 5000
Please note: This is not a crisis service. If you need urgent help, call 911 or Talk Suicide Canada (1-833-456-4566).
Wellness at Work
Happy Spring: Benefits of Sunlight
With spring here, it’s a great time to enjoy longer days and more sunshine. Just a few minutes of sunlight can help:
- Boost your mood
- Improve sleep quality
- Support your physical and mental well-being
Take a moment to enjoy the sunlight outside—it’s a simple way to feel a little better each day.
Final Reminder: Nutrition Month Challenge
Participate in our 5-Colour Plate Challenge! Including a variety of colourful foods on your plate can help support balanced nutrition and well-being.
How to Join:
1. Create a meal, snack, or drink that includes all five colour groups:
- Red or Pink
- Orange or Yellow
- Green
- Blue or Purple
- White
2. Send a photo and a short description of what’s on your plate to HRDept@circleofcare.com by today, March 31, to enter.
If you participate, you’ll be entered into a raffle draw to win one of two $50 Walmart gift cards!
Nutrition Month Recipes & Resources
Healthy eating means eating a balanced and varied diet every day. This gives your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
When you eat healthy foods, you can feel better, have more energy, and improve your health. It can also help boost your mood. What we eat affects not only our physical health, but also our mental health.
Healthy eating does not have to be difficult. Think of planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps. As these small changes become habits, you can slowly add more healthy choices to your daily routine. For example, add more fruits and vegetables to your meals or drink more water.
To learn more about food choices, eating habits, recipes, tips, and resources, please use the buttons below.
Perkopolis: Save Time on Grocery Shopping with PC Express
Shop groceries online for delivery or pickup in as little as two hours. You can shop the same prices and deals as your favourite store, earn PC Optimum points, and get fresh fruits and vegetables with every order.
With Perkopolis, you can access a special offer: Get $15 in PC Optimum points on each of your first 6 orders of $75 or more. That’s up to $90 in points.
How to Register
- Go to perkopolis.com and tap “register” at the top of your screen.
- Enter your preferred personal email.
- Then look for an email from them with a link to complete registration. For your member ID code, use CC + your employee ID number (for example, CC12345). Please note that your employee ID is not your voicemail number. Your Employee ID will be outlined on your Circle of Care employee badge.
- Start saving!
For any questions or troubleshooting, Perkopolis can be contact by phone (416-236-4985) or email (customerservice@perkopolis.com).
Sign Up for a GoodLife Fitness Membership!
You can enjoy a 25% discount on a GoodLife Fitness Corporate membership, with a $0 enrolment fee. You can add 2 family members to your plan.
If you join GoodLife Fitness by April 30, 2026, you’ll also be entered into a contest to win a VIA Rail journey for two, plus $2,500 in cash! All new members will also receive a free gym bag as a bonus. Register today using the button below.
When you’re ready to register, make sure you have your employee ID. You’ll find it in your Dayforce profile or on your pay stub. If you have any questions or need help, please reach out to our HR team at HRDept@circleofcare.com for assistance.
Financial Education Modules
Want to improve your budgeting, saving, or fraud prevention skills? The Credit Counselling Society offers free, self-paced courses you can take anytime, anywhere.
Learn through short lessons on budgeting, saving, understanding credit, and protecting yourself from fraud.
Community Corner
Years of Service Milestone Anniversaries
Our PSWs make a lasting impact through their dedication, experience, and compassion. Service milestones give us the opportunity to reflect on the many years they have spent with Circle of Care, supporting the clients and communities we serve.
Join us in recognizing and celebrating these colleagues for the meaningful contributions they bring to their work every day.
January – March 2026
5 Years
- Dolci Cavalida
- Marilyn Estrella
- Nazi Grant
10 Years
- Ma Lorlie Almelia
- Ruth Ambrosio
- Jolanda Castro
- Luvizminda Cruz
- Antonina Evdokimov
- Sadiya Issa
- Raquel Pascua
- Radha Poudel
- Marivel Regua
- Esra Thomas
15 Years
- Joyce Amponsah
- Rita Goldberg
- Conette Grant
- Irina Komarova
- Elena Sarnitskaya
- Perlita Ubana
20 Years
- Pearline Ruddock
25 Years
- Esseater Cassis
- Raisa Odessky
- Helen Paguyo
Successful Referrals
We’d like to celebrate the following PSWs who successfully referred someone to our organization. Thank you to everyone who helped grow our team!
January – March 2026
- Wendy Mora Buitrago
- Ronah Racheal
- Afisha Quashie
- Ruby Cervas
- Sabina Esi Dadzie
- Angela Immariano
- Maregin Lacondazo
- Jocelyn Acheampong
- Josephine Remocal
- Yulia Kobelkova
- Haley Harker
- Lilia Endrino
- Ziyaban Patel
- Aisha Hassan
- Tenzin Noryang
- Ravinder Kaur
- Genelyn Gonzalez
High Fives
High Five for PSW Jocelyn Curiba
“I commend Jocelyn for her punctuality, showing up every morning at 7 am even during extreme weather.” – Client
High Five for PSW Jenie Dupo
“Jenie is attentive, hardworking, efficient, and great at following instructions.” – Client’s daughter
High Five for PSW Jasmine Kaur
“I’m very happy with Jasmine’s service.” – Client
High Five for PSW Chona Gill
“We are grateful for Chona’s dedication in arriving despite the bad weather.” – Client’s spouse
High Five for PSW Joy Gayle
“Joy is wonderful and very good.” – Client
High Five for PSW Pavalarani Selvadas
High Five for PSW Nelly Omwando
Has someone gone above and beyond at work? Give them a High Five!
The High Five program lets you publicly recognize staff members for their outstanding work. High Fives will be posted in your weekly Inside the Circle newsletter.
To give a high five, just click on the button below or use the link in the rotating banner on the Portal home page.
Please note: We do not accept anonymous submissions for this program. High Fives must be submitted by an individual person, whether they are a staff member or member of the community.
Ask Us Anything
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Have a question? Submit your questions or feedback anonymously below!
Please note that it may take us longer to provide some answers. If your question hasn’t been answered yet, we will get back to you as soon as we can.