What began in 1999 as six moms gathering in each other’s living rooms has blossomed into one of Halton’s most welcoming community hubs. From parent-child drop-ins and before-and-after school care to youth activities, senior programs, financial literacy workshops, and a food bank, Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre in Oakville is a place where everyone belongs. Its mission is simple: to build community, reduce poverty, and create a space where everyone feels welcome and supported.
“The nature of a neighbourhood centre is you reflect the needs of the community and you serve that community,” says Executive Director Michelle Knoll. “We’re about supporting the community, whatever those needs are.” That flexible, caring approach is what makes Oak Park special. Their staff and volunteers take the time to listen to people’s needs and respond creatively. Knoll recalls a story that captures the spirit of the Centre perfectly.
“One of our volunteers came in one day and said she likes to bake,” Knoll shares. “She started bringing in home-baked goods for our unhoused group that meets every Tuesday. Did I know I needed that? No — but my god, everyone loved them!”
Those homemade treats meant more than just something sweet. For many of the unhoused individuals who gather for the “Finding Hope in Poverty Support Group,” they were a symbol of care — something personal and heartfelt that they wouldn’t normally receive. “That’s how you connect people and the community,” Knoll adds.
Oak Park’s doors are open to everyone, and ideas often grow from the simple act of listening. Whether it’s a newcomer looking for connection, a senior seeking companionship, or a family struggling to make ends meet, the Centre finds ways to bring people together and support them through life’s challenges.
Everyone is welcome, no matter their financial situation. While the Centre suggests a $60 annual membership fee for its drop-in programs, Knoll emphasizes that it’s simply a suggestion as these programs don’t receive any funding. A frog at the front desk is available for donations. “You can put in a nickel, a dollar,” says Knoll. “People who are using our drop-in program can be people making $150,000 a year or making $14,000 a year and there’s no distinction.”
How to Help:
Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre relies on community support to run its programs, food bank, and other essential services. You can help by volunteering your time, making financial donations, donating needed household goods and clothing, or participating in fundraising events.
Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre
2200 Sawgrass Drive, Oakville
(905) 257 6029
opnc.ca
Knoll believes that neighbourhood centres like Oak Park play a vital role in nurturing understanding. “We live in a world that’s very negative and likes to divide,” she says. “Neighbourhood centres allow people to get together. It helps people see we’re not all that different.”
Through its food bank and outreach programs, Oak Park also works to change perceptions about poverty in Halton. “Sometimes when we see people on a street corner or outside a grocery store asking for money, and we think, ‘Those people must come from Mississauga or Hamilton,’” says Knoll. “The majority of those we serve in these situations are from our own community. They were born here, went to school here, grew up with our kids.”
What started with six moms and a shared vision of belonging continues to grow, one act of kindness at a time.
By: Lisa Evans
