Jessica
Larabee has been homeless off and on since aging out of foster care in 2006.
After aging out of foster care in 2006, she moved to Toronto from Sudbury and
directly into a Habitat Services Toronto boarding home for people living in
poverty.
Jessica Larabee has been involved in a human rights complaint against the Toronto Habitat Services boarding home in Toronto, alleging Jessica was assaulted and experienced discrimination and ran away because of abuse and stayed at YWCA Toronto.
“I almost tried to kill myself. I had no family to turn to for support. The YWCA Toronto and the 519 Church Street Community Centre was the only place I could go to for support”.
She alleged that she was abused at
Habitat Services but received support at the YWCA Toronto.
YWCA Toronto provided the support Jessica required.
YWCA Toronto provided the support Jessica required.
Habitat Services and Thomas Tuah denied the allegations, but settled the case at mediation downtown Toronto.
Habitat Services and Thomas Tuah said the staff, and the individual officers who were involved, denied discrimination allegations.
Habitat Services and Thomas Tuah has refused interviews.
Habitat Services agreed to receive
training on human rights and LGBTQ issues.
Kyle Scanlon provided the training from the 519 Church Street Community Centre in the year of 2009.
Kyle Scanlon provided the training from the 519 Church Street Community Centre in the year of 2009.
Jessica claimed damages of $20,000.
What was actually received has not been revealed.
The cases have been settled out of court — but under the
terms of the settlement the amount awarded will remain SECRET.
The case was settled at mediation in the year of 2009.
The case was settled at mediation in the year of 2009.
"If they didn't think they did anything wrong they would not have agreed to a settlement. We live in a corporate kind of society where money does speak — and people don't like to pay people off for things they did right. So if they [Toronto Habitat Services] did anything right we wouldn't be here talking today," said Larabee.
I (Larabee) lived in a Habitat Services home because I moved to Toronto from Sudbury, Ontario with no family support.
ReplyDeleteLeslie McDonald is the executive director. She appears to be trying to make trying to make the job not that dangerous. Anyone with evidence should contact the Toronto Police.
ReplyDeleteWoman killed at downtown halfway house
ReplyDeleteManager of care centre for people with mental illness dies after being stabbed on Wednesday morning.
Employees console one another outside the Dara Residences, where Larisa Belekova was stabbed to death on Feb. 3, 2010.
ReplyDeleteBy: Raveena Aulakh Staff Reporter, Published on Wed Feb 03 2010
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For more than a decade, Larisa Belekova was a friend, counsellor and a confidante to tenants at The Dara Residences on Homewood Ave., a group home for people with mental illness.
She listened to people, helped them out of sticky situations and even nursed some back to health. In her 50s, Belekova, manager of the home, would arrive by 10 a.m. and rarely left before 7 p.m. On Wednesday, she arrived a little earlier than usual and went straight to her office in the basement.
Minutes after 10:30 a.m., Belekova, 51, was dead.
A Toronto ambulance official said she was stabbed “multiple times about the body” just after 10:30 a.m. She was taken to St. Michael’s Hospital without vital signs.
A 46-year-old man, who other tenants said had been at the home for barely two months, was led away from the scene in handcuffs.
Police refused to confirm that there was a loud argument preceding the stabbing.
Homewood Ave., near Jarvis and Carlton Sts., was closed almost all day while police questioned the residents. A group of distraught employees huddled outside while friends of the victim broke down in tears and were consoled by other employees.
Later shocked residents slowly trickled out of the three-story attached house as a forensics team took over the building.
Belekova, who spoke English and Russian, had been the manager at the home for about 11 years.
“I don’t know what happened ,” said Michael McGrath, a tenant. “All I know is that he (the man who was taken away in handcuffs) had been in arguments with other tenants on the weekend.” No one knew his name or where he was from.
“He was fairly new. I saw him around but that’s all,” he said.
McGrath described Belekova as a stickler for rules but helpful at the same time.
“I was sick with the flu some weeks ago and Larissa brought me up soup at lunch time,” said McGrath. “She was easy to get along with. It’s not going to be the same ..... can’t see anybody replacing her.”
McGrath, who was stabbed in the face by his roommate two years ago, said Belekova’s job was definitely stressful. “There’s no knowing what some people might do that are on medication ..... when they stop taking the medication.”
Derek Harper, a teary-eyed tenant, said he heard the police come in and shout “at someone to get on the ground and all that. And then they took him out.” He learned on a TTC bus parked outside the house that Belekova had been killed.
“Larissa was a good woman — she always took care of us,” said Harper, a tenant for three years.
The Dara is described on its website as being a home that “provides housing for persons having a diagnosis of some type of mental illness.” It has about a dozen rooms and some common area. There are two residents to each room.
The home gets referrals from Habitat Services, a non-profit organization, its executive director Leslie McDonald confirmed. “We just refer tenants. The home makes the decision about who to take in,” McDonald said.
Belekova’s job wasn’t dangerous “by and large,” said McDonald. “Obviously, this is a terrible situation. ..... She is going to be missed.”
But neighbours at Homewood Ave. say police cruisers and fire trucks make regular visits to the area. “There are loud fights here all the time,” said Bonnie Dorsay, who runs a rooming house next-door.
“I’ve lived here for 21 years. There are hookers, drugs and brawls around here,” she said. “This was waiting to happen.”
Employees console one another outside the Dara Residences, where Larisa Belekova was stabbed to death on Feb. 3, 2010.
ReplyDeleteBy: Raveena Aulakh Staff Reporter, Published on Wed Feb 03 2010
EXPLORE THIS STORY
1 PHOTO
Save to Mystar
Share on Facebook
inShare
0
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For more than a decade, Larisa Belekova was a friend, counsellor and a confidante to tenants at The Dara Residences on Homewood Ave., a group home for people with mental illness.
She listened to people, helped them out of sticky situations and even nursed some back to health. In her 50s, Belekova, manager of the home, would arrive by 10 a.m. and rarely left before 7 p.m. On Wednesday, she arrived a little earlier than usual and went straight to her office in the basement.
Minutes after 10:30 a.m., Belekova, 51, was dead.
A Toronto ambulance official said she was stabbed “multiple times about the body” just after 10:30 a.m. She was taken to St. Michael’s Hospital without vital signs.
A 46-year-old man, who other tenants said had been at the home for barely two months, was led away from the scene in handcuffs.
Police refused to confirm that there was a loud argument preceding the stabbing.
Homewood Ave., near Jarvis and Carlton Sts., was closed almost all day while police questioned the residents. A group of distraught employees huddled outside while friends of the victim broke down in tears and were consoled by other employees.
Later shocked residents slowly trickled out of the three-story attached house as a forensics team took over the building.
Belekova, who spoke English and Russian, had been the manager at the home for about 11 years.
“I don’t know what happened ,” said Michael McGrath, a tenant. “All I know is that he (the man who was taken away in handcuffs) had been in arguments with other tenants on the weekend.” No one knew his name or where he was from.
“He was fairly new. I saw him around but that’s all,” he said.
McGrath described Belekova as a stickler for rules but helpful at the same time.
“I was sick with the flu some weeks ago and Larissa brought me up soup at lunch time,” said McGrath. “She was easy to get along with. It’s not going to be the same ..... can’t see anybody replacing her.”
McGrath, who was stabbed in the face by his roommate two years ago, said Belekova’s job was definitely stressful. “There’s no knowing what some people might do that are on medication ..... when they stop taking the medication.”
Derek Harper, a teary-eyed tenant, said he heard the police come in and shout “at someone to get on the ground and all that. And then they took him out.” He learned on a TTC bus parked outside the house that Belekova had been killed.
“Larissa was a good woman — she always took care of us,” said Harper, a tenant for three years.
The Dara is described on its website as being a home that “provides housing for persons having a diagnosis of some type of mental illness.” It has about a dozen rooms and some common area. There are two residents to each room.
The home gets referrals from Habitat Services, a non-profit organization, its executive director Leslie McDonald confirmed. “We just refer tenants. The home makes the decision about who to take in,” McDonald said.
Belekova’s job wasn’t dangerous “by and large,” said McDonald. “Obviously, this is a terrible situation. ..... She is going to be missed.”
But neighbours at Homewood Ave. say police cruisers and fire trucks make regular visits to the area. “There are loud fights here all the time,” said Bonnie Dorsay, who runs a rooming house next-door.
“I’ve lived here for 21 years. There are hookers, drugs and brawls around here,” she said. “This was waiting to happen.”
source:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2010/02/03/woman_killed_at_downtown_halfway_house.html
ReplyDeleteHabitat Services
Office Hours: Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: (416) 537-2721
For Intake, please press extension 240.
Fax: (416) 537-2894
Address: 2238 Dundas Street West, Suite 301
Toronto, Ontario M6R 3A9
E-mail for General Information: info@habitatservices.org
Tomclo Properties Ltd is a private company categorized underLessors of Real Property (Unclassified) and located in Toronto, ON, Canada. Our records show it was established in 1985 and incorporated in . Register for free to see additional information such as annual revenue and employment figures.
ReplyDeleteTomclo Properties Ltd
ReplyDelete1516 King St W
Toronto, ON M6K 1J5, Canada
Phone Number
ReplyDelete(416) 534-4031
The 519 mourns the passing of Kyle Scanlon
ReplyDeleteJuly 8, 2012
It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of Kyle Scanlon, The 519's Education, Training and Research Coordinator. Kyle committed suicide this week in his Toronto home.
Kyle has worked at The 519 for a decade and during that time helped to redefine the face of trans community services in Toronto and across Canada. Projects like Trans Access, Trans Pulse and Project Open Door will continue to advance the rights, health and vibrancy of our trans communities and will serve as a legacy of Kyle's commitment and passion.
The entire 519 community mourns the loss of our dear friend and a remarkable community leader. Counselling and support services are being coordinated for staff of The 519 and a book of condolences will be placed in The Centre's lobby for signing beginning on Monday. We have been in touch with Kyle's family and close friends and a community memorial event has been planned. Click here for details.
Words cannot express the grief and loss our community is experiencing today. Our thoughts are with Kyle's friends and family as they cope with this difficult news.
http://www.the519.org/newsfeed/the519mournsthepassingofkylescanlon
ReplyDelete