Social Planning Toronto is pleased to announce that the Frances Lankin Community Service Award for 2016 will be presented to Debbie Douglas

Debbie Douglas
Debbie Douglas has a long and impressive track record as a leader in the settlement sector and has made an outstanding contribution in other sectors over the last 25 years in support of social justice.

For over fifteen years, Debbie has served as the Executive Director of OCASI - the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants. Through her work at OCASI, Ms. Douglas has provided critical leadership in challenges of the ongoing work of settlement, but this year in particular has provided exceptional leadership in the complex challenge of facilitating the rapid increase in Syrian refugee settlement.
Debbie is widely recognized and respected and is often called upon by governments to share her expertise. She was a member of the provinces’ Expert Panel on Immigration whose report led to Ontario’s first Immigration legislation (2015) and a member of the Immigration and Refugee Advisory Committee of Legal Aid Ontario and the Federal government’s National Settlement Council. Debbie is a Co-Chair of the City of Toronto’s Newcomer Leadership Table.
Beyond settlement, Debbie was instrumental in the leadership of Ontario’s first shelter geared to abused immigrant women in the late 1980’s. She was an active participant and advocate during the early nineties in the public discussions and debates on Employment Equity, and the establishment of anti-discriminatory systems in public institutions particularly the public school system. As well she lends her voice and is active in efforts to address discrimination race, gender, economic class and sexual orientation.
The Award Presentation
The 2016 Frances Lankin Award will be presented at a reception on Wednesday, April 20th at the YWCA Elm Centre – 87 Elm St. For more details, and to purchase tickets, go to http://2016franceslankinaward.eventbrite.ca or contact Mary Micallef at 416 351-0095 x 251.

The Frances Lankin Award
The Frances Lankin Award was established in 2011 by Social Planning Toronto on the occasion of Frances Lankin’s retirement from United Way Toronto. It is awarded annually to an individual who has made a significant, sustained contribution to the non-profit community sector in the City of Toronto.