BY PAUL JUNOR
It was truly a great show of support as many: community members, civic leaders, government officials, police officers, judges, students, teachers and principals came out on Saturday, March 14th, 2025, to celebrate RESQ’s 24th anniversary. It was in 2001 that Reach Each Student Quickly (ResQ) Youth International Inc. was launched as a non-profit community organization. Since then, it has provided a wide range of culturally specific programs and age-appropriate services to youth in Peel and the wider community. The theme of the event was titled, “Building the Future One Youth at a Time.”
It was great to see the show of support for RESQ since it was launched as a result of the collective work of law enforcers, crown attorneys, lawyers, educators, and community representatives. They have done a great job over the years providing intervention and support systems to youth who have gotten in trouble with the law by providing them viable and safe alternatives to incarceration and constructive routes to excel and thrive. Abigail Hamilton-founder who presently serves as the Executive Director along with the Honourable Justice Dr. Irving Andre (another co-founder) has helped RESQ to continue to be a beacon of hope for youth in the Peel region.
“The years of partnerships between varied stakeholders shows ResQ’s greatness.”
The mission of ResQ is to support our Black communities with tools and strategies that will positively impact families through social and economic innovation and programs. It offers a range of programs and services such as:
- Mental Health Support
- Conflict Management
- CyberStart
- Academic Support
- Digital Art
- Parent Empowerment Network
- Youth Engagement Partnership
These programs and services help RESQ to fulfill its mission which is to: stimulate, engage and connect families to programs that are designed to teach practical methods and life skills. In addition, its mandate is to ensure that all youth receive the best quality through education, mentorship and experience.
The event was emceed by Moy Fung, who directed the anniversary programs, which featured greetings from: several community stakeholders, special guests and leaders.
Miss Candice Carter gave remarks on behalf of Mayor Patrick Brown. She spoke about Abigail’s unwavering love, dedication and passion for ResQ. She invited her to the front where she was given a special certificate by the City of Brampton.
Mayor Carolyn Parrish talks about the importance of this Malton Community Hub. She mentioned the work that went into the development of it and how it has become a showpiece of the Malton community as an important meeting place for youth.
Awards were handed out to youth participants and alumni of ResQ, as well as volunteers of ResQ Youth. There was an inspirational and motivational poem read by Alisia Pinnock.
There was a message from Deepak Anand, MPP of Mississauga/Malton that he posted on Facebook after attending the event. “Congratulations, ResQ Youth International on reaching the incredible milestone of inspiring youth for 24 years. The commitment and dedication to ensuring youth have the resources they need to succeed is unmatchable. It was wonderful to witness the resilience of youth in #Mississauga Malton as they stand up for their future and advocate for positive change.”
The guest speaker for the 24th anniversary celebration was Hon. Justice Irving Andre. He was awarded the Black Diamond Legacy Award. He spoke about the challenges that he faced. He spoke about the change from Ryerson University to Toronto Metropolitan University, and he posed an important question, “Why is it that in this time of plenty, many are not making the most of their opportunities?” His empowering speech was inspirational. “The seed of success resonates within you.” He reminded the audience of how important: hard work, resilience, dedication, and determination is to ensure success.
