The Work Experience and Skills Development for People with Mental Illness project is funded by the Government of Canada under the Community Services Recovery
Fund (CSRF).

Rainbow’s End Community Development Corporation is a charity that employs people living with mental illness in a series of small businesses. Today Rainbow’s End runs six small social enterprises, one of the most prominent being Colours Cafe (coffee, gifts and essentials), where anywhere between eight and ten people annually find valuable employment and learning opportunities.

Colours Cafe and the importance of the Training Program supported by Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund
Colours Cafe is located on the West 5th campus of St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, and 2024 will be its 10th year of operating. The Cafe provides real jobs, builds experience and confidence, and training for people looking to get to work.
The Covid pandemic had a significant impact on our business, limiting customer numbers in the hospital building and putting pressure on our cafe team to maintain the provision of refreshments, healthy snacks and personal items to hospital workers, patients and visitors.

Emerging from covid we had closed our cafeteria (The Rainbow’s End Bistro), and primary training location, due to the challenges outlined above. The CSRF funding of $62k , administered by the Canadian Red Cross, has enabled us to re-introduce our training program, but this time, in the Cafe.

This is an important step for Rainbow’s End, and the dozens of trainees who will be going through this work experience and training course. We are delighted with the positive feedback that we have already received from candidates, vocational counselors and the many people who support or benefit from this program, which will run into mid-2024 for sure.

One candidate summed-up the importance of the training:
“Rainbow’s End gave me the motivation to want to work and employment experience”

“The funding has enabled us to resume and extend our mission, and as the long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we welcome the Government of Ca

nada’s push for a more inclusive model of economic growth that creates opportunities for everyone in Canada”: David Williams, Executive Director – Rainbow’s End Community Development Corporation.

“I am continually impressed by the passion, dedication, and creativity of community service organizations, like Rainbow’s End Community Development Corporation. I am equally proud the Government of Canada has supported their important work through the Community Services Recovery Fund. By investing in these organizations and their projects we can help to create a more just and equitable society, where everyone has opportunities to succeed. I look forward to seeing the positive impact of this investment in Hamilton over the years to come.”
– Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

CSRF: The Community Services Recovery Fund is a one-time $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support community service organizations, including charities,
non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies, as they adapt and modernize their organizations.