about us

The Toronto Chapter was initiated by Missy Mandel, an elementary school teacher. Missy understood the need to educate our youth about injury prevention, and to empower them to spread our vitally important messages.

Recently, the Toronto Chapter has been handed over to Paula Tymchyshyn, our National Office Coordinator. We are always looking for passionate volunteers to assist with school and community presentations.

what we do

We offer free interactive injury prevention presentations to all schools who have been introduced to our injury prevention curriculum. Our volunteers are often joined by ThinkFirst V.I.P's (Voices of Injury Prevention). Our V.I.P's have sustained a brain or a spinal cord injury and can communicate the importance of "Thinking first" better than anyone else can. In conjunction with the school presentations, the Toronto Chapter has several Injury Prevention partners to help spread our messages through workshops, Brain Day and helmet fitting clinics.

success stories

• U of T Student Family Residence Summer Safety Fair invited ThinkFirst Toronto to have a booth on June 5th, 2010. TF Toronto gave away stickers and tattoos and helped kids have the right fit for their helmet.
• On June 4th, 2010, as part of Safe Kids Week, ThinkFirst Toronto held a community booth at Sick Kids hospital and helped visitors properly fit their helmets.
• Together with EMS, ThinkFirst Toronto provided important injury prevention messages to children at the Ontario Science Centre on May 21st, 2010. (Pictured below: Paula talks to a class about helmets).
  
• 136 helmets were given away in 2010!
• On May 8th, 2010 ThinkFirst was at the 19th Annual Visions of Science and Technology Symposium. We saw hundreds of people come by and visit our booth.
• Since 2002 The Toronto Chapter volunteers have presented to over 30,000 students and saved countless lives from injuries.