About Us
Who we are
A maverick not-for-profit mental health peer support social enterprise. Made up of a team of badass individuals who have lived experiences of life-transforming struggles – severe mental illness, addictions, trauma, abuse, homelessness…who share a passion to use our lived experiences to support those that are struggling like we once did.
What we do
We do one thing – Mental Health Peer Support.
And we do it exceptionally well.
One-on-one peer support. Peer support groups.
Peer Supporter Training. At no charge.*
Why we do
Because there is a great need for the work we do
- In any year, 1 in 5 Canadians experiences a mental illness or substance use issue
- 1 in 2 Canadians will have experienced a mental illness by the age of 40
- 49% (half) of people with a mood, anxiety, or substance use disorder talked to any health professional about their mental health in the past year [2022 Statistics Canada survey]
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And great suffering. Especially among the socio-economically marginalized whom we disproportionately serve. Who tend to fall in the gaps between primary care, crisis services and long waitlists.
Because we are passionate about this work.
Because we kickass at this work like no one else.
Why we do
Anyone that is struggling with mental health, addictions and related socio-economic challenges. That wants to move forward in their journey of healing. No bar. No charge.
We provide low-barrier, peer-led support for people who fall between clinical care and crisis services.
* We have a nominal ‘$300 or pay what you can’ fee for our 13-week-long Peer Supporter Training.
Impact
Stats
Numbers mean little without context. Here’s what makes these numbers remarkable, even amazing:
- Valiantly Bootstrapping: Almost no external sources of funding for the best part of the almost 4 years that we’ve been serving in the community since March 2022.
- No charge*: We do not charge any money for our peer support services. Also, most of the people we serve are socio-economically marginalized.
- Second-to-none: Our peer support is exceptional. Because of the caliber of our peer supporters and the passion they have for our purpose and work.
Since March 2022, when we started serving in the community:
230+
Individuals struggling with mental health, addictions or related challenges that have benefited from our exceptional peer support
* representing about 2,760 person-hours of peer support or an average of 12 hours of engagement / client
66
Peer Support Groups where clients find connection, compassion and support in the company of others that are similarly struggling in small peer supporter-facilitated groups
49
Peer Supporter Trainees that have completed our exceptional 14-week Peer Supporter Training acorss 9 cohorts, who have gone on to make meaningful impact in their communities
Impact Multiplying Partnerships
These are our impact-multiplying community partnerships. Because we are stronger together.
DCHC HART Hub
We are the mental health peer support partner in a group of organizations led by DCHC (Durham Community Health Centre) to operate a provincially funded HART [Homelessness and Addictions Recovery Treatment] Hub in Durham.
Regional Municipality of Durham (RMD)
RMD financially supported the charitable mental health Peer Support Groups we run in the Durham community through its Thriving Communities Fund
RBC Foundation and Durham Community Foundation (DCF)
RBC Foundation and DC are financially supporting our youth-focused mental health peer support services. Youth aged 15-24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group.
Muslim Welfare Canada (MWC)
We have partnered with MWC to bring the benefits of mental health peer support to the women struggling with homelessness that live in Muslim Welfare Residences, MWC’s transitional housing facility in Whitby.
Durham Region Non-Profit Housing Corporation (DRNPHC)
In 2025, we partnered with DRNPHC to run Music & Mental Health Support Groups for residents in several of their affordable housing properties across Durham.
A Typical GraceWins Client
The typical GraceWins client is in between the ages of 30 and 60, struggles with at least one severe mental health condition – depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder…and is socio-economically marginalized. They are likely to be on psychiatric medication but don’t have the skills or social supports – family, friends, caregivers – to cope with their life situation. Addiction is often part of their present, and trauma and abuse are often part of their past.
They have a desire to move forward but don’t know how to access supports or navigate our overburdened, complicated healthcare system.
They will typically engage with GraceWins for about three months. Through this time they make positive, supportive connections, reduce isolation and learn from peers that have overcome struggles similar to theirs. Most importantly, they begin to realize their inherent value and the power they possess within to move forward in their healing journey.
Why Support GraceWins?
One Good Reason
Whether through partnership, philanthropy or donation, when you support GraceWins, you enable a team of passionate, lived experience’ peer supporters to do much-needed, exceptionally impactful, charitable peer support work with individuals in the community that are greatly struggling with mental health-related challenges
To partner or support: Connect / 289-600-9460
