Amelia came to HF Care when her daughter began struggling with her mental health. As a mother and caregiver, she was trying to understand what her daughter was going through and how she could support her. HF Care helped her find a way forward, giving her a “map” for a path she never expected to be on. It also helped her find community and support for herself as a caregiver. She joined one of HF Care’s regular free programs, the weekly Cantonese Crochet group, where she met other caregivers, along with clients in recovery. Crochet was something she loved as a child and was grateful to finally have a space to bring it back into her life. The group became a place to spend time with others, share what she knew, and make things she simply loved making.
Finding her own way to give back
One Christmas, someone gave her a giant ball of white yarn. She was grateful, but a bit puzzled: “What was I going to make with all this!?” Then she realized something was missing from the top of her Christmas Tree – an Angel. She thought this time she could ask her daughter for help. Grace always had butterflies on her things, so she asked if she could add some butterflies and wings. For Amelia, making together was also a way to help her daughter learn something new and regain some of the confidence she had lost. Over time, her daughter began coming back to HF Care on her own, meeting friends in a place where she felt welcome. For Amelia, growing independence meant a lot. “The best thing I gave her was a place where she could stand on her own.”
Made to make someone happy
Together, they kept making more and more angels. Over time, some of the angels and other creations made at HF Care began appearing at fundraisers, with proceeds going back to support the programs where they were made. But for them, this shouldn't be thought of as a product. “I didn't create these for “business” - it’s so that we can make people happy and support a community that supported me.” Alongside her are peers making flowers, scarves, bags, little animals and other things that didn’t have names yet. Some had been knitting or crocheting for decades. Others were just learning. None of them were being made to fill an order. Over time, we had accumulated a lot of beautiful things looking for homes
So, we had an idea.
What if we made a “store” for things that were never made for a store?
Welcome to HeartWork: The HF Care Online Shop
The community behind HeartWork
HF Care is a community mental health agency that has supported Asian communities across the Greater Toronto Area for more than 40 years. Today, we provide culturally responsive mental health care and well-being programs across five language communities.
HeartWork grew out of our Recovery College, where recovery is about more than receiving a service. It’s also about finding connection and building confidence by sharing what you know and having opportunities to contribute.
Our Culturally Competent Recovery College brings people together through activities that feel familiar and meaningful, where they can be around peers who share the same culture and language. This includes groups like our Cantonese Crochet Group and Korean Sewing Group, where people can learn from one another, make things together or simply spend time in community.
See what our community has made here, or learn more about our programs on our agency’s website.
