Our Impact
The Gilbert Centre works alongside people and communities across Simcoe Muskoka to advance health, dignity, inclusion, and equity. Since 1995, we have supported people living with and affected by HIV, Hep C, STBBIs, drug use, stigma, discrimination, and barriers to care. Our work has grown from the AIDS Committee of Simcoe County into a broader community-based organization providing health services, harm reduction, 2S-LGBTQIA+ programming, education, advocacy, and social support.
Our impact is not only measured in numbers. It is seen in the people who access care with dignity, the harm reduction supplies that help save lives, the youth who find affirming spaces, the people living with HIV and Hep C who receive support, the organizations that learn to become safer and more inclusive, and the partnerships that help strengthen community well-being.
Annual Service Commitments
Each year, the Gilbert Centre sets service targets with funders that help describe the scale, focus, and accountability of our work. These targets are not the full story of our impact. They do not capture every conversation, relationship, referral, moment of trust, or barrier reduced. But they help show the practical work our teams are committed to delivering across Simcoe Muskoka.
As we continue strengthening our evaluation and reporting systems, we will update this page with annual results, community stories, program highlights, and impact data.
Health Access
We help people access HIV, Hep C, STBBI, and sexual health services through testing, treatment support, clinical care, outreach, referrals, and connection to ongoing supports.
Annual service commitments include:
- 300 Hep C clients served;
- 100 onsite Hep C/HIV/HBV-related tests;
- 250 outreach Hep C/HIV/HBV-related tests;
- 5 HCV pre-treatment workups;
- 4 HCV treatment initiations;
- 75 unique HIV clinical clients served;
- 140 HIV clinical appointments held.
Harm Reduction & Outreach
Harm reduction saves lives. Through outreach, supplies, referrals, education, and non-judgmental support, we help reduce harms and connect people to care, safety, and community.
Annual service commitments include:
- 2,700 outreach client interactions;
- 13,380 outreach service sessions;
- 190 referrals provided;
- 201,500 pieces of sterile, single-use equipment distributed;
- 14 community development meetings or education activitiesĀ
Hep C Education & Community Development
We support Hep C prevention, testing, care, education, and community development through outreach, service sessions, provider education, and individual support.
Annual service commitments include:
- 350 HCV service sessions;
- 30 HCV education activities for service providers;
- 200 one-on-one HCV education sessions;
- 10 group HCV education sessions;
- 800 HCV outreach contacts;
- 10 HCV community development activities.
HIV Support & Practical Assistance
We support people living with, affected by, or at risk of HIV through practical assistance, service navigation, referrals, support sessions, and connection to care.
Annual service commitments include:
- 80 unique HIV support clients served;
- 10 service sessions delivered to people with HIV;
- 160 service sessions delivered to people at risk for HIV;
- 160 practical support sessions to reduce barriers to care and treatment;
- 160 referrals to health, community, and social services.
HIV Prevention, Education & Referrals
We support HIV prevention through education, outreach, testing promotion, PrEP awareness, anti-stigma work, referrals, and service pathway development.
Annual service commitments include:
- 93 HIV prevention education and outreach activities;
- 545 HIV prevention contacts reached;
- 10 HIV anti-stigma or MEPA/GIPA-related activities;
- 14 service provider education, community development, or network activities;
- 21 PrEP access and uptake activities;
- 21 HIV testing promotion activities;
- 4 activities to strengthen local HIV service pathways;
- 136 HIV prevention referrals.
Beyond the Numbers
Numbers help show the scale of our work. Stories help show why it matters. Behind every target is a person, a relationship, a safer choice, a connection to care, a referral completed, a barrier reduced, or a moment where someone was treated with dignity.
As we continue building our impact reporting, we will share both data and stories to better reflect the full value of the Gilbert Centreā€™s work.
Local Work, Global Goals
The Gilbert Centreā€™s work is local to Simcoe Muskoka, but it reflects broader global commitments to health, dignity, equity, education, inclusion, and justice.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals provide a helpful way to understand how community-based organizations contribute to a healthier and more equitable world. While the Gilbert Centre is not a United Nations agency, our programs align with several of these global goals through our everyday work with individuals, communities, organizations, and systems.
No Poverty
Many people who connect with the Gilbert Centre experience poverty, housing instability, income insecurity, or barriers to basic needs.
Our staff support people through referrals, system navigation, advocacy, and connection to health, housing, income, food, legal, and social services where possible.
We do not end poverty on our own. But we work alongside people who are navigating poverty and advocate for systems that treat people with dignity.
Zero Hunger
Food access is not the core mandate of the Gilbert Centre, but we recognize that nutrition, poverty, health, and dignity are connected.
When resources and donations allow, we may provide snacks, food, grocery cards, or referrals to food programs as part of low-barrier support and community care.
Small acts of food support can help people feel welcomed, reduce immediate barriers, and create pathways to connection.
Good Health & Well-Being
Health and well-being are central to the Gilbert Centreā€™s work.
We support HIV, Hep C, STBBI, and sexual health services; harm reduction; overdose prevention; safer sex education; peer support; referrals; and access to care.
Our work contributes to community health by reducing stigma, improving access, supporting prevention and treatment, and helping people connect with care in ways that honour their dignity and autonomy.
Quality Education
Education is one of the Gilbert Centreā€™s core tools for change.
Through community presentations, public education, sexual health information, harm reduction education, and Safer Spaces training, we help individuals and organizations build knowledge, reduce stigma, and create safer environments.
Safer Spaces also supports professional development for organizations seeking to better understand and serve 2S-LGBTQIA+ communities.
Gender Equality
The Gilbert Centre works with women, trans people, non-binary people, two-spirit people, and gender-diverse communities who experience overlapping forms of stigma, discrimination, violence, and barriers to care.
Our work includes gender-affirming support, 2S-LGBTQIA+ programming, HIV and sexual health services, harm reduction, education, and advocacy.
We support gender equality by challenging stigma, promoting inclusion, and helping organizations create safer and more affirming spaces.
Decent Work & Economic Growth
Inclusive workplaces are healthier, stronger, and more sustainable.
Through Safer Spaces, we support employers, service providers, and organizations to build more inclusive policies, practices, and workplace cultures.
This work helps organizations better serve clients, support staff, reduce harm, strengthen retention, and create environments where more people can participate fully and safely.
Reduced Inequalities
Reducing inequality is at the centre of the Gilbert Centreā€™s mission.
We work with people and communities who face stigma, criminalization, discrimination, poverty, homophobia, transphobia, racism, health inequities, and barriers to care.
Our programs are designed to reduce barriers, improve access, and support people who are often excluded from mainstream systems.
Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
The Gilbert Centre advocates for rights-based, evidence-informed, and community-led approaches to health and social support.
We work with partners, institutions, and systems to challenge stigma, improve access, support harm reduction, advance health equity, and promote dignity for the people and communities we serve.
This includes advocacy for clients, community education, policy conversations, and participation in broader systems-change work.
The Gilbert Centre is not affiliated with the United Nations. References to the Sustainable Development Goals are provided as a framework for understanding how local community-based work can contribute to broader goals for health, equity, education, inclusion, and justice. The content of this page has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States.
