Mid-Year Reflections on National Day For Truth & Reconciliation

Mid-Year Reflections on National Day For Truth & Reconciliation

I can hardly believe we are already six months into our year of delivering programming alongside First Nations communities across Northern Ontario. It has been a busy and meaningful year so far, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to share some of what we have been able to accomplish together.

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour the children who never returned home from residential schools, remember Survivors and their families, and reflect on the ongoing impacts of the residential school system. To honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the work we have undertaken alongside First Nations communities over the past six months, the relationships that guide our programming, and our ongoing responsibility to listen, learn and support community-identified needs.

First, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to each of you who supports Mikinakoos. Whether you are new to our organization or have been part of the Mikinakoos community for years, your generosity helps us respond to needs identified by the communities we serve.

Since April 2026, your support has helped us deliver 45 shipments to 14 First Nations communities, already exceeding the number of shipments we delivered during the entirety of our 2025–26 fiscal year. Behind every shipment is a child, family, school or community receiving something they have told us they need.

As we reflect on this work, we are also mindful of our responsibility to contribute to reconciliation in meaningful and practical ways. Our programming aligns with several of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, including those addressing child welfare (Call to Action 1), education and opportunity (Call to Action 7), First Nations education (Call to Action 10), health (Call to Action 19), and access to sports and recreation (Call to Action 89). 

Reconciliation is a shared responsibility that extends far beyond the work of any one organization. For Mikinakoos, our role is to listen to communities, build respectful relationships and respond to needs identified locally. We strive to ensure that the support we provide is relevant, practical and contributes to better outcomes for children and families.

That commitment has shaped our work over the past six months. Here are some of the highlights:

• The healthy snack program delivered to elementary school students in Sachigo Lake First Nation – to ensure every child gets the nutrition they need;

• Providing toothbrushes and other supplies to support oral healthcare initiatives in Kingfisher Lake and Sachigo Lake First Nations;  

• Supporting care for the smallest members of northern communities – infant care supplies, such as diapers, wipes, formula, breast-feeding supplies, clothing, and more were delivered for infants in Pikangikum, Bearskin Lake, Sachigo Lake, Lac Seul, Keewaywin, and many other First Nations communities; 

• New gymnasium equipment for the elementary school in Keewaywin First Nation; School supplies for kids in the north! We recently travelled with our friends from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to deliver backpacks full of school supplies, laptop computers, and hygiene care for the students in Sachigo Lake First Nation. This was an incredible day of engagement and learning with our friends at the school; 

• Warm clothing supplies are starting to ramp up, and we started our fall off with delivers of sweatpants to Lac Seul and Weagamow (North Caribou Lake) First Nations. 

This summer also brought an extraordinary need outside our regular programming. When wildfires forced families from several Northwestern Ontario First Nations communities to evacuate, our team worked with partners to help provide food, clothing, hygiene supplies, shelter and other essentials to families staying in Thunder Bay, Toronto and Niagara Falls.

We are already planning a very busy winter, with the coordination of our annual Winter Coat Program, a hygiene program supplied by Lush Cosmetics under way, and a holiday toy drive in progress! We are also working to support communities affected by this summer's wildfires to help heal and resupply what they have lost, in terms of food, clothing and recreational supplies for schools.

We are grateful for the trust that communities place in us and for the many partners and donors who make this work possible. It is our privilege to work alongside First Nations communities and to continue learning how we can be a better partner in supporting children and families across Northern Ontario.

Thank you for being part of that work.

Kitchi-miigwech,

Stephanie Paxton
Fellow Donor & Executive Director

Click here to Support Reconciliation Efforts with Mikinakoos