Overview
On April 15, Care for All Canada partnered with Fred Victor to host a skincare product distribution and community education event for individuals supported by the organization. This initiative is part of our continuing mission to advance health equity by improving access to essential dermatologic and hygiene products for underserved communities.
Fred Victor provides critical housing, health, income, and community supports for people experiencing poverty and homelessness in Toronto. This event was designed to complement that work by providing practical skincare and hygiene resources alongside accessible education on product use and general skin health.
Activities and Engagement
Product Distribution:
Care for All Canada provided approximately 200 skincare and hygiene products for distribution through Fred Victor. Although 7 community members attended the educational workshop, products were distributed more broadly through the site to support additional community members beyond those present for the session. The distribution was structured to provide approximately 4 products per person, allowing participants and other community members to receive a practical combination of items for ongoing use.
The products were primarily moisturizers and cleansers, selected to support common skin health needs such as dryness, irritation, gentle cleansing, and maintenance of the skin barrier. These products were especially relevant for individuals facing barriers to routine skincare access, including housing instability, environmental exposure, and limited access to preventive dermatologic care.
Educational Component:
Care for All Canada volunteers provided informal education alongside the product distribution. This included guidance on how to use moisturizers and cleansers effectively, the importance of gentle skin care routines, and basic strategies for preventing dryness and irritation. Volunteers also answered general questions from workshop participants and helped explain which products may be most useful for different skin concerns.
Community Engagement:
The smaller workshop size allowed for more individualized conversations with the 7 participants who attended. Volunteers were able to spend time discussing product selection, daily skincare routines, and practical ways to incorporate moisturizers and cleansers into personal care. At the same time, the broader product distribution ensured that the event’s impact extended beyond the workshop attendees.
Community Impact
Workshop Participants: 7
Products Provided for Distribution: approximately 200 skincare and hygiene products
Estimated Distribution Model: approximately 4 products per person
Estimated Community Members Reached Through Product Distribution: approximately 50
Primary Product Types Provided: moisturizers and cleansers
The event was well received by workshop participants, who appreciated both the availability of essential products and the opportunity to ask questions in a supportive environment. While the educational component directly engaged 7 individuals, the broader product distribution was designed to reach approximately 50 community members, based on a distribution model of roughly 4 products per person.
Reflections and Next Steps
This event reinforced the importance of pairing product distribution with education while also recognizing that not all community members are able to attend formal programming. By providing products for broader distribution through Fred Victor, Care for All Canada was able to support both individualized education for workshop attendees and wider access to skincare and hygiene supplies for the community.
Moving forward, Care for All Canada will:
Continue prioritizing high-demand products such as moisturizers and cleansers.
Maintain an educational component at distribution events to support safe and effective product use.
Structure future distributions to support both workshop participants and community members who may not be able to attend formal education sessions.
Continue collaborating with Fred Victor to support practical, dignity-centered health outreach for underserved communities in Toronto.
We are grateful for the opportunity to continue working with Fred Victor and to support their ongoing efforts to serve community members experiencing poverty, homelessness, and barriers to care.
Prepared by:
Care for All Canada
careforallcanada@gmail.com