‘We need more funding’: Toronto adult day program at risk of shutting down

Posted November 9, 2026 10:20 am.

A Toronto non-profit day program for adults with special needs is at risk of shutting down after what organizers says is a decline in private donations and a lack of funding from public sources.

Bryan’s Place was founded four years ago by single mom Loreno Sinato — who also works a full-time job — after she was faced with a tough choice when her son with complex special needs was close to aging out of the public school system.

“At 21, he would no longer have day care. So I began searching for a day program that could handle his complex needs,” Sinato said.

What she was met with were long waitlists.

“Nobody could take him,” she said. “I was trying to decide what to do. Should I cut back my hours to care for him?”

 As a single mom and sole income earner she said that was not possible. 

“That’s when I said I have to do something about this. So I created Bryan’s Place.”

She co-founded the non-profit organization, alongside four other mothers dedicated to supporting parents who were faced with the same dilemma. They opened Bryan’s Place, located inside a medical office complex on Dundas Street West. It provides — not only day care for adults with special needs — but also skills and social training.

“We have a behavioural therapist that comes once a month,” she said. “But it’s the social aspect for the clients that’s also critical. We offer them a space where they can socialize instead of being stuck at home alone.”

Parents like Rob Nicolson, whose 21-year-old daughter attends Bryan’s Place, says it has been a lifesaver.

“She’s relatively high functioning in the sense that physically she’s capable, but unfortunately, she’s not able to be on her own. She needs someone with her 24 hours a day,” Nicolson said.

While parents like Nicolson pay a fee for the program, Sinato said it’s not nearly enough to cover operating expenses.

“We rely heavily on donations. The main struggle here is to pay rent, insurance, skilled staff, and that’s what we need,” she said.

Sinato said in a down economy, those donations have declined. She also said their efforts to receive provincial funding through Ontario Trillium Health have not been successful.

“Our application has been denied twice,” she said. “They blamed errors on the application so we’re working through that process but we need help.”

Sinato said she is now in talks with MPP Alexa Gilmour to seek assistance hoping that help can translate into receiving public funds.

“We’re hopeful but we’re running out of time,” Sinato said. “At this point we have enough funding to make it through the end of December but after that we may have to close these doors which is heartbreaking.”

Parents like Nicholson are also ramping up fundraising efforts, hoping the public can step up.

“What we really need to do with Bryan’s Place is find some corporate support, some support from the community and that’s our focus right now,” he said.

“We can’t lose this place,” Sinato added. “If we do, we will have too many families left with tough choices, either earn an income or stay home.”

If you have an issue, story or question you’d like us to look into, contact us.

Keep it Factual

Add CityNews Toronto as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.