Cindy GARDINER Blakely ’68

Cindy GARDINER Blakely ’68

An entrepreneurial spirit for social change

Cindy GARDINER Blakely ‘68 is the founder, past chair and current board member of New Circles Community Services, a non-profit social services agency that supports residents of Toronto’s most vulnerable neighbourhoods.
She has spent more than 40 years in the field of social work, focusing on child welfare, school social work, bereavement counselling and program development.


Cindy GARDINER Blakely ‘68

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?’ I take that to heart.
Inspired by the idea that adequate clothing is a human right, Ms. Blakely envisioned a welcoming place where low-income residents could access basic necessities with dignity and respect. Today, New Circles provides clothing to more than 15,000 people, as well as employment skills training and settlement support.
Back