A popular centre to educate and empower young girls has shut its doors after falling victim to COVID-19.

The Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment, which was founded by former Etobicoke-Lakeshore MP Jean Augustine, has been a source of inspiration for many area teens.

Emma Asiedu-Akrofi, the Executive Director of the Centre, thanked the community for their support over the years.

“As a result of the impact of COVID-19, we have unfortunately lost our primary source of funding,” Asiedu-Akrofi told residents in an email on April 17. “Programs are being suspended immediately as we make necessary adjustments.’

She apologized for the inconvenience the closure will have on families and thanked them for their understanding.

The centre, according to its website, is dedicated to empowering girls and young women between the ages of 7 to 17-years-old by offering programs on arts, life skills, academic success and leadership. The Centre also supports the community by offering programs, workshops and events for women and families.

The popular centre offered teens in demand programs as public speaking, resume building, tutor training, and courses in the sciences and technological advancements.

Augustine, a former teacher and high school principal, was the first African-Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons. She was elected in the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore in 1993 and sat in Parliament until 2006. She served as the Fairness Commissioner for the Government of Ontario advocating for Canadians with foreign credentials from 2007 to 2015.

She made history by introducing a motion in Parliament that allowed for the placement of the Famous Five statue on Parliament Hill which recognized Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Louise McKinney who were at one time banned from being appointed to the Senate due to their sex.

Augustine is also well-known for another motion in Parliament that created Black History Month in Canada. She has received honorary Doctor of Law degrees from six universities and has been recognized by having the Jean Augustine Girls’ Leadership Academy, Jean Augustine Secondary School and the Jean Augustine Chair in Education at York University.