Our History
Growing Alongside Our Community
In 1952, John and Laura Zoller approached the Windsor Board of Education and asked them to develop an education program for their son Charles. The result of this meeting was the establishment of a small class which began meeting at the YMCA in October 1952. Each parent paid $5 per week, out of which the group was able to hire a retired teacher for $25 per week. Word of the class spread quickly and so others made enquiries about enrolling their children. With such growing interest, the parents decided to incorporate as the Greater Windsor Parents Association, the second such association in Ontario. After a year, the need for more space forced a move. The Association approached the City of Windsor,which offered a house at 1304 Church Street for an annual rental fee of $1. In 1954, the children’s program with 35 students moved to the home and named it Churchwood. By 1958, the Churchwood program had more than doubled its size. A $50,000 cost-matching donation from The City of Windsor and surrounding municipalities permitted the Association to build a new Churchwood School on Virginia Park. This was the first Ontario school for children with disabilities built entirely with public funds.​ Today our supports continue to evolve. While the approaches and philosophies may have changed over the years, the basic premise has remained the same– support for people and families in their community to help them achieve a better life, as it was in 1952.
![A photo collage of families and people supported by Community Living Windsor in 1952, meant to show the agency's beginnings.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3b23be_4534979101f54581b4775d842ed5218b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_736,h_414,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Collage.jpg)
Our Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission: Community Living Windsor is dedicated to supporting people who have an intellectual disability and their families as they pursue possibilities, make choices and achieve the life they want.
Vision: Where everyone belongs and has support within their community to achieve a better life.
Values: As a not-for-profit charitable organization founded in 1952 by families, Community Living Windsor is guided and committed to its core values: commitment to people and their families, possibilities, community and lifelong learning.
CLW Board of Directors
CLW Senior Leadership Team
![Jenn_edited.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3b23be_e1ff18fa50084388b51cc2424fc27430~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_8,w_480,h_467/fill/w_183,h_178,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Jenn_edited.png)
Jennifer Pestrin
Executive Director
![Photo of Sarah Canzi, Director of Supports](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3b23be_be138303d2b14d3b88fa984ae5c0c918~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_3072,h_2988/fill/w_183,h_178,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/2X7A5817.png)
Sarah Canzi
Director, Supports
![Photo of Brandon Pottie, Operations Director](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3b23be_34551b4c7f994d6d9d079ae820388f2d~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_1200,h_1167/fill/w_183,h_178,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/2X7A5648.png)
Brandon Pottie
Operations Director
![Photo of Jeremy Garrod, Director of Supports](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3b23be_39edb39e2d7744caae4be36572696a7a~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_161,w_3072,h_2988/fill/w_183,h_178,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/2X7A5855.png)
Jeremy Garrod
Director, Supports
![CommLiving-Headshots-14.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9e32c8_eff90cbd4f5c4141b1356e4bfd1e7d70~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_29,w_2746,h_2672/fill/w_183,h_178,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/CommLiving-Headshots-14.png)
Nicole Morassut
Director, HR
![Photo of Lindsay McLeod, Director of Supports](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3b23be_e260798d5ccb4a24b6ea69fa09591702~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_209,w_3072,h_2988/fill/w_183,h_178,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/2X7A5570-Edit.png)
Lindsay McLeod
Director, Supports
![Photo of Kirill Samokhin, Director of Finance](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3b23be_f31030911a3b477981ff0cadf05114f7~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_3072,h_2988/fill/w_183,h_178,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/2X7A5600.png)
Kirill Samokhin
Director, Finance
![Photo of Dan Logan, Director of Innovation and Qaulity Assurance](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3b23be_46da3a7c733c4806a639ef5f47f1db81~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_3072,h_2988/fill/w_183,h_178,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/2X7A7467.png)
Dan Logan
Director, Innovation & QA