THE BIG PICTURE 2025

“We can’t deeply collaborate, if we don’t start doing things together.” – Participant, Policy Talk 2023

 

About the Big Picture

Since its launch, The Big Picture has become a space for nonprofit leaders, community advocates, and residents to come together with policymakers and share solutions to the challenges we all face in London and Middlesex region. The 2024 event highlighted shared concerns across the sector, including rising demand for services, workforce and volunteer shortages, funding constraints, gaps in data and advocacy, and other systemic barriers.

This year’s theme—Community Health, Inclusion, and Belonging—underscores the urgent need to build stronger, healthier, and more connected communities.

The program will feature presentations from the London Community Foundation, CMHA Thames Valley Addiction & Mental Health Services, and Pillar Nonprofit Network, followed by a panel discussion with community health leaders. Together, we will explore pressing issues such as housing, mental health supports, safety, inclusion, access to services, amongst other top issues.

The Goal of The Big Picture 2025

The Big Picture 2025 aims to bring together diverse voices to identify, discuss, and generate solutions to the pressing issues that matter most to our sector and our community. This year’s theme will focus on community health, grounded in the understanding that belonging and inclusion are vital to individual and collective well-being, with particular attention to historically underserved communities in London and Middlesex.

Objectives of the Event

• Share key research, data, and lived experiences to inform local and regional priorities.

• Spotlight innovative solutions and collaborative approaches to address systemic barriers.

• Build stronger connections and partnerships that help make our community healthier, more welcoming, and fair for everyone.

The event will have two parts. Part One will feature presentations from Pillar Nonprofit Network, the London Community Foundation, and CMHA Thames Valley Addiction & Mental Health Services.

In the second part of the event which will be a panel discussion, we’ll hear from voices across the nonprofit, health, and community sectors, including Dr. Alex Summers, Medical Officer of Health at the Middlesex-London Health Unit; Dr. Beth Mitchell, Chair of the LMLIP Health and Wellbeing Sub-council; and Donavon Trice, Men’s Sexual Health Outreach Coordinator at the Regional HIV/AIDS Connection.

Who Will Attend

The Big Picture is for everyone. Drawing from last year’s experience, we are looking forward to welcoming approximately 80–110 participants which includes nonprofit leaders, senior executives, board members, frontline workers, policymakers, city councillors, municipal staff, provincial and federal elected officials, advocates, and community members. With a focus on community health, belonging, and inclusion, this year’s event will bring together diverse perspectives, particularly from historically underrepresented groups. This is an opportunity to step out of silos, share knowledge and resources, and strengthen our collective commitment to meaningful change.

Doors open at 8:30 am, and the event begins at 9 am.