AFFILIATE AND COMMUNITY NEEDS
Find ways to love our neighbours in partnership with our affiliates and other organizations serving the community.
SERVING - FOR INDIVIDUALS
Adam House
- Join the Adam House team for a walk and run on Oct. 16th to raise funds for Adam House. You can either do this on your own route or join a physically-distanced group walk or run from Adam House Downtown (Bloor & Dufferin) to Adam House East (Queen & Carlaw). For more information, please contact Tim (here).
Safe Families
- Sign-up to become a “Family Friend” to a segregated family in our city.
- Family Friends provide: love to parent(s) through encouragement; security and peace to parent(s) because they know someone sees them and cares about their well-being; knowledge and information they may not have; access to our extended church network; a shared desire for the security and well-being of their children; the Gospel hope of Jesus Christ; and possibly other tangible or service-based needs according to your comfort level and time.
- If you are interested, please contact Serena (here) for next steps.
SERVING - FOR GRACE GATHERINGS
Safe Families
- Together, sign-up to become “Family Friends” to a segregated family in our city.
- Family Friends provide: love to the parent(s) through encouragement; security and peace to the parent(s) because they know someone sees them and cares about their well-being; knowledge and information they may not have; access to our extended church network; a shared desire for the security and well-being of their children; the Gospel hope of Jesus Christ; and possibly other tangible or service-based needs according to your comfort level and time.
- Interested members of your GG will attend a virtual information session, fill out an application, and complete the online training required by Safe Families. For more information, contact Serena (here).
Homeless Connect Toronto
- This month, Homeless Connect Toronto (HCT) is focused on recruiting excited go-getters who will be willing to rally up a team of five or so friends, colleagues, family members, or anyone else, to commit to raising funds together this coming August. There will be an exciting competition among all fundraising teams. Join HCT to captain a team, win exciting prizes, and help the needy while you engage in adventure. Register your team here or contact us at info@hctoronto.org for more details.
- HCT is looking for a creative Social Media & Content Writer. This is a volunteer position where you will have the chance to work with a passionate team dedicated to connecting the dots to end homelessness. Click here for more information or send an email to info@hctoronto.org. Applications will remain open until the position is filled.
TANGIBLE NEEDS
Adam House
- Donate a startup kit with essential items to help an Adam House resident set up their first kitchen after moving out (estimated cost ~$70). More details here.
Safe Families
- Items Needed:
- Spring and summer women’s clothing (size L and XL) - can be gently used
- Women’s shoes (size 10)
- Children’s clothing (boy, size 5T and 6T) - can be gently used
- Safe Families can also accept monetary donations to help purchase these items.
- Please contact Serena (here).
For more information contact: rosemarie@gracetoronto.ca
PRAYERS
Help love our neighbours by praying for them and the organizations that serve them.
+ ADAM HOUSE
Praise God for bringing over 50 volunteers, current & former residents, staff and supporters of Adam House together on June 10th for a virtual World Refugee Day fellowship event to celebrate God’s work in this community.
Prayer for new residents at Adam House, that God give them refuge and rest in this city after fleeing from whatever hardship they were experiencing.
Prayer for the staff, that they have all the information and resources they need as they plan for a potential reopening of programs at Adam House later this summer.
Prayer for the Grace team who is serving Adam House in a variety of ways, from English lessons to fruit ministry to virtual socials, that they continue to experience God’s love for the refugee community pouring through them.
+ LIGHT PATROL
A young woman, "T", that Light Patrol has been connecting well with over the past several months, suddenly said that she doesn't want to meet anymore without any explanation. Light Patrol has had numerous conversations with her about God, watched "The Chosen", and talked about having a Bible study on the book of John. Please pray for T, and also for Karen, who has been closely working with her.
A young man "D" was offered a full-time job after a long time of trying and waiting. However, he was worried that he may not like the job or his co-workers. Since then, he also stopped talking to Light Patrol. Please pray for him and for an opportunity to reconnect.
Light Patrol is finally opening the Thursday Hotel Programs again in July! Please pray that God will open the hearts of the youth that Light Patrol will be connecting with at the hotel.
Pray for all the staff team members who are taking time off for the summer. May they have a restful time with their family and friends, and come back refreshed!
+ SAFE FAMILIES
Prayer that God would call members of our Grace Toronto community to find room in their homes, hearts, and lifestyles to become a Host family for a child in need of a safe place to stay.
Prayer that the staff and volunteers would find strength and motivation in the sacrificial love of Christ as they sacrificially love and serve children and parents in need of mercy and compassion.
Prayer that Safe Families Canada would become a place of refuge in Toronto for families who have nowhere else to turn in times of isolation and crisis.
Prayer that God would support, comfort, and provide for the needs of families who struggle in isolation, now more than ever. Single mothers are carrying the full burden of parenting without any time to recharge.
+ TORONTO CITY MISSION
Prayer that God calls the right people to join TCM staff and fill the 3 Outreach Worker positions that have opened up.
Prayer for safety, peace, and comfort for families, that God may meet their every need.
Prayer for the time spent with children and youth during Sonshine Day Camp in the months of July and August.
Prayer for safety for staff and campers as we host in-person programs over the summer.
+ FIGHT4FREEDOM
Pray for humans who are being trafficked using the 12-point prayer prompt.
VOLUNTEER OPENINGS
PREGNANCY CARE CENTRE
PCC is looking for female volunteers to assist staff when meeting with clients, connecting with clients through email or phone calls, and/or assisting with administrative tasks such as housing or job searches on clients' behalf.
+ Details
Location: Downtown (U of T Campus)
Once-a-Month Commitment: Tuesdays or Thursdays; afternoons (3-6pm) or evenings (6-9pm)
If you are interested, please contact Rosemarie Friesen: rosemarie@gracetoronto.ca
FIGHT4FREEDOM
Fight4Freedom is an organization that works in the GTA with women, children and men enslaved in the sex trade. In addition, they offer aftercare, advocacy, and referral support to individuals who are ready and able to transition into alternate work.
F4F is currently recruiting qualified individuals.
+ Details
Street Outreach
Commitment: minimum 1 year, weekly outreach
Outreach time: Fridays from 10:30pm-2:30am (usually it doesn't take up the whole 4 hours)
Through our street outreach ministry, we continue to journey with women in Toronto who are involved in sex work and often face challenges related to housing, substance use and mental health. During outreach time, we walk around the neighbourhood where it's known to have sex-work-related activities. We approach individuals with gifts and try to start up conversations. We listen as they share stories about their upbringing, relationships and long-distance parenting. From these stories, the common narrative that often emerges is one of intergenerational trauma perpetuated by cycles of criminalization and structural violence – many share about growing up in foster care, getting recruited into the sex industry, using street drugs to self-medicate, having 3-8 children apprehended due to addictions and then being incarcerated for drug possession. We continue to pray that our relationships with these ladies would allow us to speak truth and hope into the narratives that distort their sense of worth and identity. At a systemic level, both our ministry and survivor care departments are working with community partners to provide survivors and individuals who would like to exit with health support and to develop sustainable employment opportunities.
Club or Parlour Outreach
Commitment: minimum 1 year, monthly outreach and prayer gathering
Outreach time: one evening a month between Monday to Thursday for outreach; one evening a month for prayer and gift bag preparation; meet up time varies between 6-9pm; each outreach usually is within 3 hours time
Each club or parlour outreach team goes to the same strip club or parlours every month. The team approaches a club and asks entry permission from the club manager. Once allowed access, the team will go to the main area and approach individuals working there with gifts and try to start up conversations. For parlour outreach, the team approaches a parlour and tries to start up conversations with the individual who answers the door. We listen as they share stories. Same as street outreach, we continue to pray that our relationships with these ladies would allow us to speak truth and hope into the narratives that distort their sense of worth and identity. At a systemic level, both our ministry and survivor care departments are working with community partners to provide survivors and individuals who would like to exit with various support and to develop sustainable employment opportunities.
NOTE: Volunteers may encounter nudity during outreach. It is an asset to be bilingual in English and Chinese for parlour outreach.
If you are interested, please contact Rosemarie Friesen: rosemarie@gracetoronto.ca