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
- Walk or run with Adam House at the Scotiabank Virtual Toronto Marathon on Oct 16! You can either do this on your own route or join a socially-distanced group walk/run from Adam House Downtown (Bloor & Dufferin) to Adam House East (Queen & Carlaw). More details here.
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.
- 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
Safe Families
- Drivers Needed
- To transport children of a family in crisis to a host family within the city or back again.
- Looking for a Regional Director for the Toronto region
- Do you have a passion for vulnerable families? Do you desire to serve God through loving the ‘least of these’? Do you like working with people and building teams? Are you a self-starter, assertive, organized, and have an entrepreneurial character? Are you a strong communicator who loves holding a team together with your skills, flexibility, and relationship building? Do you love details, administration, and a job well done? If so, consider joining Safe Families Toronto as their Regional Director. Job Description Details
- 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.
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.
- Looking for more volunteers, particularly outreach volunteers in the Toronto region and those who are interested in online outreach. For more information: https://www.fight4freedom.ca/volunteer.html
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).
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.
Tabitha House
- Outdoor Maintenance Items Needed: push lawn mower (can be gently used or new), some shade-loving plants, gardening gloves, trowel and pruners, bags of fresh soil for planting, and an outdoor deck box to store patio cushions
- Care Baskets Needed
- Contents: new twin bedding and personal care items including personal hygiene items, a few healthy snacks, and a fresh towel set
- For additional information, or to coordinate donation, reach out to Erin McPherson at erinmcp@gmail.com.
Yonge Street Mission
- Needed Items: baby diapers (size 6, the most popular), pull-ups (sizes 2T-3T, 3T-4T, 4T-5T), wet cat food, wet and dry dog food, body soap/body wash, sunscreen, toothpaste, deodorant, body cream, toilet paper, razer and shaving cream
- Also, consider assembling a Welcome Home Laundry Basket Kit.
- For more information or to arrange drop off, please contact Eleanor at 647-466-1865 or eedwards@ysm.ca.
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 the improving COVID situation in the city that allowed the first in-person meet up with some Adam House residents in the park this month. Prayer for the safety of residents and volunteers as in-person programs resume.
Pray for George (not his real name) whose wife and daughter are still in their country of origin and are in danger. They are planning to travel to Canada later this month. Pray that they would be able to do so and that God would protect them in the meantime. Pray for George to experience peace that surpasses understanding in the midst of a difficult situation.
Pray for people who have received refugee status in Canada and are waiting on their Permanent Residency status. The wait can be interminable, unsettling, and long, especially for those who have children or spouses who are still in danger. Processing time for family members waiting to reunite with a refugee in Canada is 39 months!
Pray for the immigration delays that the residents continue to experience. It is taking significantly longer to obtain basic documents and work permits, and to schedule immigration interviews, resulting in anxiety and frustration for the residents.
Throughout the pandemic the residents have been spending more time in the house than they usually would. This can lead to tension at times. Please pray for peace and patience as the residents navigate challenging times.
As always, and most importantly, please pray for open hearts to hear and experience the peace of Jesus.
+ SAFE FAMILIES
Pray that God would provide a Regional Director who has a heart for the vulnerable in the city of Toronto, and would bring vision and direction to the movement.
Pray that Safe Families would be able to find volunteer drivers and family coaches to care for more families and children.
Pray 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.
Pray that staff and volunteers would be able to 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.
Pray 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 for the campers to be encouraged when they are feeling challenged by difficult lesson material or by new music skills.
Prayer for safety for the camps at Willowtree and Flemingdon Park, as there are no indoor facilities and there have been recent crimes in the communities.
Prayer that staff and volunteers better know what God is doing in the community and in the hearts of the kids, to partner with Him in that.
Prayer for the new families that TCM has reached out to recently about summer camp, to respond to the invitation.
+ FIGHT4FREEDOM
F4F is preparing for their annual Fall Walk4Freedom. It's going to be on September 25th. Please pray for God to mobilize people to join in bringing awareness and funds for the ministry work.
F4F was able to start journeying with a couple new survivors through online outreach. Please pray for their transition and that God’s love and work be made known to them.
As Covid restrictions continue to be loosened, please pray for the re-engagement of in-person club and parlour outreach.