LISA'S STORY
This Mother’s Day weekend I will be joining with others from Grace Toronto, and churches across the GTA, by participating in the Pregnancy Care Centre’s Annual 5K Relay. I will be walking to help raise money for the incredible work this organization does throughout the GTA. As a volunteer with the PCC for the last 4 years, I have seen firsthand the impact they have on the women and families who come to them in some of their darkest moments. Women who are facing unexpected pregnancies, who feel alone and scared of what their future may look like. Many come feeling societal pressures that tell them abortion is their only option. However, through the work of the staff and volunteers at PCC, these women are given a listening ear to their struggles, a hope and light in the darkness and above all else they are shown Christ’s love and that they are not alone. Knowing that there is a community who cares and is willing to support them allows these woman to make the decision to parent, and it is for this reason that I will walk this Mother’s Day weekend. I will walk so that more women can experience hope in their darkest moments, that they know they are not alone and abortion is not their only option.
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 fruits rotation to help create weekly fruit packages as our way to encourage the residents during the pandemic when we still cannot meet in person. Sign up here, or contact Tim for more information.
Pregnancy Care Centre
- Will you join Grace Toronto's team and walk 5km with us this Mother's Day weekend (May 8th-9th)? Or consider graciously donating to our team? When you walk (or donate), you provide HOPE to families and reaffirm the value of human life. The PCC exists so that women can thrive without seeing abortion as their only option.
- Click here (link) to sign up for the Grace Toronto team or to donate and support us!
Safe Families
- Would you consider joining the Safe Families GTA Leadership Council?
- Safe Families Toronto is looking for individuals who share the vision of the organization and desire to serve using their unique expertise and experience to support and guide the local Chapter. This document gives an overview of the Leadership Council roles and responsibilities. For more information, please contact Serena (here).
- 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
Pregnancy Care Centre
- Will you join Grace Toronto's team and walk 5km with us this Mother's Day weekend (May 8th-9th)? Or consider graciously donating to our team? When you walk (or donate), you provide HOPE to families and reaffirm the value of human life. The PCC exists so that women can thrive without seeing abortion as their only option.
- Click here (link) to sign up for the Grace Toronto team or to donate and support us!
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
- Adam House East Fundraiser & Furniture Donation: Help Adam House buy and furnish a new transitional house for refugee families in the city. Only $19,500 left to raise (out of $60,000). See link for donation and furniture drop-off details. For donations, select Fund "Adam House East" and Sub Fund "Grace Toronto".
Pregnancy Care Centre
- Needed items for new mothers/parents: baby boy clothing (12-24 months), baby boy and girl clothing (0-12 months).
- Text 416-229-2607 to schedule drop off.
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).
Homeless Connect Toronto
- Needs for people living on the street or with insecure housing are still high.
- Donate to help meet these needs (link).
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 providing Adam House East a previously uninhabitable house from Toronto Community Housing Corporation. It will now be converted into a transitional home for refugees coming through Adam House.
Prayer for Janey, Caleb, and the residents in their 1:1 English lessons, that their fellowship be enriching to all those involved.
Prayer for the group in Adam House North that started gathering for a Discovery Bible Study, that they will be able to deepen their relationship with God and each other through the study of God’s Word.
+ PREGNANCY CARE CENTRE
Prayer for the annual 5k fundraiser happening May 8th - prayer that PCC will meet and surpass their financial goals so that more women will be helped.
Praise for the willingness of the Grace community to financially support this fundraiser.
Prayer for staff and volunteers as PCC moves back to being virtual during this stay-at-home order.
Prayer for the women and families who are finding it especially stressful during this time of uncertainty. Pray that those who are job and/or home searching will be able to find something that adequately fits their needs.
+ 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.
Prayer for a smooth transition as another staff member temporarily fills the position of executive director for Safe Families Canada.
Prayer that the right people would decide to join the GTA Leadership Council and that they would be unified in their vision for the advancement of the Safe Families movement throughout Toronto.
+ SQUADS
Prayer that all children would be able to focus and function during online school, and that activities would safely open up for them in the summer.
Prayer for safety as Regent Park is a hotspot.
+ TORONTO CITY MISSION
Praise God that relationship with families continue to grow as well as engagement during Bible time with the kids and youth.
Praise be to God that we have hired a new Fundraising Coordinator, Alan Chu.
Praise God that volunteers, children, and youth continue to engage and get to know each other through programming.
Prayer for the families' and childrens' physical and mental health and safety, as the city and GTA go into another lockdown/stay-at-home-order (many of the children have expressed heightened emotions during this time). Pray also for the Mission.
Prayer over the communities that TCM serves as all of them are in areas that are considered hotspots in Toronto (Flemingdon Park, Kingston-Galloway, and Willowtree).
Prayer for discernment in building community and engaging with kids, youth, and parents.
+ FIGHT4FREEDOM
Prayer for street outreach. Pray for timely connections with individuals during street outreach, for them to experience God's loving pursuit of them. Pray for suitable outreach members to join the team.
A number of F4F staff members are experiencing health challenges. Prayer for God's healing and strength as well as His protection over the staff and volunteer team.
Prayer for the parlours F4F visits. Pray that their teams can provide care and support through phone or texts even though in-person outreach to parlours is on pause.
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