We have many opportunities for Outreach here at Jubilee!

We Believe in OUTREACH !

Outreach is an expression of our Christian faith in action. It is reaching out to those in need in our community, our city, and our country, as well as in the world. The Outreach Committee brings these needs to the attention of the congregation.

Our Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving Appeals for donations to the Food Banks in our community as well as the contributions to the Out of the Cold Program serve the needs of low income and homeless people.

The Mountain of Warmth is an example of helping with a local need for warm mittens, scarves and hats. This was identified by the schools in our area.

The Red Door, a family shelter in our area, is also supported by Outreach. Donations are possible because of one of the endowment funds set up by the congregation from Bethesda.

At Christmas special donations are also made to the Street patrol and to the youth shelter, Eva's Place.

On occasion, special appeals may come from the National Church Office such as during the war in Afghanistan or the AIDS crisis in Africa.

We are continually looking at our programs and assessing the needs of the marginalized people in our community and how to cooperate with other churches and agencies to meet these needs.

Outreach has always been involved in charitable efforts, such as the Food Bank, Out of the Cold, and the Mitten Tree, and will continue these. The committee also sees a need to move from Charity to Justice, that is giving others in the world an equal share in our blessings. Ethical Investing is one important concept which we feel Jubilee members and friends need to be aware.

SPECIFIC PROJECTS: 

Brookbanks for African Grannies

Brookbanks for African Grannies is a group of women from Parkwoods UC, Jubilee UC and other United Churches.   Our purpose is to raise awareness and funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation to support Grandmothers in Africa who are raising their grandchildren because their adult children have died of HIV Aids. 

We have been in existence since 2006 and have had numerous events to accomplish this goal.  We raised money by having a one-woman play by Rita Deverell, raffled off a quilt, and had a number of small individual dinners. Some women also make jewelry and dolls to sell.  In 2009, a dinner was held to celebrate the life of our friend, Ann Davies, and in the fall, an English tea.  We have attended several meetings including the International Aids Conference in 2006 where African Grannies travelled to Toronto to tell their stories and raise awareness. The last regional meeting in fall of 2009 was attended by some of our members.  In all we have raised thousands of dollars to the SL Foundation while having some good fellowship in the process.

Our plans for 2010 are to attend the Toronto walk to support African Grannies, to host individual dinners, and to host an African dinner event in order to raise more funds.

We are always happy to have more members.  Please telephone Parkwoods or Jubilee United Church at leave a message that you are interested in joining Brookbanks grannies, and we will respond quickly.

To learn more about the Stephen Lewis foundation please look at the website  www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/

OUTREACH SPECIAL APPEAL

We have an appeal for three agencies that help those who are homeless & living in poverty. The three are Eva’s Initiatives, The Ashinawbe Street Patrol and the Red Door.

Eva’s Initiatives has a number of locations in the city but the one closest to us is at Leslie & Lesmill Rd.  Eva Smith was a community worker in North York schools and she campaigned for many years to get a shelter for youth in North York. Her great fear was that homeless youth from N York would get lost on the streets of downtown Toronto. Eva’s Initiatives provides many services to help young people who have left home. These include counseling about how to continue with their education, to find jobs, and apprentice training.

Some programs have become a model that is duplicated in other

 cities in Canada.

The Ashinawbe Street Patrol serves homeless people who resist shelters and live under bridges and in out of the way places. The patrol checks on people at night and brings hot food and blankets. Sometimes they can provide transportation to shelters or hospital.

The Red Door is shelter for those who find themselves without a place to live. The staff help to deal with family problems and reestablish & relocate the families.

Food Bank Appeal

The demand continues to increase in Toronto because of the high cost of housing.  The response from Jubilee has always been generous both in donations and in non perishable food.  Please consider sharing your good fortune with others.

Donations of money can be multiplied many times because the staff can buy in bulk and fill in the gaps. Cheques may be made out to Jubilee United Church with food bank on the memo and left either in the offering plates or at the office. 

Examples of foods that we collect in the box at the front door include; peanut butter, tinned meats , tuna, salmon, canned vegetables, hearty soups, pasta, rice, lentils, cooking oil, cereal and sugar. These donations go to our local Food Bank at Church of the Ascension, on Overland Drive.

Thank you for your prayerful consideration

CREATIVE OUTREACH

Air Miles Collectors!  Consider redeeming some air miles (125) for a $20 Food Voucher that can be used for the Benevolent Fund.

Canadian Tire Money!   The Outreach Committee can use it to get items for the groups we support.

Corks are collected and sorted by our local Sparks group, who pass them on for recycling.  We divert good used cork from landfills, and it can be recycled for other uses.

Eva’s Satellite Location needs warm coats, jackets, pants, sweaters, hats and gloves as well as personal hygiene articles such as soap, shampoo and towels. You can drop off items into the Outreach box in the foyer.

Eye Glasses are collected and used in other countries.

Fair Trade Products: We order fair trade coffee for the congregation members regularly. In addition Jubilee uses Fair Trade coffee at the Sunday service coffee time.    See below * for more information on fair trade.

Food Bank – collecting non-perishable foods for our local food bank.  See the box in the foyer. Monetary donations also appreciated!

Good Food Box:  Members of the community as well as members of the congregation order once a month for locally grown produce.

Ink Cartridges are being collected to support the food bank. (No Epson ones, please.)

Pop Tabs are collected, and donated to groups purchasing wheelchairs.

Milk Bags, the outside, colourful ones, are used to make sleeping mats for overseas.  (No biodegradable ones, please.)  With the help of our friends from Parkwoods, Glen Ayr, and Donminster United Churches, we were able to send 10 sleeping mats in May.  This is a NEVER ENDING project.  Please save your bags, and help us with the cutting, tying, and crocheting to make these mats a reality.

Wool for Mountain of Warmth projects is now located in the cupboard by the south end washrooms. We knit hats and scarves for children in local schools and shelters.

* FAIR TRADE

Fair Trade is an alternative approach to conventional international trade which promotes social equity, economic security and sound environmental practices. Its goal is to contribute to sustainable development by improving market access for disadvantaged producers, by raising awareness and campaigning. It works to a set of values and objectives that seek to improve living standards and achieve a fairer distribution of income and influence. It is a partnership between all involved in the trading process -- producers, workers, traders and consumers. (Source: Ten Thousand Villages News (Canada) March/April 1999 pg. 1) 

Key elements of fair trade include:

· Creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers

· Transparency and accountability

· Promoting independence

· Payment of a fair price

· Decent work conditions

· Sustainable environmental practices