Outreach – St. George's of Forest Hill Anglican Church

Matthew 25:35

I was hungry, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in.

WHO: Outreach Team of St. George’s of Forest Hill consists of a committee and the support of many, many members of the parish. As a team, we partner with a number of K-W agencies who directly help people in need who live in our community. Outreach is not just a group of people, but a large family of wonderful, giving, kind and thoughtful individuals collaborating together doing God’s work! We recommend causes and organizations for Parish support and co-ordinate Outreach events.

WHAT: We support practical ways the Mission Statement of our Parish: “Inspired by Christ, we dedicate ourselves to grow together in faith through intentional acts of generosity and ministry to one another and our communities.”

WHERE: The Outreach committee meets in a comfortable community room, known to St. George’s parishioners as “the Fireside Room”. This room is located downstairs at St. George’s.

WHEN: Typically, the committee meets once every few months on Thursdays, at 7:30 p.m. If you are interested in attending a meeting, please contact a committee member to ascertain the exact meeting date.

WHY: As a Christian community, the outreach program does not separate the “what and why” in our goals. We do what we do, because we follow the example of Jesus Christ.

We humbly extend our appreciation to the committee who leads St. George’s outreach programs

Angel Tree

Our Angel Tree is one of our greatest Outreach initiatives. The families we sponsor through this program are brought to us through parishioners, through our summer camp and through Westmount Public School and most recently, KW Family & Children Services.

Monica Place

Monica Place provides professional support for pregnant young women, young parents, and their children though residential, supportive housing, and community program. Monica Place will offer suggestions of required items, and parishioners will donate as many of these items as possible. An annual financial donation is also given to support the Chaplaincy program.

YMKW Canada

YWKW advocates for system level changes while working to provide shelter, supportive and affordable housing, improved education and training, and better childcare services.

St. John’s Kitchen

St John’s Kitchen is a gathering place for people in downtown Kitchener. Its diverse community includes many people who are experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, or street involved. For over 30 years, people have come to St John’s Kitchen to be with others, have conversation, prepare a daily meal and share it together, and access a variety of supports and resources. it’s a place where people come together in the spirit of respect and mutual support.

Parishioners at St. George’s collect and donate funds or food items a few times during the year to St. John’s Kitchen in support of their mission. And in summer month they “scoop” ice cream every Friday.

Cancer Turbans

A group of parishioners sews turbans to be used for those receiving treatment at the Cancer Centre Grand River Hospital. The group meets periodically throughout the year.

Children’s Community Closet

The Children’s Community Closet (CCC) outreach initiative welcomes everyone, and brings our community together by giving local families access to gently used children’s clothing and items at absolutely no cost. Our “closet” offers clothing (newborn to teens), toys, books, and diapers, and often also has items such as baby swings, high chairs, strollers, and play pens, all of which have been collected or donated by families and friends of St. George’s. We seek to reach out and help anyone in our KW community by promoting upcoming CCC events at our local community centers, libraries, pools, learning centers, daycares, through outreach liaisons and other community support groups and social service organizations. Pre-COVID, we opened our downstairs hall to host this free community-wide event twice a year, on a Saturday morning, once in the Spring and once in the Fall, and look forward to its return post-pandemic.

Pneumonia Prevention Vests

A few parishioners and friends knit vests for children in Central and South America in the hope that wearing one of the vests will prevent pneumonia. Since its inception, this group has delivered over 1200 vests.

Eyeglasses for Missions

We collect used eye glasses for children and adults. These eye glasses are taken to a local optometrist. They are then taken to an official Lions Club Eye Glass Recycling Centre for processing.

The Lions Club distributes usable glasses to optical missions around the world.

Food Bank

The Food Bank obtains and distributes approximately 3 million pounds of emergency food each year. Ongoing donations of food are placed in a box in the church foyer and volunteers take the donations to the Food Bank. St. George’s also makes an annual financial donation.

Foster Children

Annually, St. George’s hosts a pancake supper on Shrove Tuesday. Two foster children receive support from the proceeds of this supper.

Primate World’s Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF)

PWRDF, as an instrument of faith, connects Anglican’s in Canada to communities around the world in dynamic partnerships to advance development, respond to emergencies, assist refugees and act for positive change.

For a few weeks prior to Synod at the end of May, donation envelopes for PWRDF will be placed in the bulletins. As well, the bulletin will contain an explanation and example of the good work of PWRDF around the world. Please prayerfully consider supporting this worthy Anglican ministry.

Share the Warmth

We collect gently used winter outerwear, including socks (Sock it to the Homeless) from our congregation during the months of October and November.

Innisfree Hospice

The Outreach program of St. Georges run a yearly non-perishable food collection drive in support of Innisfree. It is usually run for 2 weeks in June. Our Deacon receives a list of most needed items at the time and our generous parishioners provide what has been requested.

Bells of Christmas

This is an Outreach project to help seniors in local nursing homes during the Christmas season. These seniors have very few visitors and may not have family who live close by to provide Christmas gifts. The gifts we provide bring a smile to their faces. Our Deacon receives a list of names and gift suggestions from our local nursing homes and our congregation generously provides what has been requested

St. Andrews Neighbourhood Cupboard

We support with providing monthly specific items for their cupboard. It can be any pantry item from soup to pasta to toothbrush, whatever they need at that time.