On Oct. 21, Anglicans and caring people in the broader community will have an opportunity to help support and change the lives of many vulnerable people throughout the diocese by participating in the second annual Building a Community of Hope virtual fundraiser.
What began officially in 2017 as a Breakfast of Hope event, supporting five community ministries in the diocese, evolved in response to the pandemic into an online event supporting seven agencies in 2020. It will continue as an online event and silent auction this year.
Switching to an online event did not harm the fundraising effort and may have helped it. The 2020 event raised $79,000, significantly more than previous in-person breakfast and silent auction events held at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa, which were limited to 150 attendees. Last year’s success was boosted by very strong and creative social media communications, which reached 1,000 people who were not part of the Anglican church but were interested in the community ministries’ work.
Online or in-person, Jane Scanlon, diocesan director of communications and stewardship, says the event offers an important chance to raise awareness about the work of these ministries.
Cornerstone Housing for Women, which provides emergency and long-term housing for women [now an independent non-profit that began as an Anglican ministry and still receives funding from the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa.]
Ottawa Pastoral Counselling Centre, which provides counselling on a fee basis but also has a Counselling Support Fund for those in need who lack financial resources to access mental health care.
The Day Programs — St. Luke’s Table, The Well and Centre 454 provide for basic needs but also offer support to people who need to access health care and social services as well as a place to enjoy fellowship and connection.
Two more agencies have been added to the fold — the Refugee Ministry, which has helped settle hundreds of refugees in Canada, and Centre 105 in Cornwall, Ont., which provides breakfast three days a week and helps provide for other basic needs (see story p. 3)
“Taken all together, this is not a small thing,” Scanlon told Crosstalk. “This is a serious piece of work that is being done in our community to serve vulnerable people. Building a Community of Hope is about raising the profile of these ministries, both within our church throughout our diocese and beyond.”
She added, “I am really thrilled that we have so many voices endorsing what we are doing.” Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson; Councillor Catherine McKenney; author, coach and broadcaster Kathie Donovan, and Bruce Nichol, president of Tartan Homes, will all be part of the event.
Attendees will see a video that highlights the work of all of the ministries created by Ottawa-based Domino Creative, which Scanlon noted had very generously produced the video for a fee far below its normal rates.
Although the video focuses on people who are vulnerable in various ways, Scanlon said it is infused with hope. ”You can see it in people’s faces,” she said. “You can see throughout the video how uplifted they are because of being able to connect with all of these agencies who do so much to assist people, give them a helping hand, get them connected with housing, get them connected with social services that they need or medical support or making sure they have nutritious meals or a place to go for things that we take for granted like taking a shower or getting their laundry done or even access to hygiene supplies like soap and toothpaste. These ministries deserve so much credit for the ways that they adjusted and changed and grew throughout the pandemic.” Scanlon noted that there is a forward-looking focus on the changes that need to be continued into the future, post-pandemic.
The video also highlights that 2021 is the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa “It’s special for our 125th year because part of it is also going to address the work that has been done to reach our goal of 125 affordable housing units,” Scanlon said.
This issue of Crosstalk includes a brochure insert with more details about Building a Community of Hope.
Advent and Christmas in a time of war: the Four Last Things