Through our Outreach ministry at St. Matthew’s, we support a number of local and global organizations working to help others in many different ways.
All of us are called by our Baptism, to “Seek and Serve Christ in all persons.”
The Holy Spirit calls us to work for God’s kingdom by responding to everyone’s needs, advocating to transform unjust structures in society and work to sustain and renew the life of God’s earth.
Individually we do this through volunteering with organizations such as North York General Hospital, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, our local Residents’ Association or helping at Oriole Food Space, our local food bank.
Together as a Community we have:
- Supported a sister and brother who were refugees to become fully settled in Canada.
- Studied the Calls for Truth and Reconciliation, attended Pow Wows, and learned about and supported local initiatives. (You may view the Calls to Action here).
- Collected food and raised awareness of people who are hungry in our community through a “Reverse Advent Calendar” Food Drive based on a list of needs given to us by the Oriole Foodspace.
- Supported a mother and her young children through the Moorelands “Adopt a Family” program.
- Before COVID, each week a group of parish volunteers assisted in an after-school reading program at one of our local schools, Forest Manor. Volunteers read one-on-one with the students, encouraging a love of reading and helping the children improve their reading and language skills.
As the community around us at Don Mills and Sheppard continues to change, we continue to pray and discern what we are called to do to “serve the world God loves.”
For more information on how you can be involved with this vital group, please contact our social justice and outreach chair, through the office: office@stmatthew.ca.