Hello to 2025!
Welcome to my January Newsletter...
Happy New Year, friends. I hope that your Christmas was marked with much peace and a sense of joy. I know that it can be a season that may also feel lonely at times, so I am praying for you in whatever you are holding. Thank you for joining me in this space as we mark another year! I really appreciate you being here.
I have a couple of updates for you on what the end of the year held for our community. To start off we have made some changes to our programming which includes moving indoors (finally!!) for our breakfast drop-in, and introducing a new-ish Tuesday afternoon Social Hour. We are so grateful to continue to partner with organizations in the community who offer us indoor spaces and hospitality. Thank you to Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre for inviting us inside to eat breakfast together (this is a new partnership) and to 245 Dunn Ave for continuing to open your arms to us in new ways.
At the start of December we held our community art installation at Gallery 1313 here in Parkdale. This is a project we had been working on for all of 2024 as we asked community members and friends to lead art workshops and create together. We took all of these pieces and more to Gallery 1313 which was open to the public for a few days. There was an opening reception where we got to mingle, eat, and appreciate the art together. And 100 Huntley Street (a popular Christian TV show) interviewed some of our artists. It was so beautiful to see this all come together, and I am very grateful to all who participated. Below is our little segment on 100 Huntley!
As Christmas inched closer we were blessed by a huge number of volunteers who made some special things possible for us during the season of giving. Downtown TO BIC (Previously part of the Meeting House) generously fundraised money to buy many pairs of new boots for community members and offered their time to come and fit people with the new boots. This was so generous and excellent timing as the cold front has rushed in.
Another donor made it possible for us to hand out full bags of groceries as a gift at our special Christmas lunch. This lunch was made by a chef and her friends who own a catering company and generously offer to cook a full and dignifying meal for our community. On Christmas Eve we handed out backpacks filled with toiletries and other goodies which were donated by another generous friend of The Dale. We are always so grateful to everyone who reaches out to us to offer support in this way, and prayerfully as well. We cannot do this without all of you. Thank you so much for seeing us and walking alongside us. I wrote more about the importance of Advent and Christmas traditions recently on my blog, which you can find here.
Thank you for all of the prayers for our home last year, and for those who checked in. We seem to be in a more stable place now which is very beneficial for our family. Charlotte had a great fifth birthday, and had her first party with some of her friends at an indoor trampoline park. She was over-the-moon excited! She continues to grow into a beautiful young girl and I am so proud to be her mom.
Starting the week of January 13th, I will have new hours at work as I change my schedule around a bit. This will include having Wednesdays off from work, and working slightly longer days when I am there on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursdays (and Sunday). I hope this transition brings me a chance to work on taking care of some things at home and giving me space to practice better self care and work on my mental health. With that said, I am still of course fundraising for my full salary and do appreciate your support as we move into this new year. If you would like to become a financial supporter, please follow this link.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." Ecclesiastes 3:1
Prayer Requests
Prayer for our friends who live outside every day of the year, which includes in this cold weather. Pray for their protection, and for more affordable housing to come quickly.
Prayer for the Parkdale Food Bank as they start the move to their new location, and that this move would benefit the community in big ways.
Prayer for me as I make some changes to my schedule, and for the courage to prioritize my mental health.
Prayer for Ian as he does his outreach work with the Salvation Army Gateway out in the cold, advocating with folks who live outside. One of their clients has passed away from freezing to death. This is a real tragedy, and issue for the city to prioritize.
Thank you, again, for all of your support in 2024 - whether you prayed for me, checked in, or donated your money or time… it ALL matters so much. You all give us much encouragement and strength as we walk these streets. I encourage you to come this year, and visit us at The Dale. We love hanging out, and would be so happy to eat at a drop-in or walk the neighbourhood with you. Check out our full schedule and new website calendar here. I hope to connect more in 2025! I am praying for a peace that passes all understanding for each of you.