A PLACE TO FIND TANGIBLE HELP

Adrian, Sherri, and their young daughter are just three of the people whose lives have been changed by the ministry of the Back Door Mission in Oshawa, Ontario. When Adrian lost his job due to a work injury in 2015, his disability payments were inadequate to the challenge of providing for his family. After Adrian and Sherri’s mortgage foreclosed and they lost their home, they turned to a homeless shelter and then emergency housing before being forced to live in their car.

At risk of losing their child for violating the regulations of the Children’s Aid Society, the couple agreed that the mother and daughter would move into a local women’s shelter. While this family has faced crisis after crisis, with the support of Back Door Mission it is finally finding ways to navigate the social assistance network.

For more than 20 years, Back Door Mission has helped to relieve the burdens of poverty and social dislocation experienced by those living in economically depressed circumstances in Oshawa. Over 100 people come to the doors of its downtown facility every day.

Its drop-in centre offers a welcoming space three afternoons a week where people can find shelter, companionship, and a snack or light meal. Says Don MacLeod, chair of the board, “The drop-in program provides an opportunity for community within a socially disconnected and often stigmatized population, and a place to find tangible help. This is a place where the poor, generally physically or mentally disabled in some form, can find friends and the experience of belonging.”

If Mission & Service giving is already a regular part of your life, thank you so much! If you have not given, please join me in making Mission & Service giving a regular part of your life of faith. Loving our neighbour is at the heart of our Mission & Service.

For more Minutes for Mission resources, see our photo collection and video playlist.