Hello fellow St. Georgians and good friends,
This week, the Province will lift some social distancing restrictions and we will be able to find comfort indoors and with friends once more. There are, however, many who are less fortunate than ourselves and who are exposed to the unprecedented and prolonged extreme cold weather. They need the help of the St. George’s Society. They need your help. As President, I am asking for your help to support some of Toronto’s most critical charities whose work is most affected by the current weather conditions and the continued COVID-19 pandemic. For this campaign, I am reinstating the “President’s Appeal”. During the month of February, the St George's Society will match every dollar that you donate to the Charity up to $15,000. This will double your donation. Proceeds will be distributed to charities focusing on sheltering the homeless and those with critical financial needs during these extreme cold months. All donations will receive an appropriate tax receipt. Below are some of the charities that we will support and their current urgent needs:
Youth Without Shelter are in need of a new snow blower, grocery store gift cards for use in their own kitchen and for distribution to food bank clients – this charity helps an average of 30 food bank clients each month. The cost for food per resident per day at Youth Without Shelter is $8 after government funding ($3.50). With 37 residents currently at the facility (down from 54 due to Public Health restrictions due to COVD-19), this represents a daily cost of $296.
MABELLEpantry is a desperately needed food bank that is run completely outdoors without any shelter. They are in need of a permanent lockable shed to store tents, tables, snow clearing equipment and supplies, dollies (as the shopping carts they typically use to move food and supplies are not useful on ice and snow), and outdoor safety coats for the marketeers (locals working at the outdoor food bank).
Haven’s Toronto most pressing challenge is food related. They have seen a spike in the number of meals served and a dramatic spike in the cost of the Meals Program due to 1) fewer donations from food recovery programs and 2) new, un-budgeted costs such as purchase of disposable containers and utensils as they now offer take-away.
All Saints Church Community Centre - before the pandemic, they served approximately 80-150 meals indoors. They now offer meals in the parking lot too, increasing numbers to 150-200 weekdays. Their most urgent need is funding, as they have also hired a nurse and extra staff for cleaning, screening, and security.
Donation options: 1. Please forward your cheque, payable to St. George’s Society of Toronto, to: 50 Baldwin Street, Suite 50, Toronto, ON, M5T 1L4
2. Electronic Interac transfer to: executive@stgeorgesto.org
3. By credit card via PayPal: Donate Now
All donations will be very gratefully received on behalf of our Charities. Help us bring the shelters that the most vulnerable so desperately need. Yours in great anticipation, Aaron Bains President
St. George’s Society Toronto
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