The Alongside Hope Indigenous Partnership Program promotes partnerships based on recognition, respect, and support for the rights and wellbeing of the Indigenous partners.

Indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions are invaluable and contribute to the rich tapestry of Canadian society. Supporting Indigenous programs helps preserve and revitalize these cultural assets, ensuring they are passed on to future generations.

Mapping the Ground We Stand On

In 2015, following the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Alongside Hope developed a narrative and a process called “Mapping the Ground We Stand On.” The resulting workshop explored Indigenous presence and Settler arrival on the map of Turtle Island/Canada.

Piloted at Alongside Hope’s National Gathering in the fall of 2015, this “education for reconciliation” resource was further developed and delivered in parishes and other venues. In 2019, Alongside Hope launched a new five-year strategic plan. The fifth goal is “Mutual Reconciliation: We will accompany and support First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, guided by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the priorities of Indigenous communities and organizations in Canada.” In 2019, a decision was taken by Alongside Hope to train a national network of Mapping Exercise facilitators.

Bring a Mapping Exercise to your community

The map of truth and reconciliation in Canada is still very much incomplete. Alongside Hope remains committed to being part of the journey towards finding a more complete map.

Each ecclesiastical province group has been equipped with a large floor map of Canada and is ready to bring this education for reconciliation resource to you. It is ideal for a synod, clergy retreat day, youth gathering, or Indigenous awareness event in your parish or community.

Archdeacon Terry Caines wrote that “during the annual clergy Lenten retreat, under the guidance of Canon Tom Mugford, an Alongside Hope representative, clergy of Central NL took part in a meaningful Mapping exercise designed to create reflection, awareness, and shared learning. Through visual storytelling and guided discussion, clergy looked at key moments and stories that have shaped our nation’s history, including lesser-known and often overlooked experiences.

The exercise encouraged clergy to engage more deeply with the historical truths of our country, including the lasting impacts of colonization and the experiences of Indigenous communities across regions such as Newfoundland and Labrador. By visually tracing these histories, clergy gained new insight into how past events continue to influence present-day communities.

Beyond education, the Mapping exercise created sacred space for dialogue, mutual understanding, and collective growth. It offered an opportunity not only to learn, but also to listen—strengthening relationships and deepening commitment to reconciliation, compassion, and informed ministry within our communities.”

If you would like to host a Mapping Exercise for an Anglican entity, Alongside Hope will cover any travel costs for our volunteer facilitators. Local hosts are asked to cover any costs associated with the venue or refreshments and provide tech support. Non-Anglican entities are asked to cover both travel and hosting costs. For more information on the Mapping Exercise cost structure, please contact Abdi Ali aali@alongsidehope.org.

Information taken from the Alongside Hope website (alongsidehope.org)

The post A Journey Towards Reconciliation appeared first on Anglican Life.

As we continue our ongoing work of Truth and Reconciliation within our country and within our Anglican Church of Canada, I would suggest making plans to offer the Alongside Hope Mapping Exercise in your parish or region.

In the wake of the release of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015, Alongside Hope’s former Executive Director, Adele Finney, spoke with public engagement staffer, Suzanne Rumsey, about how Alongside Hope might create an education piece in response. Adele and Suzanne, together with Esther Wesley, former Coordinator of the Anglican Fund for Healing and Reconciliation, developed a narrative and a process called “Mapping the Ground We Stand On.” The resulting workshop explored Indigenous presence and Settler arrival on the map of Turtle Island/Canada. Piloted at Alongside Hope’s National Gathering in the fall of 2015, this “education for reconciliation” resource was further developed and delivered in parishes and other venues. In 2019, Alongside Hope launched a new five-year strategic plan. The fifth goal is “Mutual Reconciliation: We will accompany and support First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, guided by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the priorities of Indigenous communities and organizations in Canada.” In 2019, a decision was taken by Alongside Hope to train a national network of Mapping Exercise facilitators in Winnipeg. Filmmaker Tim Wilson joined the training to document that process and produced two videos, available on Alongside Hope’s YouTube channel.

It would be an excellent idea to show one or both videos to your vestry or perhaps at coffee hour after service some Sunday to generate interest. You might decide to host a special Alongside Hope Coffee Hour, including a small bake sale, pamphlets, special envelopes and displays—most of which are available from head office or your Diocesan Rep—and show the mapping video, too.

If your church, like mine, doesn’t have internet to watch YouTube, contact Janice Biehn at Alongside Hope to send you the videos to download onto a laptop. When you are ready, go to the Mapping Exercise page on our website, https://alongsidehope.org/mapping-exercise/, to request a booking. In Newfoundland and Labrador, we have our own mapping exercise facilitator, Canon Tom Mugford. It is strongly recommended that you ask at least one month before you hope to hold your event.

This is a powerful learning exercise and strongly recommended for all who take truth and reconciliation seriously, and perhaps especially for those of us who don’t yet!

In addition to the Mapping Exercise video, Alongside Hope has other short videos available on YouTube or otherwise to bring awareness to your Parish on such topics as “What Alongside Hope Means to Me” and Nurse Itelvina’s story about the huge difference having a solar suitcase means to a rural health clinic in Mozambique.

Since it is still just the first of March, it is not too late to register for the Alongside Hope Lenten Resource: Wild Paths of Peace, written by the Anglican Communion’s permanent representative at the United Nations, Martha Jarvis. In this season of global unrest and conflict, it will do well to consider paths of peace this Lent. Sign up via the Alongside Hope website:
https://alongsidehope.org

May your Lenten self-examination prepare you for a glorious Easter celebration!

The post Learning For Lent: The Mapping Exercise and The Lenten Resource: Wild Paths of Peace appeared first on Anglican Life.

Canada

The ecclesiastical province of BC/Yukon are ready to respond to wildfire emergencies with a $50,000 grant from Alongside Hope.

After the Jasper wildfire, the Diocese of Edmonton partnered with the Jasper Employment and Education Centre to offer critical support in employment, immigration and emergency assistance to more than 1,500 evacuees, including temporary foreign workers and their families.

440 people participated in 30 “Mapping the Ground We Stand On” workshops across the country. Through this hands-on exploration of the Doctrine of Discovery, participants deepened their understanding of what it means to live in right relations.

Cuba

5015 families received training to increase their resilience to disaster.

Mexico, Peru, Ecuador

342 indigenous midwives were supported to improve health service delivery and reduce maternal mortality.

Colombia

Grupo Comunicarte developed more than 400 radio programs with local youth, promoting environmental protection and sustainability, and reaching approximately 3,750,000 people.

Ukraine

More than 300 people living with disabilities developed critical social skills, especially challenging in times of war.

Gaza

18,205 patients have been treated at Gaza’s Al Ahii Hospital since the beginning of the current conflict.

Nepal

1990 flood-affected individuals received food relief in Kathmandu.

South Sudan

9,510 people received monthly food relief.

Uganda

6,730 adolescent girls and young women received training in entrepreneurship skills, resulting in increased knowledge and interest towards starting and managing businesses.

Two school campaigns provided sexual and reproductive health rights information and knowledge to 833 students. This resulted in better awareness of gender rights, menstrual hygiene, reduced absenteeism, and the formation of two new school health clubs.

Kenya

11 shallow wells were built this year, for a total of 99 since 2019, providing water to 25,000 people a day.

ECLOF serves more than 40,000 low-income entrepreneurs and farmers, primarily women. Last year, with support from Alongside Hope, 570 farmers were trained in sustainable dairy and agriculture practices, leading to an increase in yields and household income.

Zambia

593 adolescents attended weekly group meetings and learned about safe sexual behaviours, alcohol and drug abuse and children’s rights.

Zimbabwe

4,857 farmers revitalized and preserved local biodiversity.

The Philippines

747 people benefitted from the rehabilitation of two local drinking water systems damaged by typhoons.

Read more about the work of Alongside Hope at their website alongsidehope.org.

If you’d like you can donate today online at alongsidehope.org/give-today or by calling 1-866-308-7973.

As I wrote in an article a year or so ago, don’t forget the World of Gifts is about more than just Christmas!

God bless you all for your continued support of Alongside Hope!

The post Alongside Hope’s Global Impact appeared first on Anglican Life.

This year we heard of the amazingly generous donations to the Resilience Fund (over $500,000); the diverse events that made up the Wild Ride over the summer months; and the heartwarming response to the Solar Suitcase campaign, which reached its goal of $320,000, enough to bring light sources to 49 health clinics in rural Mozambique and Madagascar to enable safe labour and delivery of newborns. This is all thanks to donors like you and me.

This summer I took a leap and became an Alongside Hope monthly donor. The amount you give can be as little as $10 per month, or as much as your heart and your situation allows. I am so happy with my decision! In a busy life, it’s one less thing to worry about; and I can rest assured that my support for Alongside Hope doesn’t get lost in best-laid plans that fall by the wayside. I know that my “regular” support is taken care of, and I can still respond to special appeals or seasonal projects that speak to me. Best of all, Alongside Hope knows my donation, and that of other monthly donors, is coming and can budget accordingly. I encourage you to consider this giving model as well. You can set it up easily on the website or by telephone.

The final two days of our time together focused on the crucial work of Reconciliation. We were privileged to be joined by Archbishop Chris Harper, Indigenous Anglican Archbishop of Canada, as well as members of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP) and other special guests. From the perspective of right relations, we considered where the Anglican Church has come from and where it is at, where the Indigenous Anglican Church has come from and where it is at, and where Alongside Hope has come from and where it is at. A lesson learned from the Mapping Exercise is that we must not force Indigenous people to always be the teacher; those of us descended from settler peoples have a responsibility to learn.

We were encouraged to nurture right relationships through sitting together and deeply listening, listening to understand. An important aspect of this deep listening is in the telling of our stories one to another. And isn’t that what the Eucharist is all about? Gathering the people, telling the story, and breaking bread to bring us into right relations with God and with one another.

As The Rev’d Esther Wesley, former Director of the Anglican Healing Fund, was about to begin creating the Mapping Exercise with Suzanne Rumsey, Alongside Hope’s Public Engagement Coordinator, she observed, “I need to get to know you better if we are to be partners. And you need to get to know me better if we are to be partners.” As we continue the work of Truth and Reconciliation within the broader Canadian society and within the church, may we not lose sight of the importance of learning, building kinship, and going forward in a spirit of humility and respect. This does not have to be daunting, but it does have to be done. And we can start small. Read a book by an Indigenous author in your book club in 2026. Attend a powwow if you can. Show up at one of the events sponsored by your local Indigenous Friendship Centre or association. Offer to pour the tea or clean up. Keep showing up and keep talking to people and listening to their stories. Then tell those stories to others and get them engaged. Jesus himself modelled this for us.

As we enter the season of Advent and celebrate Emmanuel, God-with-us, let us allow the Light of Christ to illuminate the path forward and transform us all for the sake of the Kin-dom. God bless us, every one!

The post Reflections From Alongside Hope’s 2025 Fall Gathering appeared first on Anglican Life.

Bishop John was elected Bishop in 2016, but has been painting for 25 years. “I started painting when my wife encouraged me to ‘stop talking about trying to paint, and try it!’” he says.

Most of his paintings are done in oils and acrylics, but Bishop John also uses water colour techniques of pulling colours from berries and grass, and even did a painting that incorporated mud from the River Jordan.

For Alongside Hope’s Christmas cards, Bishop John offered up several options, all widely liked by staff. The two selected images are titled It Happened in Bethlehem and Winter Light. Both images call to mind the everlasting light of Jesus.

“It Happened in Bethlehem is one of a series that has much to do with my relationship with people before and after a pilgrimage to Jerusalem,” he says. “On one hand this painting represents light and hope in the sky over Bethlehem. Bethlehem is of course in the background as there was no room in the inn. On the other side, it represents (in a very deep way for me these days) explosions of violence that push grace into shadow.”

Winter Light is a “mental composite painting,” says Bishop John. “In central Newfoundland there are several small farming communities. These are beautiful spots, some inland, some by the sea. What you see here are both places. I carry them in my heart.”

Bishop John’s subject matter ranges from Newfoundland seasides dotted with colourful dories, to local wildlife and still life. “I choose a wide variety of colours, and pay attention to value and tone. Colour then can come alive and speak through the eye then into the imagination and hopefully…the heart.

“I constantly explore new genres and types of painting and paint in as many styles as I can. My art comes from places and people that have affected and still affect me. Peaceful, frantic, light, dark, heartbreaking, inspiring and hopeful. Some [images are] painted with confidence, others with a tentative heart; just like life where each story, tear, laugh and encounter contains beauty, truth, challenge and possibility.”

You can view and purchase Bishop John’s paintings online at newfolkart.ca. He has participated in four public exhibits with each one selling out. Money raised from these sales has been primarily given to charity and outreach. Proceeds from the sales of Alongside Hope’s Christmas cards will support families and communities around the world in need.  Support the work, and spread the word!

To order your cards, visit the Alongside Hope’s website at: alongsidehope.org/Christmascards2025.

The post Bishop Watton’s Cards for Alongside Hope appeared first on Anglican Life.

Some people like math and numbers, and some don’t. Numbers, however, can tell a story of what an organization values and accomplishes. They can reveal the scope, effectiveness, and vision of a charitable organization like Alongside Hope (formerly called PWRDF).

Magnitude of Alongside Hope Ministry

Statistics of Alongside Hope’s work listed in its 2024-2025 annual report reveal the extent of the organization’s work. In that fiscal year, Alongside Hope

• worked with partners in 30 countries internationally and in Canada on 53 projects

• improved the lives of 288,292 direct participants through training and by providing access to resources such as clean water

Number of Direct Participants

Direct participants who benefited from Alongside Hope partnerships included:

• 342 Indigenous midwives in Mexico, Peru, and Ecuador were supported to improve health service delivery and reduce maternal mortality

• 593 adolescents in Zambia attended weekly group meetings focused on safe sexual behaviours, alcohol and drug abuse, and children’s rights

• 5,015 families in Cuba received training to increase their resilience to natural disasters

• 18,205 patients have been treated at Gaza’s Al Ahli Hospital since the beginning of the current conflict

• The Ecclesiastical province of BC/Yukon received a $50,000 grant to respond to wildfire emergencies

Effectiveness of Programs

While the sheer number of participants is impressive, the 2024 report for Charity Intelligence Canada also cites the effectiveness of individual programs.

• programmes in Guatemala resulted in improved food security for 375 Tzeltal Indigenous families, with half of the families achieving self-sufficiency in producing grain, vegetables, and fruit

• the Goat Seed project in East Africa improved the retention rate of community health workers to 97%

Doubling Alongside Hope’s Fundraising Efforts

Alongside Hope has long had ways of doubling donations, often through an anonymous donor. Two recent examples are matching of donations up to $250,000 for the Resilience Fund (in light of substantive USAID cuts) until June 30, 2025, and matching of donations up to $150,000 for the recent Solar Suitcase project until October 31, 2025.

Doubling Your Tax credits: Two Tax Advantages for One Gift

Alongside Hope also welcomes legacy gifts and reminds donors of two tax advantages when they donate stocks or mutual funds: first, you don’t pay taxes on the capital gains, plus, you receive a charitable receipt. For further information, contact planned.giving@alongsidehope.org.

The Power of One

Big numbers in and of themselves don’t necessarily change the world for the better. Contributions by a single individual can also make a significant difference: e.g., the two paintings by Bishop John Watton of Central Newfoundland, for this year’s Alongside Hope Christmas cards. It Happened in Bethlehem represents light and hope, but also the violence that pushes grace into the shadows, while Winter Light recalls the beauty of farming in Central Newfoundland. And if the postal workers’ strike is over by the time you read this, there will still be time to send these cards to family and friends.

The post Do Numbers Matter? appeared first on Anglican Life.

This has been a very challenging summer all across our beautiful country, and especially here in our own province off Newfoundland and Labrador. It was so devastating to hear how many people were forced to leave their homes, not knowing if they would have a home to return to.

In 2023, in response to unprecedented wildfires from coast to coast, Alongside Hope established a separate fund for in-Canada emergency response. This was to enable them to respond quickly when a diocese asks for support, rather than waiting to raise funds for individual disasters.

How does Alongside Hope decide where and when to respond (since we know that they cannot respond to all domestic emergencies)? A decision as to whether or not to respond will depend on several factors: the severity and impact of the emergency; the presence of other agencies responding including the government; the extent to which additional support is needed; the time and abilities of the diocese to engage; and Alongside Hope’s available resources. Efforts will be made to ensure duplication is avoided, effectiveness is increased, and that all of us work together to be the best stewards of the resources that are entrusted to us.

What is an emergency? Emergency is the term Alongside Hope and other agencies give to situations during or following a disaster when the lives and livelihoods of many people are threatened. Most emergencies in Canada occur through natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, or fires. The objectives of Alongside Hope’s In-Canada Emergency Preparedness and Response Guidelines are as follows:

• To provide a framework to help Anglican dioceses in Canada be prepared to effectively respond to emergencies in their dioceses

• To support dioceses and parishes to better leverage other national, regional and local resources to enhance their preparedness and response should there be an emergency

• To clarify how funds raised by Alongside Hope can be accessed and reported back to Alongside Hope

Suggested services that dioceses may offer for relief and recovery response

• Distribute relief items such as food, water, hygiene kits, gas, clothing, etc.

• Provide a place of refuge from extreme cold, heat waves and storms

• Act as a temporary relief shelter

• Provide a gathering place and emergency services such as washrooms, charging stations, etc.

• Lead prayers, offer emotional support

• Prepare a list of professionals to provide counselling for post emergency/disaster victims

• Invite these professionals to speak in parishes and gatherings organized by parishes

• Organize post-traumatic workshops/sessions for families and communities

Expenditures and activities that may be included in a relief or recovery response budget

• Diocesan/parish staff and/ or volunteer honorariums related to relief and recovery response

• Transportation, vehicle rental, logistics, etc., pertaining to the project/ response

• Gift cards for use by displaced individuals/ families for the purpose of purchasing food, water, emergency supplies, needed materials destroyed by the emergency or displacement due to a particular emergency/disaster

• Emergency accommodation

• Building materials

• Goods or services directly provided by the diocese/ parishes, or jointly with other agencies or outsourced to local specialized agencies

• Counselling and post trauma supports

• Locally identified long-term recovery activities that may help rebuild community assets and increase community resilience

For more information, read our Alongside Hope In-Canada Emergency Preparedness and Response Guidelines or our In-Canada Emergency Response booklet (as single pages or spreads).

The post Alongside Hope: Ready to Respond appeared first on Anglican Life.

At Muripotana Health Centre in Nampula, midwife Ancha Amido Abdala used to begin every night shift in darkness, with no lights, no power, and no possibility of admitting patients after dark. In 2022 that changed, when Alongside Hope and partner EHALE installed a Solar Suitcase—a bright yellow, wall‑mounted box powered by solar panels. Inside, it holds LED lights, a fetal Doppler, headlamps, phone chargers and a thermometer.

Abdala says it made an immediate difference. “There was no way to handle medical materials in the dark,” she recalls. After lighting went live, women began coming to the clinic at night; births increased, and transparency improved because the patients’ companions could follow procedures clearly.

“I gave birth at night,” said one new mother. “I felt very happy because I could see what the nurse was doing.” In districts with installations, night‑time births rose by about 17 percent, and more than 80,000 babies have been safely delivered since 2016, thanks to the installation of 80 Solar Suitcases across the province. The suitcases are made by We Care Solar.

Now in 2025, the Wild Ride aims to raise $52,000 – enough for eight solar more suitcases. Thanks to a generous donor, all funds will be matched. So for every solar suitcase that is funded, another will be added.

The Wild Ride is part of a larger initiative to provide 35 Solar Suitcases in Mozambique and 14 Solar Suitcases in Madagascar. The Coming Alongside Hope with Light project has a total budget of $320,000. All donations will be matched, up to $150,000, so $170,000 needs to be raised to ensure all 49 suitcases will be installed. The Wild Ride has attracted fundraisers of all kinds from coast to coast. A veteran cyclist of the Wild Ride and its predecessor, the Ride for Refuge, Bishop Lynne McNaughton of the Diocese of Kootenay is ditching her bike this year in favour of walking 200 km. “I walk a fast 2 km up into the orchards near my house, a steep climb up onto the ‘bench’ where I can see a stunning view of Okanagan Lake. One Saturday at the end of the summer I'm inviting people to join me for a 5 or 10 km walk in a forest park in Kelowna.” Bishop Lynne was inspired to get involved when seeing the Solar Suitcase demonstration at General Synod. “The suitcases are a brilliant design, portable and practical. They meet such a crucial need. I love walking and walk anyway so why not make that walk count for joining God in God’s work of mending the world.”

Also in the Diocese of Kootenay, Andrew Stephens-Rennie will walk 450 km in Rossland, B.C.

At St. Timothy’s in 100 Mile House, B.C., the name says it all. Shelby Byer is organizing parishioners to walk 100 miles. And Joy Gothard is spearheading the Kamloops WaySeekers of St. Paul’s Cathedral as she rides her e-bike from kamloop to St. Peter’s in Monte Creek five times (200 km). She also plans to host a walk in the alpine meadows of Sun Peaks. Located in the Territory of the People, the people of St. Timothy’s and St. Paul’s are following in the footsteps of their Bishop, Clara Plamondon.

Bishop Clara is creating 50 prayer flags. “I love the idea of creating a visual symbol of our prayer for the people and communities that will be supported and helped through this initiative,” she says. “I will be making the prayer flags from various fabrics and colours with a focus on Mozambique and Madagascar. As I create the flags, I will be taking time to learn about these two countries, their culture and ways. I will be praying specifically for those who will benefit from the gift of these solar suitcases.”

This connection between prayer and action is important to Bishop Clara. “The Wild Ride allows us to join our shared mission and ministry efforts with the global community. I have wanted to do something for the Wild Ride for quite some time, and I wanted to encourage others to do the same. My inspiration is Betty Davidson from Yukon who is known for crocheting baby blankets for Wild Ride. She reminded me that there are many creative ways to raise funds for this important work.”

Indeed, Betty Davidson has been crocheting baby blankets for the Wild Ride for many years and intends to again make 10 this year. “The solar suitcases provide the light needed to help mothers give birth safely and give them security and confidence,” says Davidson. “During the year, I make baby blankets for those having babies, or who have family members or friends throughout Canada having babies.”

Having a safe birth hits home for Davidson. “I was medivaced to Whitehorse when my son was born and I can’t imagine how difficult it would have been to have been in the situation I was in, if there had been no light and no electricity. I really want to be a part of helping Alongside Hope in their desire to help the mothers, doctors and nurses of Mozambique and Madagascar.”

On the east coast, the team from the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador has participants kayaking and hiking. Maxine Drover is Hiking for Hope and Christine Lynch is kayaking 200 km.

These efforts will make a big difference for midwives like Abdala. The Solar Suitcase is a tool that transforms the quality of care. She explains that even during suturing, the room is bright enough to explain and demonstrate each step to women and their companions. In one emergency, the light made it possible to resuscitate a preterm baby that wasn’t crying and begin immediate skin‑to‑skin contact with the mother.

That visibility builds trust. “At first, community members didn’t always respect me,” Abdala says. “But when they saw what I could do with the Solar Suitcase, attitudes changed. Now almost everyone respects my work.” Even clinics that already have inconsistent grid power benefit from the solar backup. Abdala adds, “I ask that this be provided to other centres—even those connected to the grid—because electricity alone isn’t always enough.”

How to Help

It’s not too late to join the Wild Ride and help provide clinics with renewable energy in Mozambique and Madagascar! The Wild Ride continues until the end of October and anyone can take part—a group or an individual. Walk, cycle, knit, bake, paddle, pray, sing – choose any activity you enjoy. Register as an individual or as a team and help us raise funds for eight solar suitcases—which will become 16 with a matching gift!

Register today at AlongsideHope.com/Wild-Ride. And if you have any questions or need help, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Kim Umbach at kumbach@alongsidehope.org

Can’t join the Wild Ride this year? You can still help provide solar energy in Mozambique and Madagascar. Give at alongsidehope.org/wild-ride.

The post Lighting the Way: Alongside Hope Wild Ride appeared first on Anglican Life.

Aside from special Alongside Hope Sundays, there are other ways to help. Some Confirmation classes decide to designate the loose collection at their Confirmation service for Alongside Hope. Other ideas include donating the proceeds from one stall at the parish Spring Sale or Fall Fair to Alongside Hope, or hosting a concert in support of our work.

As the Alongside Hope tagline says, our name has changed; our work remains the same (and one of the new leaflets explains how we chose the new name). With USAID’s recent exit from the Aid and Development sector, the work of other agencies, like Alongside Hope, has become that much more challenging as we try to help fill the gap left by such a wealthy partner. In last month’s column, you read about the new Resilience Fund which seeks to do just that. A very generous and anonymous donor has recently offered to match donations made to the new fund until June 30th, up to $250,000. That’s a wonderful incentive to donate now rather than later. And, as always, donations to Alongside Hope’s equity in the Canada Foodgrains Bank are always matched 4:1 by the Government of Canada. It is always a win when donations are doubled or more. For those who like to see exactly what their donation will be used for, the ever-popular World of Gifts is open year-round for your convenience.

Obviously, the work of development and aid requires financial resources—and lots of them—but Alongside Hope also relies on your prayers and your participation. While each of our three dioceses has a Diocesan Alongside Hope Representative, they need parish reps to help promote the work and raise awareness at the local level. If you would like to know more about this opportunity to be part of the Alongside Hope team, please contact Doreen Klassen in the Western Diocese, Debra Gill in Central, Deborah Pantin in Eastern NL, or speak to your rector. The larger our team is, the greater impact we can make. You can make a difference!

The post New Resources to Help Parishes Help Alongside Hope appeared first on Anglican Life.

However, massive cuts to international aid by USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and several European governments are having devastating impacts on aid organizations worldwide, including Alongside Hope’s collaboration with local partners such as EHALE, a community health organization in Mozambique.

The sudden cuts from USAID are disproportionately affecting people who are already at risk: children and youth living with HIV/AIDS, refugees who no longer see a durable solution, and those experiencing extreme hunger who depend on food and other humanitarian aid.

To maintain as many vital programmes as possible, Alongside Hope is launching an urgent appeal to donors. Your support of the Resilience Fund will allow Alongside Hope to provide partners with additional support for refugees, HIV-related needs, and women recovering from gender-based violence.

These include:

Tanzania

• Families supported by Church World Service who were preparing for a new life in the United States and had already left the Nyarugushu Refugee camp and given away their possessions were forced to return to the camp with nothing, their dreams of resettlement shattered with the suspension of the US Refugee Resettlement Program.

Kenya

• Anglican Development Services in Kenya was forced to quickly scale back school food programs, anti-retrovirals and other wraparound care for children and youth living with HIV/AIDS. The futures of more than 160 case workers are now uncertain

• many children are no longer able to attend school.

• 42 staff at National Council of Churches Kenya who were providing youth mentorship programming and support for school fees have been laid off, affecting 8,000 youth and 8,000 orphans and vulnerable children.

Mozambique

A five-year program with partner EHALE that was improving maternal health services and access to health care for young mothers was forced to shut down.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Plans for a program with the Panzi Foundation that would have brought dignity to women recovering from gender-based violence have been shelved.

Haiti

• Medical services and referrals for community members working with Rayjon Share Care are not being provided due to cuts to hospitals that had been receiving USAID supplies.

How you can help:

• Please pray for our neighbours all over the world whose livelihoods and futures have been made uncertain.

• Contact your Member of Parliament and advocate for increased aid funding.

• Give to Alongside Hope as we respond to increased hunger and needs around the world. You can donate online at alongsidehope.org/give-today or call 1-866-308-7973, or mail your cheque to: Alongside Hope, 80 Hayden Street, 3rd floor, Toronto, Ont., M4Y 3G2

For more information:

https://alongsidehope.org/news/cuts-to-international-aid-highlight-the-need-to-keep-up-our-support/

The post Alongside Hope Launches “Resilience Fund” to Counter USAID Cuts appeared first on Anglican Life.