Ashley was a new mom when her partner suddenly passed away and she was forced to leave her home–ending up in the shelter system unable to care for her only son. 

“When my partner passed, I turned to things I probably shouldn’t have, I placed my son with his dad and ended up in the waterford.”   

When she was finally able to receive assistance in finding housing she discovered that all her belongings at a storage facility had been sold off and she was left with nothing to start over again. 

Before Home Again, Ashley’s apartment was a patchwork of scarce items that she had managed to find or been given by kind neighbours. But she still didn’t have a bed or any other furniture for her son, which meant custody wasn’t possible. With the help of Home Again and donated furniture, Ashley was finally able to welcome her son back and give him the home he deserved.

“It means a lot to me to wake up in the morning and make him breakfast and eat at a table together,” said Ashley.

Sadly, we hear these stories too often from parents who aren’t able to have custody while they wait for furniture. And often enough, these parents are also sleeping on a makeshift bed themselves. Our volunteers have seen yoga mats, sleeping bags, folded cardboard boxes, even a wooden pallet with a piece of foam rolled on top, being used as beds by people in our region. 

This is why our annual Heads Without Beds fundraiser is so monumental in changing not only homes but also the lives of hundreds of families and individuals every year. Over the past year, Home Again has seen a 24% increase in requests for furniture. With over 100 households on the waitlist, currently the organization is facing demand beyond comparison. 

During the month of March, Home Again invites community members to join together and fight furniture poverty in our region through the Heads Without Beds fundraiser. You can support your neighbours by creating a team with your family, colleagues or church group, joining as an individual, or even sponsoring a participant who will sleep without their bed for one night. 

“I know the importance of Home Again’s work in the region because my family was helped. I participate in Heads Without Beds, along with my son, because it’s an important lesson about not taking our comforts for granted and giving back where we can.” – Karly MacLeod, volunteer and community participant

Every day, Home Again Furniture Bank receives new requests for items as basic as a bed to sleep in and a table to share a meal around. And every week, our volunteers deliver life-changing furniture to people throughout the Northeast Avalon region. Your support will ensure more people like Ashley and her son will receive a bed to sleep in and the possibility of a better life. 

The generosity of the members of the Anglican Foundation of Canada will be a tremendous help to those waiting for a bed. To learn more about how you can make a life-changing impact on the lives of our neighbours visit our website www.headswithoutbeds.ca or chat to our team member, Maureen. 

Maureen Lymburner, Director of Development

(709) 325-0072
maureenlymburner@homeagainfb.com

The post Helping to Lift Neighbours Off The Floor & Into Beds appeared first on Anglican Life.

In today’s digital age, Anglican Life’s online presence is more necessary than ever. It’s not merely an accessory, but a fundamental tool for engaging readers, reaching broader audiences, and staying relevant in an increasingly fast-paced world.

Firstly, a well-designed website ensures accessibility. Readers can access news at any time, from any location, transcending geographical boundaries. This accessibility caters to the on-the-go lifestyle of modern society, fostering a continuous connection between the publication and its audience.

Moreover, a good website enhances user experience. Our website offers easy navigation, quick load times, and responsive design across devices. This ensures that readers can effortlessly find, read, and share articles, thereby encouraging longer visits and increased interaction.

Additionally, Anglican Life’s website allows for multimedia integration, and when needed can incorporate videos, links, and other interactive elements that enrich storytelling. This multimedia approach not only diversifies content, but also caters to varying reader preferences, enhancing audience engagement.

Our website isn’t just a virtual billboard for the newspaper: it’s the gateway to staying connected, relevant, and responsive to the evolving needs of a digitally-driven audience. In our most recent statistics (at the time of writing this article), Anglican Life’s website had 751 visits in one month, of which 669 were from outside the province of Newfoundland and Labrador—449 from the rest of Canada, 192 from the USA, and the rest from other parts of the world. These aren’t numbers of casual glances, but are the people who have taken the time to read and share articles from Anglican Life.

As the Editor of Anglican Life, I wear a few hats. I edit and design the physical paper (and you can see the PDF of that available on the website, and you can download it if you prefer to read things that way). I oversee the Facebook page, both creating unique social media posts and also re-posting things from other pages that might be of interest to the readers of Anglican Life. But one the things that makes me very happy, which I have launched and helped to design during my time as Editor, is this website. I’ve watched it grow, and am so pleased that you’re here, reading this. Please do share articles on your own social media page, or email them to a friend who might like to read Anglican Life too.

The print paper remains the core of Anglican Life and its readership, and that’s very important to me, but the website is an essential way that we can engage a wider audience. 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, and good things for the coming year. Keep clicking the links and reading about the good work that we are doing as the Church in God’s world.

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Just a couple of weeks ago I, along with my friend and colleague the Rev’d Fred Marshall, had the opportunity to travel to Toronto, where we spent some time with the folks of All Saints’ Community Church. This is an Anglican Parish in the City’s East end that caters exclusively to street people. Prior to World War 2 this was a thriving community, made up of middle-class people. After the war, many moved out of the area, and the demographics quickly changed. Due to various social and economic factors, this neighbourhood became home to the poor and the marginalized. Parish priests tried desperately to make the parish what it once was, attempting to fit the community into the mold that was their understanding of Church. But their efforts were in vain. Finally, an English priest by the name of Norman Ellis, said, “If this is going to be the Church God calls us to be, then I have to let go of every idea of what I think Church and being a parish priest is.” It was then that things began to change. In response to the shifting demographics in their area, they decided to throw open their doors and invite the poor in. They began tearing out pews and opening up their space to whoever would come. And now, the place is thriving. It has since grown to serve thousands of people annually, providing meals, housing supports, primary health care, and sanctuary for some of the most vulnerable people of our society—the very people Jesus calls us to care for. As one community member shared with us, “I was a drug addict, a dealer, and a sex worker. I was so ashamed of that part of my life. For the first time ever, I don’t need to hide that part of my life. I can be who I am, and I am loved and accepted. All Saints’ changed my life.” The building that had become a liability, is now a valuable asset.

While Toronto is very different from many of the cities and communities in our province, the social problems experienced by many are very much the same. Such challenges exist in Toronto in larger numbers (of course, because they have a larger population), but they are very much present in every nook and cranny of Newfoundland and Labrador as well. As the Church (and by Church I mean the people), it is incumbent upon us to serve Christ in all people, especially in the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the stranger, and every marginalized person. With all of this in mind, as we continue the essential conversation around our buildings and their function, will your building be a liability, or will it be an asset?

The Venerable Amanda Taylor is the rector of St. Mark the Evangelist in St. John’s, and the Archdeacon of Social Justice, Community Advocacy and Outreach, Diocese of Eastern NL. 

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Specifically, during this Lent our parishioners donated backpacks and school supplies to benefit the children who are new to the province.  These donations were brought to our church throughout Lent and were gratefully received by a representative from the organization during Holy Week. Distribution of these items will take place by the Association’s leaders as the needs of the children are addressed. 

Thank you to all who have generously donated to this Lenten Project—the results will undoubtedly put a smile on the faces of many of those young newcomers as they prepare to settle into our schools.

The post Lenten Project, 2023, At The Parish of The Ascension, Mount Pearl appeared first on Anglican Life.

On March 25th, the feast of the Annunciation of the BlessedVirgin Mary, the Rev’d Nicole Critch was ordained a priest by Bishop John Organ of the Diocese of Western Newfoundland. The ordination took place at St. Augustine’s Church, Stephenville. 

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The next Sunday at church, Rev’d Neal shared his experience with the parishes of Fogo East and West. He said, a truck pulled up to take the bed, and the person said, “Now I will not have to sleep on the floor tonight.” Another person took the washer and dryer in the same manner, with grateful hearts that they could now do laundry. Then the bags and boxes were carried into the building. The volunteers were so thankful that everything was already labeled with what was inside. A box full of work gloves was opened, and the lady told the men to go get a pair since they were helping with unloading. 

There is much loss and hurt amongst the people, however, they showed gratitude for the items which had been donated. Rev’d Neal said, “This Thanksgiving, I did not get turkey dinner, however this was the most fulfilling Thanksgiving I have ever experienced.” He also said, “Just because I am the one in the pictures does not mean I am more important—someone had to drive the truck. God helped us do this together. It took all of us to make this happen. Without your help and support, and God’s guidance it would not have happened.” Upon returning, both parishes shared the expenses incurred for gas for this worthwhile outreach. With God all things come to fruition.

The post Fogo Island Outreach Mission appeared first on Anglican Life.