NORTHMINSTER MISSION & OUTREACH
"TOGETHER,WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!"
Northminster is actively involved in many local outreach activities focusing our attention
on providing support to low income families and individuals. We currently work with organizations
that provide services across Calgary but many of our programs focus attention on the neighbourhood
around Northminster and North Central Calgary. Some of these programs include:
We actively work with the following organizations to deliver our support for our community:
Benevolent fund Assistance
Through our Benevolent Fund, we are able to
provide financial assistance to either members of our congregation
or members of our wider community. This assistance is focused
on providing help for families in special circumstances who are in
need of a hand up and not a hand-out. We work with our Social
Service partners to evaluate the needs of each family and work with
the family to ensure they are set up with an ongoing budget that
they can live on and then provide assistance as required to help
the family get back on track with this budget. Typical assistance
has been with rental arrears, overdue utility payments or
educational expenses although other types of financial assistance
are also evaluated.
If you are interested in contributing to
our Benevolent Fund to help these families, please contact
our church office to make a donation.
If you are in need of financial assistance,
please contact the North Central Community Resource
Center at 275-6666 x. 221.
Inn From The Cold Program Overview
Every night of the week, the Inn From The Cold Society provides Calgary's homeless
families and others in need with overnight shelter. Priority is given to families and women.
Over 3700 volunteers from over 65 inter-denominational churches and synagogues provide
Inns on a rotating basis. The Inn offers two shelter options: an Emergency Family Shelter
and a temporary emergency shelter program. Families at both of these programs enjoy a hot
supper, a warm bed and a safe place to sleep, as well as hot breakfast and a bagged
lunch the next day.
At Northminster, we work together with Symons Valley United Church to
support both of these shelter programs. On the last Monday of each month, we
host the dinner at the Emergency Family Shelter were we prepare, serve and clean
up from dinner as well as prepare bag lunches for the guests the next day.
We also host a temporary emergency shelter at Northminster on the 5th Wednesday of each month.
Here is how a typical Inn night works when we host the temporary shelter at Northminster:
Registration takes place between 4:00 pm
and 5:30 pm every evening at the Inn From The Cold Office's
downtown office. Many of the guests are referred by other
social agencies. Those who are under the influence of drugs
or alcohol, or are known to be unduly disruptive or suffering
from severe mental illness are screened from the guest list
and referred to other agencies. Families are their priority guests for the emergency shelter followed
by single women and then men who will typically be housed at the temporary shelter. Guests are transported to our church for
the night where they receive a hot, nutritious supper and
a bed for the evening. Every Inn is operated by a team of compassionate
volunteers who treat our guests with dignity and respect.
They set up the Inns, cook meals, visit with guests and
supervise overnight. Our large gym is set up for the sleeping
accommodations for the guests with 15 cots arranged around
the outside walls of the gym. Our small gym is our common area with tables
and chairs set up for eating the meals and after dinner
activities such as games, reading or conversation. We also
set up a TV and VCR at one end for the guests to watch a
movie. In the morning, guests have a breakfast
and receive a brown bag lunch before they are picked up
and driven back downtown. Many of our guests go to work or to participate
in programs such as The Other 12 Hours developed with Aspen
Family Services and Community Network. School-age children
attend school.
For more information, see the Inn From
The Cold website at: http://www.innfromthecold.org/
Community Connection Events
In an effort to continue to build a strong relationship
with the neighborhoods around our church building, Northminster
works to host several community events each year. These events have
included Stampede Barbeques, Halloween Parties, Christmas Craft Nights,
Spring / Easter Parties along with other programs and events.
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