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The Christmas Programs are important in the Brampton Community - Gift boxes for the Wilkinson Road Shelter - these are provided through the congregation and some 90 men and women benefit from our efforts. Each box contains personal items, including warm gloves and scarves along with a Bible. The Staff at the Shelter are very pleased to have our visit each year. And several residents have come to the church to offer sincere thanks. (Extra boxes are given out to men and women through January and February as needs arise.) Caring and Sharing is the other major Christmas program wherein a complete Christmas package is offered to families. This year we assisted 12 families in Peel experiencing serious difficulties. Peel Children's Aid helps us with family contacts and we generated a couple ourselves from our own links. Over the years, this group has also sponsored the Beads of Hope campaign (of the United Church) and has helped with the Vita and Massey Centres (United church home for unwed mothers). The committee very much acknowledges and appreciates the support of the congregation. As well, the committee oversees our Benevolent Fund used by our Ministerial Staff as emergency needs arise from individuals and families. As Brampton continues to grow and urban life becomes the core of the City - new needs have arisen with homelessness, and folks having to live on the fringe of society. St. Paul's has been developing partnerships with community groups and has provided leadership in a Region of Peel's major review of homelessness over the past two years. Several key meetings were held here in our building. We also have regular contact with St. Leonards House, The Bridge, Brampton Telecare, CAST (Clean and Sober thinking), Regeneration - Table Talk/Connex, Street Help, Ontario Works, ODSP (Government assistance), Elizabeth Fry Society, Probation Officers. These are all community oriented and provide support to individuals and families - youth and adults. Folks come to see us on a regular basis as emergencies arise in their lives. Throughout January and February of this year, for example - some 196 person visits were noted here (representing 56 different individuals). Their needs varied from serious conversations, helping with reading documents, filling out forms re Government help, serving as an advocate, re-assuring folks, enabling phone calls to be made, taking time for prayer. On a weekly basis (Thursdays), bags of staple foods are provided for persons (25-30 each week) - thanks to volunteers from committee who are here from 1pm-3pm. Sometimes we purchase food items when our emergency food cupboard (to which many in the congregation donate) runs short of needed foods. Monies are also given to individuals/families with care - to cover transportation (bus fare, phone cards, groceries (fresh food), court appearances, prescriptions, assisting with ID information, children's school needs, some personal money for 'day-to-day survival - and the list goes on. Stories are individual and quite moving. Many folks do live 'on the fringe' finding life complicated and difficult - especially younger people who have children and struggle to make appropriate family decisions. St. Paul's is a beacon of hope for many. Our place in downtown Brampton is significant as a place of care and generosity. The support, understanding, and response of the congregation are vital for our efforts to continue.
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