BENEVOLENT FUND
Grace-St. Andrew's United Church serves the community through its benevolent fund. This fund not only allows some emergency funds for low income families in crisis, it also keeps those receiving requests for help from the fund (Jill Reid, Meg, Donna and David) aware of some of the desperate need that exists in this community.
Several years ago, the primary requests were from transients on their way through town. That’s because our primary form of aid was through food and gas vouchers. Our fund is now seeing more requests from local people who have a hard time making ends meet on Ontario Works, Ontario Disability and working minimum wage jobs. While a minimum wage earner who worked 50 hours/week in 1970 could make ends meet, it is estimated that to support a family on minimum wage now requires a 100 hour work week. This makes it next to impossible for single income families. While we can’t help such families long term, we can make our government aware of the needs we see and we can work for structural change.
The Benevolent Fund can help out in an emergency. Please let your friends and neighbours know. If people approach us early enough in a crisis, we can also do advocacy work to help find a way through a difficult situation. We have been able to help keep several families warm and in their homes this winter, to renegotiate hydro and gas payments and to help provide transportation to medical appointments. We are also asked to help with baby formula and diapers through Public Health workers in the community. The benevolent fund is just one resource in this community, but it is an important one.
Thank you for your support.