We say change is good for you, luckily for the community volunteers made a big change; from organising properties to lives.Volunteers started out as a Personal Organizer with her own company called Artful Organizers and made the move into assisting the poor around 2006.
The Sanctuary is a healthy or wealthy community that is there for the rejected and abused. The Sanctuary wants to help and support everyone regardless of the colour of your skin or your beliefs. There are members from a big age range and both men as well as women. Each year the Sanctuary helps thousands of individuals, seeing about 500 different people each week.
The street outreach team does an exceptional job, going out to the community on their own turf, offering and supplying support such as meals and Children's Aid. The aid does not stop there, the Sanctuary also has health clinics, support for those who are abusing drugs and rehab for the mind and body. Another thing the mission does is organise employment training, which can only mean more relevant employment for people.
Each year events are arranged to support the Sanctuary and give a sense of belonging to its members with Xmas being a great time for a big feast. This feast is made more momentous with a play, a talent show and from the church donation, a gift bag is given out. Other events are organised throughout the year, with September seeing a music concert in the park with a corn roast, a 5k walk for poverty in the summer and a spring play. The events are not just for the people who rely on the organisation for support, anyone that contributes is welcome, this way they can see their money is put to good use. One of the primary objectives is to break down the barriers between those individuals who are rich and those that are poor. People, who have been stripped of their dignity, will be given back their pride. To really help these people, time, a feeling of camaraderie and friendship are just a couple of things that make a difference to a person previously rejected by society.
The mission is not a replacement for social services but an added service set up to help. The Sanctuary have friends who were living on the street and they are now living with a roof over their head. These people could not do it by themselves, so the charity has helped them find a home and furnish it.
To give you an idea on one of the success stories of this organisation, is one of a woman born in Toronto and grew up there. Not too soon after this child was born, she was placed into foster care. The maltreatment she suffered included her aunt setting light to her cot. Cockroaches covered her small body when her grandmother looked in on her one day. Physical abuse did not end there, this little child was also sexually abused. Over the years she went through the homes of many foster parents, no relationship seemed to last and this woman was an addict. For four years this woman has been attending the Sanctuary, a testimonial to the guidance and help she has been receiving.
Julie Kinnear is Toronto MLS Listings specialist and environmental activist.