Bethlehem Place ~ This shelter provides affordable, transitional, safe housing and support services to individuals and families seeking to develop the skills necessary to achieve a more stable, independent lifestyle. Financial assistance is provided through special offerings in the Church and proceeds from the Christmas reading of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" by The Shaw actors. Responsible: Services Director, 905-684-3160.
Outreach Food Offerings ~ The Parish of St. Mark's has established an ongoing program of financial assistance and gathering foods required to help the following organizations in their work.
Newark Neighbours in Niagara-on-the-Lake ~ Provides food, clothing and bedding to people in need in this area. Responsible: Effie Chedore, 905-468-3519.
Niagara Regional Native Centre, Niagara-on-the-Lake - Provides programs and services to assist migrating Aboriginal people. It also offers programs to assist in the protection of culture and the preservation of harmony and tolerance. Responsible: Family Support Director, at the Centre at Taylor and Queenston Road, 905-688-6484.
Out of the Cold, Morrison Street United Church, Niagara Falls ~ This is part of a network of churches that have combined to combat homelessness and hunger. It provides an evening meal, fellowship, and a warm, safe place to stay overnight, with breakfast. This program operates seven days a week from November 1st until the end of March. Responsible: Marie Pepin, 905-371-3763.
St. George's Breakfast Program, St. Catharines ~ This program provides breakfast to the needy seven days a week with the assistance of a number of churches in the area. Responsible: Barbara Van Every, 905-684-5637In 1958, 167 coal miners in Springhill, Nova Scotia, died underground after
an explosion in the mine. The tragedy moved Anglicans and other Canadians
to respond and to send funds to help the stricken families. In the process,
the church recognized the need for an efficient process to channel assistance
quickly in an emergency. The next year, The Primate's World Relief
Fund was created by General Synod.
Ten years later, the Primate's Fund came to see that underlying nearly all
of the suffering due to natural or human-caused disasters, there were much
deeper long-term needs. Even more significantly, PWRDF realized that the
people who experienced the problems were in a better position than we were
to develop long-term solutions. The name was officially changed to The
Primate's World Relief and Development Fund.
In 1973, with experience in development and a growing understanding of partnership that meant to stand alongside people who were struggling against causes of their poverty. The Fund recognized the need to engage Canadians in the issues of tackling injustice. The General Synod underscored the church's responsibility for development education at home and asked The Primate's Fund to facilitate such a program.
The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund's National Committee established a Refugee Subcommittee in 1984 to promote and strengthen the Anglican Church of Canada's awareness of and response to refugees. One of the first concerns for the Committee was to identify a network through which to work. Hence, the start of the Refugee Coordinators Network.
1999 saw the establishment of a national Youth Initiative and hired a full time Youth Coordinator. In 2000 and with the support of decision makers within The Anglican Church of Canada, PWRDF has now completed the process of incorporation and received recognition and approval of the federal government. The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund's guiding principle is to listen and learn from partners in its development work. It remains a Christian organization, committed to a vision of international development and global justice that is founded on theological reflection and a faith based analysis.