What does family mean to you?
This time of year, as Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself reflecting on the importance of having the love and support family provides. Having a welcomed spot at the dinner table is something we all cherish, wouldn’t you agree?
But family is so much more than sharing a meal together, isn’t it? Family means being there for each other all year long, checking in to make sure everything’s okay, and lending a helping hand when it’s not.
Many of the people who rely on Evangel Hall Mission (EHM) don’t have this kind of family – or any family at all. That’s why I’m so grateful for you, all. Because of your steadfast generosity, we can care for the most vulnerable people in our community just as though they are members of our own families.
Can I count on you to send a special Thanksgiving gift today so we can continue to foster a sense of family and ensure our residents have a safe, comfortable place to call home?
The job I have here at EHM is just one example of how you help care for tenants through your gifts. As a Housing Preservation Worker, a role supported by donors, I help provide the tenants the practical support they need to live safely and stay in their apartments.
As you can imagine, tenants can become overwhelmed with the work it takes to maintain an apartment. It happens for a variety of reasons. Sometimes deteriorating health makes it hard to live alone. I remember one tenant whose eyesight was failing and they couldn’t see well enough to clean their apartment. Other times they come up against problems they don’t know how to solve on their own, like pests or too much clutter.
Your support makes sure they get the helping hand they need so they can live with comfort and dignity. Just like family.
I wish you could see the relief on our tenants’ faces when they realize someone is there to help and that they don’t have to face these challenges alone. And through your gifts, you do so much more than help tenants keep their homes clean and pest free – you provide transformational moments in which tenants can make the most of their space and do the things they love.
For example, with your support, we helped one tenant sort through her many accumulated “treasures” and re-organize her home so she could once again access her kitchen. She has reembraced her love of cooking and shares her delicious labours of love with her neighbours.
This Thanksgiving, I’ll be giving thanks for YOU. I’m so grateful for every lifechanging moment you make possible here at EHM through your loyal support.
With homelessness and inflation skyrocketing here in Toronto, I’m sure you agree how important it is to keep people housed. For individuals who are aging, living on a shoestring budget, or have complications with their health, there are very few options for dignified and safe housing. At EHM, like you, we believe that housing is a basic human right and we are committed to ensuring vulnerable individuals have a safe place to call home.
Thank you for choosing to stand alongside vulnerable neighbours and support EHM. With your gifts, you are providing affordable housing – not to mention special meals like Thanksgiving dinner! – all which remind vulnerable individuals of their inherent worth and dignity.
With best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving,
Erin Duffy
Housing Preservation Worker
Evangel Hall Mission
P.S. Many of the people who call EHM home have no family members to rely on in times of need. Will you please give today as a member of our community of care?