By Ainsley Chapman
On October 20th I rode from Guildwood Presbyterian Church in Toronto’s east end to Knox Presbyterian Church in Oakville – a bike ride that was 70km long. It was something I could do to challenge myself, as a fundraiser in support of Evangel Hall Mission – but it ended up becoming so much more than just a ride.
A Loneliness Epidemic is Being Experienced Everywhere
I pulled into the Guildwood Presbyterian Church in the dark at 7am and was greeted by a wonderful and kind group of people with hot coffee and donuts. We talked for half an hour about the changes in the neighbourhood, and the challenges that they bring. Guildwood is a beautiful suburban community built in the 1960s. With winding roads and bungalows on big properties, it was once filled with young families – and so was the church. Still beautiful, the demographics have changed. Children grew up and moved out and started their own families. Predatory home buyers are using the housing crisis to make a quick buck. They are filling family homes with single renters and exploiting tenants with overpriced rooms, and these landlords are not caring for their properties. This approach to housing may be a quick fix, but it doesn’t create a sense of community or connection, or pride in one’s home and place. Meanwhile, the seniors who are remaining in their homes, are struggling with isolation. As walking a sprawling neighbourhood becomes more difficult, and their children get busy with their own families, the seniors in this community are struggling with loneliness and isolation. In response, Guildwood Presbyterian Church has been offering monthly community meals which are so popular, they can’t keep up with the demand. I suspect Guildwood’s experience is one that many congregations can relate to.
I jumped on my bike and started to pedal west. Biking through so many neighbourhoods was like a journey through time – you could tell from the architecture and building materials when different neighbourhoods were created. You could see what people valued in each era, reflected in how each community was designed. Immigration booms and movement of people from other provinces coming to Toronto in the last 100 years drove new development. I passed by churches that have already redeveloped and built housing around their original sanctuaries built of stone. Saw community food gardens facing their last harvest of the year. I also got to bike by or through a number of parks. My favorite thing about Toronto is the parks – each park was filled with dozens and dozens of families celebrating birthdays, engagements, and anniversaries, welcoming newborns, mourning a loved one. They gather in parks because living in an apartment makes it difficult to host family and friends to mark milestones. They were full of bar-b-ques, sports games and laughter. It truly was joyous biking past all these special moments.
By the time I got to Knox Oakville, I was greeted on the steps with cheers and smiling faces – a very warm welcome. But what was really powerful, was that the congregation had spent the last month collecting board games to donate for EHM’s social programming. Because 70kms later, concerns about social isolation are still being felt. One of Knox Oakville’s most-loved activities is their games night – and it brings together people of all ages. Parents get to connect with other parents while their kids play, seniors get to connect with other seniors, it’s a joyful way for people to come together and build community. And that’s one of the things that churches do best!
Housing as Community Building
Listening to each congregation really drove home why EHM is so powerful. We are more than just four walls for the tenants who live here. We build community. We support people to create a home. Tenants create friendships and found families. We aren’t funded by the City of Toronto to do this work – it’s not considered an “essential service” in their eyes…but we do it anyway because that’s what makes life meaningful. That is what creates a sense of self and builds hope. It’s what people need to feel whole and to have purpose. And that is what separates EHM from any other apartment building – and we can do that because of the support of donors. Thank you to everyone who sponsored my ride and who sponsored other team members walking in support. Thank you to Guildwood PC and Knox Oakville for sharing their stories with me and being so welcoming on each end of the ride. And thank you to everyone who works to build community for the people around them.