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Courtenay church donates more than $10,000 to transitional housing and support service

St. Goerge’s presents Dawn to Dawn with $10,433.15 cheque
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From left—Rev. Ryan Slifka (minister, St. George’s); Ellen Wise (elder, St. George’s); Evangeline Mathura, (vice-president, Dawn to Dawn); Grant Shilling (outreach worker, Dawn to Dawn), with a cheque for $10,433.15.

St. George’s United Church in Courtenay recently donated $10,433.15 to Dawn To Dawn Action on Homelessness (dawntodawn.org), the church’s 2020 partner charity.

In response to COVIDrestrictions, St. George’s asked its members and the Comox Valley community to contribute to an online fundraiser, in lieu of its annual donation request at the Christmas Eve service (which was only virtual this year).

“COVID meant we were unable to fundraise as normal, so we encouraged members to make a special Christmas offering to our partner charity via St. George’s website,” said Rev. Ryan Slifka. “ St. George’s sweetened the pot by matching each dollar donated out of its Local Outreach fund up to $5,000.”

Funds will provide direct, immediate housing for homeless individuals to transition to permanent housing.

“We would like to thank the St. George’s United Church for their inspiring efforts of fundraising for our organization - Dawn to Dawn,” said Dawn to Dawn vice-president Evangeline Mathura. “The ability to raise $10,000 over the holidays is impressive! It never ceases to amaze me how generous our community can be, and especially St. George’s and all that they do.”

“Homelessness is such a growing issue in our community, said Slifka. “And helping to relieve this burden is a core teaching of our faith. Jesus says that whatever we do to the least of his brothers and sisters, we do it to him. So when we feed the hungry, or house the homeless we’re not just serving on his behalf, we’re also serving him. We hope our neighbors will join us in supporting this charity that makes a direct, positive impact in people’s lives.”

In past years, partner charities selected by St. George’s have included Habitat for Humanity and the Eureka Mental Health Support Society.