Summer 2024 Appeal

Aug 26, 2024 | Media, Press Releases

Click Here to download the Newsletter in PDF format

#WhereHopesLives

As the warmth of summer embraces us, we are reminded of the incredible support and generosity of donors and supporters like you who make our work possible. Thanks to your unwavering commitment, we have achieved remarkable milestones and made significant strides towards our goals.

This past year has been transformative for our organization. At our annual general meeting in June we celebrated our accomplishments and shared our ambitious plans for the future, including our new Strategic Plan (2024-2029). None of this would be possible without your support.

We are excited to share how your contributions have helped us serve and support the
community, and each success story is a testament to the power of our collective effort and the impact of your generosity. As we look ahead, we are excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie before us. With your continued support, we are confident that we can achieve even greater things together.

Thank you for being an essential part of our journey. Your support means the world to us and to those we serve. We are deeply grateful for your trust and partnership.

With heartfelt thanks,

Renée Wetselaar, Executive DIrector

Cathedral Café

The end of June sees us having completed seven consecutive months of service at the Cathedral Café, and has been an extraordinary time for learning, growth, and development for the team at St. Matthew’s House, Christ’s Church Cathedral, The Niagara Anglican Diocese, and over 100 volunteers who help make this program possible!

We are excited to share some interesting stats from our first seven months in operation (December 2023 to June 2024).

From December 2023 to June 2024, Cathedral Café:

Over 29,000 guests visit
Served over 35,736 meals
Brewed 5,251 pots of coffee
Gave out over 5,000 pieces of clothing/warm weather gear

A few more stats from Cathedral Café:

2/3 of guests identified as unhoused
850 instances of guests using the visiting supports (medical buses, visiting doctors, etc.)
77 guests received assistance in applying for or recovering identification
81 instances of clients receiving assistance with housing applications or connection to housing services

Donate Today

My Art

The My Art program is aimed at empowering participants from our Cathedral Café community to share their own unique stories through the powerful medium of art.

Art has the unique ability to transcend barriers and connect us on a deeply human level. For those who have faced the hardships of homelessness, the opportunity to create art provides not only a therapeutic outlet but also a platform to share their experiences with the world.

To support the My Art program, please consider supporting this great initiative by donating today.

We invite you to come and visit us during the Supercrawl, September 13-15 at Christ’s Church Cathedral, where we will have a St. Matt’s booth and hope to have artwork on display.

We would love to see you and encourage you to come and visit us!

Donate to My Art

St. Matthew’s House Nomination!

We’ve been nominated for providing unique programs in our community! This includes:

Senior Support Services
Street Outreach Team
412 Barton Affordable Housing
Holiday Hope
Child Care Centres and Before/After School Care

Vote Today!

Build Hope – Join Our Monthly Giving Program

With your support, we can continue to build on these achievements and make an even greater impact within our community. The work of our Seniors and Street Outreach Team is just one example of the incredible transformations we can achieve when our community comes together.

Your monthly contributions give us the means to provide dependable, ongoing support to those we serve. It’s key to helping us move beyond crisis management, band-aid solutions and short-term fixes.

Imagine the impact a steady and predictable source of income can have on seniors and others in need,
when we can consistently connect them with the necessities of life such as food, housing,
mental health services and financial security.

Become A Monthly Donor

#wherehopelives

Host A Food Drive!

If you are interested in hosting a food drive in support of our Senior Emergency Food Deliveries, please reach out to mbond@stmatthewshouse.ca for more information or click here to download a food drive kit. It has everything you would need to host a fun and successful FOOD DRIVE!