Community Outreach
The Parish of French Village is involved in a number of outreach initiatives both in our community and in the rest of the world. Some of the ways we engage with the broader community include:
Locally:
St. Margaret's Bay Foodbank
We organized the Harvest Time BBQ Celebration fundraiser for the foodbank in September 2022 and raised $1000 plus a trailer full of food for our local foodbank.
(
https://www.facebook.com/smbfoodbank/)
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The Marguerite Centre
Once a month we gather with members of St Luke’s United Church to provide a day of activities and lunch for the women living at the Marguerite Centre, a home for women recovering from addictions
(https://themargueritecentre.com/)
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The Helm Centre
The funds from this year’s Easter Memorials have been designated to help the Helm Centre in Glen Haven, a one-year faith based addictions recovery program. “With the rising costs of food and since we are on a small farm, we are doing an agricultural expansion which will include an enclosure, a concrete pad, fencing and some pigs for meat. That’s a fun little project that the guys would like to get started on this spring."
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Home heating fund
We contribute financially to assist those in need in heating their homes
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Christmas families
We partner with local community organizations to endure famiies in the area have a joy-filled Christmas by providing food, gifts and other requested items.
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Mission to Seafarers Christmas Shoebox Campaign
Every Christmas we fill shoeboxes with items such as toiletries, warm hats, socks and mitts, activity books, and candy for the seafarers
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Neighbourhood Soup Servants
A small group of parishioners and friends have been getting together to make soup and build a fellowship.
The soup is then delivered to neighbours who may be lonely, sick or experiencing other issues or just a welcome to newcomers. It is also a chance for a short visit or just a brief chat at the door.
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Pop Can Tabs
You can help purchase a Wheel Chair for a Veteran by bringing Pop Can Tabs (or tabs from other containers) tabs to Saint George’s Church and place them in the labled container in the vestibule.
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The Lions Club
The Lions Club is happy to accept donations of used eye glasses and hearing aids. Please bring them along to church to be collected later. SMB Lions Club have the following equipment available for loan, free of charge, to members of the community: Chair Lifts, Wheelchairs, Hospital Beds, Walkers, Crutches, Canes, Bath/Shower chair accessories.
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White Ribbon Campaign
The distribution of white ribbons along with the White Ribbon pledge is a campaign to bring an end to gender-based violence through awareness and commitment. It is a worldwide male-led campaign which began in Canada. https://www.whiteribbon.ca/
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Silent Witness Nova Scotia
We support the Silent Witness Program of Nova Scotia. The program helps prevent and bring awareness to gender based and domestic violence through the use of life size red silhouettes of women murdered by their spouse or significant partner. The silhouettes have been featured at gender-based violence awareness vigils and walks held in our community.
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Internationally:
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Support for Ukraine
We promoted the collection of priority items and donations for the people of Ukraine when their country was invaded in 2022.
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Refugees and newcomers to Nova Scotia
We support refugees and newcomers in our community by providing accommodation, food, household items, companionship and assistance with settling into their new home.
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Buenavista, Oaxaca, Mexico
We pray for and support financially Fr. VanderHoff and the people of that community of coffee farmers through a farmers co-op organized by the Union of Indigenous Communities of the Isthmus Region (UCIRI). Projects include a fish farm, scholarships, coffee farming and provision of internet.