Stories

One Step at a Time

August 8, 2022
“There’s not a lot of places where your social worker will meet with you outside or agree to go for a walk. [The Streetscape team] is great for meeting people where they’re at,” says David*. David first met Sarai, a Streetscape case worker with Mission Services of London’s Community Mental Health Programs (CMHP), in 2019.

“It’s Not an Option to Offer Hope—It’s an Obligation”

August 8, 2022
As an ethnographer in Scotland, Chris Medland worked alongside volunteers of faith-based organizations to understand the impact they were having on the wider community. “The effect they were having was immense,” he found. “These organizations were doing almost all of the social welfare provision in Scotland”. With over 5% of the Scottish population experiencing homelessness

Expanding and Enhancing Addiction Treatment in London

August 8, 2022
“As far as I know, there has not been a single death in emergency shelters because of COVID-19–not a single one,” says Peter Rozeluk, Executive Director of Mission Services of London. “Part of that was because the City of London had the foresight to have isolation and monitoring spaces for people staying in shelter. I

Tom’s Story

May 20, 2022
“I knew there was a payphone all the way across town. And if I made it to that payphone, I’d call the suicide hotline and try to live. But I had to make it there first.” It was an early August morning when Tom found himself behind the wheel of his car. He had lost

Taking Steps Together – Our Staff

March 21, 2022
Reading about the staff’s experiences at Mission Services of London, across all the branches, there are several words that stand out to me: Family. Teamwork. Caring. It heartens me to hear these words included in our staff’s stories. It’s important for people to feel cared for when they’re at work, especially when caring for others

The Voices of Mission Services

March 21, 2022
“When you walk in through the front doors, we want you to feel like you’re walking into the Mission Services family.” The new Director of Social Enterprise and Retail Operations, Sue Fahner oversees the Mission Store and its outreach programs. She has been in the role since November 2021, and feels she has been waiting

Warming Hands and Hearts this Winter

January 20, 2022
Since 1995, the Mission Store has been running the Warm Hands – Warm Hearts Outreach Program for children in need in the London area. This is a program that runs in partnership with more than 30 elementary schools in London, both in the London District Catholic and Thames Valley District School Boards. Between the months

Warmth in Winter

January 19, 2022
Each individual staying in emergency shelter has a story to tell and those stories are not always easy to hear. Some men will spend only one night, others will return frequently. The reasons for coming are as varied as the men themselves, but perhaps one thread common to all is a desire or need for

Winter Dangers

January 14, 2022
The trees have come down, the presents unwrapped, and the decorations packed into boxes. As another holiday season ends, we settle into the winter months. And for some, it’s anything but a wonderland. “When you’re trying not to freeze to death, the winter is long and dark,” says Mike Toth, Director of Shelters at Mission

Hope for the Holidays

December 2, 2021
As we decorate our homes for the holiday season, there are many men and women in the London area who do not have a home this Christmas. They are experiencing hunger and often feel alone. Your compassion towards our neighbours in need will help bring a different future to those who have fallen on difficult