Stories

How Will You Keep Your Love Going?

September 13, 2022
Sometimes, a donor does not know how their donation will be utilized. Instead, they choose to allow Mission Services of London Foundation to allocate the funds where they are most needed. This practice of leaving donations unrestricted has allowed us to respond to emerging needs, expand vital programs, and swiftly address the pandemic. For instance,

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

Monday at the Mission Store

June 30, 2022
We often say the Mission Store is more than just a thrift store. The retail space and warehouse support the Emergency Voucher Program, an outreach program providing clothing, essential hygiene products, and household items at no cost to neighbours in need. Last year, the program distributed over $85,000 in goods and regularly serves thousands of

Quintin Warner House is Expanding!

May 20, 2022
Mission Services of London is pleased to announce the expansion of its Quintin Warner House (addiction treatment) branch, with the addition of 10 treatment beds and a new location at 457 York Street (former site of the Crashbeds program, which closed in 2018). “[It’s] not just an expansion of beds, it’s an enhancement to the

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