Merry Christmas

Looking back on the posts in this blog, it might be easy to believe we at ShareLife care only about money. Fundraising in our parishes, in companies and in schools - there's no denying that's what we do. I think, as we reflect on the Christmas story - the birth of Jesus, the Hope of our salvation - it's possible to better understand what ShareLife is really about.

Tonight, just as Mary and Joseph did, there will be hundreds of people on the streets looking for a place to stay. Doors will be opened to them at a number of ShareLife-funded agencies - providing shelter, food and a safe place to spend the night.

As well, Mary's labour took place in a less-than-ideal environment, surrounded by strangers. At another group of ShareLife agencies young pregnant women, who might otherwise be on their own, are receiving care and support.

As the story continues, the magi came bearing gifts. To some, the gifts were nothing but a sign of wealth and power. To the three kings, however, I'm sure they represented much more.

I'm certain ShareLife supporters view their gifts the same way. Their time, their talents, and their financial contributions are all made with heartfelt charity for the vulnerable, the needy and the marginalized. The sentiment behind the gifts is often more valuable than the gift itself. We treat gifts to ShareLife with respect and care, ensuring they are delivered to the places they are most needed.

Together, we're helping provide someone with shelter tonight. And it's possible that, tonight, with the help of a ShareLife agency, a child may be born. And throughout the Archdiocese people will be receiving gifts - gifts of care, of hope and a chance for renewal.

Merry Christmas

Christmas Spirit is alive at Mary Centre

The Advent season brings out the best in people. That notion was reinforced last week when I heard from a friend at Mary Centre, a ShareLife agency.
One of the volunteers at Mary Centre is a refugee claimant to Canada, with two children (9 and 2) here and two older children staying back in her country of origin. She takes classes during the day to upgrade her education, takes care of her two children, and commits time as a "friendly visitor" with one of the older residents at Mary Centre.
"She is so happy to be giving her time to this lady, and they hit it off like two old friends from the start," said my friend. She is spending quality time with the lady, doing activities in the community with her. It brings a new dimension to the older woman's life, as staff resources limit extended contact with the residents.
This, however, is just the start of the story. As is often the case, those who give are themselves in need, making the gift that much more significant. This is the case for the Mary Centre volunteer. While she is making time to volunteer, her own resources are spread quite thin. The staff at Mary Centre gained a sense of her situation a few months ago and this is where the tale of Christmas charity takes another turn.
The senior staff got together earlier this month to organize a gift for their volunteer, giving her help with some groceries and money to buy gifts for her kids - gifts she otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford this year. This charitable gesture will make a huge difference in her home, lightening the weight of financial stress and reinforcing the fact that we're part of a larger community - a community that's at its best when charity and neighbourly love are liberally practiced!
If you've any of your own touching stories of WONDERS being worked at ShareLife agencies, send them my way. I'd love to spread the good news!

Charity in York Catholic Board

Earlier this week, I had a chance to receive a $28,000 cheque from the staff and students of York Catholic District School Board for distaster relief in the Philippines and Indonesia. York organized a board-wide fundraising drive in response to the flooding and earthquakes in September. Never underestimate the power of Catholic schools - they work wonders every day in many ways!!

Thanks to everyone at YCDSB who organized the fundraising initiative and/or contributed to it.

(with Director of Education
Susan LaRosa and Board Trustee Marlene Mogado)

ShareLife in the spotlight at TCDSB

ShareLife is in the spotlight this month in the DirectorsVoice video message for December at Toronto Catholic District School Board!
We've been working to increase our involvement with the Catholic school community over the past few years, with some very positive results! The hope is that students will learn to recognize and respond to the calls for help from our neighbours in need, whether they're in our community or halfway around the world. It's a proud part of our Catholic tradition that needs to be encouraged today and into the future.
Check out the results of our partnership at TCDSB!

Remembering the storm victims 3 months later

It’s been nearly three months since tropical storms ripped through the Philippines and Indonesia. The victims of those natural disasters have fallen off the media radar but they haven’t been forgotten by many in our Catholic family.

Last week, the membership of the Kalayaan Cultural Community Center presented ShareLife executive director, Arthur Peters with a cheque for $7,000 to assist relief and reconstruction efforts in the Philippines – the result of the generosity of several KCCC members and local businesses.

KCCC members presenting Arthur Peters with their generous donation

Then, this week, the members of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association, Toronto presented us with a second generous contribution to the relief effort from its members – an additional $7,500, added to their previous donation of the same amount.

On behalf of the Caritas Internationalis network and all of us at ShareLife, thanks to all who have contributed to this and all the humanitarian relief efforts currently under way.

Check out http://www.sharelife.org/humanitarian.html for more information.

Charity at Work II

Below are a couple of pictures from the food preparation session at Neil McNeil yesterday.

The sandwiches made it into the hands of needy people. Now the students are preparing to extend their work a bit further on December 16. On that day, 60 students (yes, six-zero) will prepare meals and distribute food and clothing in a street patrol in some key locations in the city. The day will involve 30 Grade 9 students and 30 Grade 12s - what a great way to mentor younger students in the habit of charity!


Tim Lee Loy was on hand yesterday and was truly impressed with the work the boys are doing.

"They are really into it," he said. "You can see these guys transformed from when I first met them. It's really nice to see." - Charity builds character.

May these wonders never cease!

Charity at work at Neil McNeil

Later today, the Director of Education at the Toronto Catholic District School Board, Anne Perron is scheduled to help make sandwiches as students at Neil McNeil High School prepare to provide food to people in need on the streets of Toronto later today.

Just what is the ShareLife connection to this work of charity, you ask?

Sharelife has played an integral role in developing the Gr. 12 Religion course at Neil McNeil. Tim Lee Loy, Schools and Employees Campaign Coordinator here at ShareLife, has worked with teachers at the school to introduce a faith stewardship component to the course in an effort to make learning more hands-on through guest presentations and field trips to different centres with service opportunities. That's what today is about.

The program has been celebrated throughout the diocese and was featured in a Catholic Register article last year.

By helping the Grade 12 students today, Ms. Perron is demonstrating her support for the good work they are doing, and also for the ShareLife-informed curriculum the students are learning and acting on today!

A secret admirer changes lives!

It happens from time to time...a pleasant surprise that keeps us guessing. The coffee or chocolate on our desk without any indication of who left it; a basket of fresh-picked produce at the door; or some flowers delivered without a card. It's nice to know someone cares, even if we don't know who it is.

Earlier this week, ShareLife received an incredible surprise. An anonymous donor, through a third party, made a $10,000 donation to ShareLife! No name. No explanation. No tax receipt required. It seems we have a secret admirer with a very generous heart.

This act of kindness is going to make a world of difference for many people. This amount could do all of the following: help five youth find and keep jobs through Covenant House, fund 10 hours of counselling for 10 teenaged girls who will learn they're pregnant during the course of this year, allow eight young people to attend a week of American Sign Language training at a Silent Voice summer camp, give 20 clients at one of the Catholic Family Services offices an hour of counselling services AND feed 16 families in Rwanda for one week as they work toward self-sufficiency - all with one donation! These are just some of the possible wonders that can be worked with this generous contribution.

Thanks to our Secret Admirer, and all of you who support the work of ShareLife agencies. It's nice to know you care about the work we do and the people we do it for.

Celebrating Our Place - on the front lines in downtown TO

Last week, Barry Brown spoke to a number of employees here about the fantastic work being done at his ShareLife-funded agency - Our Place.

Our Place, Community of Hope, is a drop-in centre in the heart of downtown Toronto, providing a safe, welcoming environment for people with chronic mental illnesses. Barry, his staff and volunteers, have eaked out a space in the middle of a tough and busy city where people are accepted as they are.

He told us the story of one community member who has struggled with drug and alcohol addictions since he was a young teen. With the support of the Our Place community, counselling and some advocacy, he found the strength to kick his addictions. Today, he speaks to young people who are at risk of becoming addicts themselves - he's turned his life around and is trying to stop kids from following in his very worn and weary footsteps.

These simple, often heart-breaking, stories like Barry's represent just one of thousands of such successes (wonders, really) happening every day with the help of ShareLife funding.

I'm truly thankful for Barry and people like him - the people on the front lines, who are changing lives for the better every day. And I'm happy to be able to help them through my own work and through my donations.

Finding a silver lining...

The news in the past couple of days has highlighted the tough hit charities took last year. The Globe had an article in yesterday's paper and The Star had one today, based on Statistics Canada findings that charitable giving dropped overall last year though the number of donors rose. This shouldn't be a big surprise to anyone - we certainly felt the results of the downturn here at ShareLife.

While the results left us a bit deflated - we're conscious that our fundraising results can affect the critical services provided to thousands of people in need - one trend gave us real hope for the future. As we looked back at the results of the 2009 campaign, we noticed that neighbourly love is alive and well. In some of the areas hardest hit by the economic downturn, we saw some of the biggest increases in overall giving. In places where many workers were losing their jobs and experiencing increased financial and family stress, ShareLife received more support than ever before. Where help was most needed, people gave more.

This sign of hope has me moving forward in Campaign 2010 with optimism, believing that, together, we really can work wonders!

Wonders being worked in the Philippines

The community responds with great generosity when disaster strikes.


If you recall, in September Tropical Storm Ketsana struck the Philippines, displacing more than 600,000 people. The reaction to help was swift and effective. As of October 31, the community raised $92,488 and funds continue to come in. (picture below from one of the generous groups that have stepped forward to assist the victims)

Your generosity is working wonders in the Philippines.

As of October 23, more than 12,161 food packs had been distributed in the areas of Malolos, Antipolo, Pampanga, San Pablo, Cavite and Pangasinan. Also distributed were: 8,222 water jugs, 8,455 household and cooking items, 5,727 slippers, and 1.4 million medical supplies. A team is now working in Bulacan and Pampanga to identify potential rehabilitation projects for the victims in an effort to help them start rebuilding their lives.



A fundraising jam session for relief efforts in the Philippines was held on October 9 at the Kalayaan Center in Mississauga. At that event, an initial cheque for $7,500 was presented to ShareLife . Standing L-R: University of the Philippines Alumni Association President Joe Zagala, Ondoy Fund Task Force Chair Fred Gamboa, ShareLife Executive Director Arthur Peters, Ondoy Task Force Co-Chair Malou Parcero, President of Kalayaan Community Centre Mama Ching Quejas, College of the Holy Spirit Alumni Association President Beng Lorayes, San Beda College Alumni Association officer Rolly Cunanan, UPAA Treasurer Gena Baldivia and Philippine Artist Group President Omel Masalunga. (Photo courtesy of Rene Sevilla)

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this effort.

Working Wonders at Work!

Whoa! Time has been moving quickly here...I'm overdue for an update.

These days, members of the ShareLife team are in the heat of the Corporate Campaign, asking corporations and business leaders to support the critical work of our agencies. We're also sending material to employees "in the trenches" at several companies, promoting our workplace giving options. The corporate community has consistently stepped forward in the past - some companies, such as the five big banks (TD, RBC, BMO, ScotiaBank, and CIBC), Marsh Canada, Great-West Life Assurance and more, have contributed to the campaign since its outset in 1976.

While the Corporate Campaign represents about 10% of the overall ShareLife fundraising effort, it is a crucial part of our activities, raising awareness among people in the workplace and maintaining important community partnerships. A contribution from a company is an endorsement of the important services our agencies provide. Together, ShareLife and the business community are working wonders!

On another note...

We have been contacted by a company that helps charities receive text message charitable donations. If you've used this technology before, let me know what you think.

Celebrating Success at Street Haven

The annual report for one of our agencies, Street Haven at the Crossroads, landed on my desk yesterday - they are working wonders there!

Last year, this women's shelter and resource centre provided shelter for 1,337 women in need and served more than 50,000 meals! Among other small wonders, Street Haven staff assisted 38 women with finding employment, supported 110 women as they worked to kick their addictions, and helped another 154 women in securing safe housing.

This is a great example of how ShareLife funding can make a difference in people's lives. There are real success stories at Street Haven and brighter futures for hundreds of women in our area.

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who makes Street Haven a success.

addendum
Well, it seems the students at St. Francis Xavier are smarter than me... they avoided the rain yesterday by taking their walk indoors. The halls of the school, all three floors of them, were filled with marching students - dry, marching students - as they continued their ShareLife event with nary a drop of rain in site.

Xavier on the march

The staff and students at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga are braving the rain as I write, participating in their annual ShareLife walkathon. This is another of those great school communities that supports ShareLife in a number of ways through the year. Xavier students also participate in an annual day of service in the spring, helping out at different ShareLife agencies.
The support we receive from our schools is really important to us. Catholic schools are the training ground for our young poeple and it's important that the values we share as a Catholic community are passed on to them as they grow. With the home-parish-school partnership at work, the Cahtolic leaders of tomorrow will ably carry the torch forward.
Thanks to everyone who is walking today at Xavier! And thanks to all the staff and students who support the good work of ShareLife agencies throughout the year.

Mass of Thanksgiving this weekend

With the turkey and stuffing of Thanksgiving weekend more than a week behind us, the ShareLife team is gearing up for another thanksgiving celebration.

The ShareLife Mass of Thanksgiving is being celebrated at St. Michael's Cathedral in Toronto Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. Donors receive thank yous from us in several ways through the year (letters, announcements, posters) but this Mass is a truly special occassion - a faith-filled expression of thanksgiving for the donors and volunteers whose contributions keep ShareLife agencies actively serving the community.

Our work would grind to a halt and the doors of some of our agencies would in all likelihood close for good if not for the generous support of all who help us. We are truly thankful for you all.

Join us if you can at 2 p.m. on Sunday at St. Michael's Cathedral, Toronto (65 Bond St.). Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Peter Hundt, Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, and a light reception will follow.

Thanks for working wonders!

St. Margeurite d'Youville walkathon

On Friday, I had the chance to speak to the students of St. Margeurite d'Youville Catholic Secondary School in Brampton during two masses celebrated as part of their annual walkathon, held on the feast day of their school's namesake saint.
The staff and students of St. Margeurite d'Youville combine this short pilgrimage, walking from school to their parish, with a fundraiser for ShareLife agencies. They combine a time of spiritual reflection with a time for charitable action! Last year, they raised $20,000 and it looks as though they will top that result this year - an amazing accomplishment for a single student body.
Congratulations to the staff and students of St. Margeurite d'Youville! And thanks on behalf us all in the ShareLife family.

Corporate Campaign Launched + Relief Efforts for Indonesian Earthquake Victims

A number of dedicated volunteers gathered for Mass and a light breakfast to launch the 2010 Corporate Campaign. Our goal is to raise $1.5 million in the corporate community this year, and it can only happen with the help of these generous volunteers. We were joined by Martin Mark, director of The Office for Refugees in the Archdiocese of Toronto (http://www.archtoronto.org/arch_offices/refugee.html), who spoke about the important work being done by his office. Rest assured, ShareLife funding of this important agency is saving lives in faraway places and giving people new hope and new lives here in Canada.

On another note, the ShareLife Office sent an announcement to all parishes in the Archdiocese to let everyone know we are now able to accept humanitarian relief contributions for those affected by the deadly earthquakes that struck Sumatra, Indonesia last week. To learn more or to make a donation to help some of the hundreds of thousands of people who have been displaced by the disaster, click here.

Report to Donors on the way

We're preparing a mailing to all parishes today - sending a Report to Donors for the 2009 ShareLife Campaign. This is a great reference for anyone who wants to understand all we're doing to raise funds for our agencies - in the parishes, in the schools and in the workplace. We can be proud of our response as a Catholic family to the calls of help coming from the greater community.

You can check the Report to Donors out online, too, at www.sharelife.org/report

As Archbishop Collins says in his introduction to the report, "Catholics in the Archdiocese of Toronto have accomplished a great deal this year through their generous contributions to ShareLife. Together, as the campaign theme suggests, we are working wonders. It is our calling. It is our responsibility."

Inspiring response to disaster

Being part of the ShareLife Office gives me a chance to see Catholic charity in action - it's a true inspiration!
Since news of Tropical Storm Ketsana's devastation in the Philippines - flooding, landslides and more than 450,000 people displaced - we've received many calls from parishes and concerned citizens who want to help the victims. Parish groups have been formed. Donations are being collected. And prayers are being said.
Our international relief partners in the region, through the Caritas Internationalis network, have hit the ground running and we are collecting financial contributions to support their important work.
Find out more here.

Leadership transition

We've had some great news lately regarding our ShareLife Corporate Campaign.

James P. Magee (former president and CEO of Shorcan Brokers Ltd. and senior vice-president of TSX Group) and Chad Alderson (Executive Vice President, Infrastructure Services at Davis + Henderson) have agreed to serve as co-chairs of the campaign team. These two corporate executives are stepping forward to lead by example in the corporate community. Their guidance and enthusiasm will help carry us forward as we work with current and potential ShareLife supporters in the corporate community.

Thanks to former Corporate chair Colleen Johnston, Group Head Finance and Chief Financial Officer, TD Bank Financial Group, who led the campaign for three years.

Thanks to these three corporate leaders for their commitment to ShareLife, the agencies we support and the thousands of people in need of our help!

Time to get started!

The time is overdue for ShareLife to officially enter the blogosphere.

I’ll be using this space to keep you updated on news, happenings and the many inspiring successes that are part of the ShareLife experience. You’ll hear about our campaign efforts in parishes, schools, staffrooms and board rooms across this vast and rich diocese. We’ll celebrate successes, seek feedback and trumpet the cause of ShareLife and the more than 40 Catholic agencies supported by our generous donors.

My posts will be short and frequent. Send me your feedback, anytime, about any posting.

So, here we go…

One of the most obvious changes you’ll see this year isn’t a change at all. The theme of last year’s ShareLife campaign, “You can work wonders!” is staying around for the foreseeable future. We liked it and so did a lot of other people (experts and amateurs alike), so this positive message of hope will be our call to arms moving forward. Whaddya think?!?

On another front, one of our long-time ShareLife agencies celebrated a significant anniversary earlier this week. On Sunday (Sept. 13), Mary Centre (http://www.marycentre.com/), celebrated the 20th anniversary of the arrival of their first residential client. This weekend (Sept. 20), the community of volunteers, staff and supporters are gathering for a Mass at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish to mark two decades of compassionate, professional care for people with developmental challenges and their families. Since the first resident arrived, Mary Centre has grown to provide homes with full-time care as well as independent living apartments to 42 adults in the Greater Toronto Area. They also offer outreach programs, respite care and community support services to more than 275 people and their families.

Congratulations to everyone who has contributed to the success of Mary Centre as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.