ShareLife message goes underground

Last Wednesday, more than 75 students from Bishop Morocco Secondary School and Neil McNeil High School in Toronto and from St. Joseph Secondary School in Mississauga hit five Toronto Transit Commission stations for the morning rush hour, raising awareness and funds for ShareLife and its network of agencies.

While serving as a fundraising drive, the morning also served as an educational experience for the students. As part of the process, they were encouraged to do research on some of the important social services provided by ShareLife agencies, so they could answer questions they were asked by passers by. As well, they attended an orientation session to ensure they conducted themselves in a respectful manner and were familiar with TTC fundraising guidelines. They were asked to exercise the same level of care and respect afforded everyone who turns to a ShareLife agency.


All told, the students raised $4022 an increase of $281 over last year's effort!

Thanks to all the students who participated in the day - you represented yourselves, your schools and ShareLife well. Thanks as well to the Toronto Transit Commission, Toronto Catholic District School Board and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board for their partnership in this important student activity.

ShareLife speakers bear witness to wonders

It's been a busy few weeks around here, preparing for and following up on the first ShareLife collection in parishes throughout the archdiocese.

At this time of year, ShareLife staff members and employees of ShareLife agencies are busy speaking to parishioners at weekend Masses, providing information and testimonials about the important work being done in the community with the help of ShareLife funding. We're truly thankful for the additional effort and the time away from family these people provide - theirs are the stories from the trenches; the evidence that our collective response really is helping people weather the troubled waters of their lives.

Early indications are that $2.5 million was received at parishes during last weekend's collections. We know several parishes didn't have the chance to report their results before the first tally took place, so we're hopefull the actual number is much higher.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the campaign already - your support gives the campaign the momentum it needs to get to the goal of $12 million. If you haven't had a chance to make a contribution yet, please do. Your gift can make a real and meaningful difference - next time you hear a ShareLife speaker, you'll hear how.

Chilean Earthquake Relief

Communication is being distributed to all parishes in the Archdiocese of Toronto today, letting them know we're accepting monetary contributions to the relief efforts in Chile, following the dramatic 8.8 earthquake that shook the region last Saturday. The quake left hundreds of people dead and an estimated 1.5 million more displaced from their homes.

Working through the Catholic Church's official international relief network, Caritas Internationalis, funds will be sent to our partners at Development and Peace (the Caritas representative in Canada). Development and Peace will forward the funds to Caritas Chile, which is distributing food through its network in the country. Caritas has also sent a search and rescue team to help find survivors trapped under rubble.

Those wishing to help through a financial contribution may do so in the following ways:
Online through ShareLife's website (www.sharelife.org)
By phone through the ShareLife office – 1-800-263-2595 or 416-934-3411
Through your parish, making cheques payable to: Parish Name - Earthquake - Chile

We offer our prayers for the thousands of families affected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami.