FRIENDS of St. Andrew's
The mandate for Friends of St Andrew’s includes preparation of food and distribution, social contact, seasonal clothing, and connections to foster transition to supportive housing. Volunteers do not have to be members of the congregation to participate.
Necessities are delivered on Monday and Friday early afternoon by two volunteers. The route is flexible, determined by the needs of those we serve. A number of our Friends also attend our Neighbour’s Lunch on Wednesdays. For some this is a significant change in their confidence of being comfortable in a large room with a large number of strangers. Some sit among those who regularly attend, others at the table closest to the hall door.
Since the inception of Friends in 2021, another benefit to all concerned has been the evolution of trust. This has been a major factor in our success. We work on first name basis only, do not intrude on personal matters unless invited. We also act as a liaison with other organizations. Support from the community at large has been very gratifying, this includes clothing and financial support. Our congregation has been generous in providing support in kind and money.
Outreach to the homeless and food insecure of Sidney:
The intent of this parish outreach program is to build relationships with clients in the community, while providing basic food items (coffee/ homemade soup/ sandwiches/ muffins, etc.) twice a week, every Monday and Friday afternoon. We have supplies of rain ponchos, survival blankets, socks and personal wipes which are given out as needed, and $5 Tim Horton cards for our regulars when we encounter them on non-delivery days.