Sarah, staff on our Saskatoon team shares how the Drop-In Centre is inspiring other churches in Saskatoon to use their resources to create spaces of community care to serve their neighbours!
A year ago, some local leaders from churches across Saskatoon heard about our Drop-In Centre. They were inspired to consider how they could follow our example and offer their facilities and hospitality to further care for their neighbourhoods. Over the classic Drop-In combo of coffee and muffins, we shared with them stories of how we began, the impacts we've witnessed through our Drop-In, and some of the unexpected moments we've encountered and pivots we’ve made along the way.
Recently we were encouraged to cross paths again with these local parish leaders at a conference around homelessness. It can be a tremendous undertaking to translate a beautiful idea into a tangible reality, so we were delighted to hear that their communities had faithfully invested their resources this past year toward launching similar Drop-In Centres following our model!
They shared that our example has been particularly compelling because we are seeking to create a safe and welcoming space for our unhoused neighbours and so many community members are finding the Drop-In Centre a meaningful place to be.
Since we also hire community members as Drop-In staff, neighbours are empowered to take ownership of the space as well as the well-being of each other.
Whether it's a space of connection to combat isolation, the kind gesture of someone else preparing your coffee, or a compassionate ear to listen to and affirm your journey - there is something that we all need from one another, no matter if we walked in the drop-in to give or receive. We are all on a journey of mutual transformation.
In the coming year, we are creating a resource detailing our journey as a blueprint to equip other communities to create their own unique expressions of community care.
Thank you for supporting the work of God, multiplying our mustard seed-sized acts of faith at the Drop-In working towards more spaces of welcome and healing in Saskatoon and beyond!
Servant Partners supports faith communities considering how their resources might be shared for their neighbourhoods’ shalom and in alignment with God's heart for justice.
Is your faith community wondering what that could look like and seeking inspiration? Please reach out to our Director of Learning and Innovation, Krista-Dawn (krista-dawn.kimsey@servantpartners.org) We’d love to help you discern and get started!