The Hub space at 901 Yonge Street has been an amazing blessing made possible by last year’s Heart for the House Offering. Church buildings are key in creating a place to call home and equipping the church to serve its local community.

In this rebuilding stage after the pandemic, the need for buildings to enable a real sense of community and having a place where we can gather to worship together is more important than ever. What if, as a church, we could purchase a building and fill it with the sound of worship and prayer? Make it a centre for community and outreach in the city? Create a space where young people can gather and children and their families can come on Sundays to hear the word of God preached and to see lives transformed?

There is so much opportunity before us which is why a major focus for this Heart for the House will be to put aside a significant portion towards a building of our own - a stake in the ground that will not only declare the goodness of God but will also house all that He is doing right here at home.

Across the world, slavery is more prevalent today than at any other time in history, with an estimated 40.3 million human beings enslaved. Fight4Freedom exists to be an active voice and advocate of justice for individuals and communities exploited by sex trafficking and to further assist in finding necessary support systems that will aid in their journey to safety, healing, and freedom. In Canada, sex trafficking is going increasingly online. However, in-person sexual exploitation continues to happen, especially in cities along the 401 corridors. 90% of trafficking in Canada is domestic meaning that it is Canadians being trafficked in Canada with Indigenous peoples being disproportionately targeted.

Through our partnership, Fight for Freedom will be able to care for more survivors, helping them meet practical needs such as housing, food, transportation, medical, dental and counselling services as they leave situations of sexual exploitation.

Vision Rescue’s mission is to provide educational pathways to children living in vulnerable communities throughout India, and to empower people to live with dignity.

Over the past year, many of Vision Rescue’s core programs had to pivot as they responded quickly to ensure that no child missed out on an education during extended lockdowns with over 1,300 children continuing to receive early childhood education through their Beacon Learning Centres digitally, setting children up for their primary education.

Vision Rescue also empowered community volunteers to support children and families in their own communities providing much-needed groceries and meals. Through 2021 over 40,000 people were assisted with food relief, over 1,500 people were connected to government services and 2,100 people received health care. Through our partnership, Vision Rescue will be able to continue their vital work and ensure that the communities that they work with will have a future full of hope.