The Outreach Committee has been an integral part of Walton United Church for many years.
Our mission is to provide ways for the Walton congregation and community to demonstrate our love of God to our neighbours in our local community and in the global community. We support local programs both financially and with our volunteer time in Oakville, Halton and Hamilton. Our support includes global programs providing disaster relief and other critical support in poverty-stricken areas around the world.
From collecting personal care items, socks, mittens and coats to cooking dinners, Walton is there.
Our year begins with our Outreach Sunday church service at the end of January or early February. The committee works together on the service, which will feature a guest speaker from a charity we support or one that is of interest to our congregation.
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper – a free-will offering event, supporting a variety of causes every year, for example, the Bronte Coat Drive, the FareShare Food Bank and Health Partners International of Canada. We also prepare and serve the congregational Good Friday Pancake Breakfast.
Walton participates in the Canada Revenue Agency’s Community Volunteer Income Tax Program. Qualified volunteers prepare and submit income tax returns for lower-income individuals and families, including many newcomers to Canada. This is an essential service as certain government benefits are only accessible by filing a tax return each year. Our Outreach members assist with providing frontline services for all enquiries, scheduling appointments, in-person tax meetings as greeters, welcoming clients and assisting as needed.
In June, we support Kerr Street Mission with a fundraising drive to Send a Kid to Camp. Our donations have enabled hundreds of children to enjoy the camp experience over the years.
In September, we help kick off the new school year by preparing and serving the Rally Day BBQ.
Sock It To Me Sunday in September – a day of great fun as we donate hundreds of pairs of warm winter socks directly into basketball hoops and baskets – later these are donated through the Wesley Day Centre, Lighthouse Shelter (Salvation Army) or Kerr Street Mission to folks who need them desperately.
October brings the Bronte Coat Drive, which is put on in affiliation with St. Dominic’s Parish, the Church of the Epiphany, Walton, Oakville Hydro and the Bronte BIA. After months of collecting gently used winter coats and boots, this event is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving to distribute these items to individuals and families in need before winter sets in. The Coat Drive collects approximately 1,000 coats each year and approximately 700- 800 coats are distributed on the day of the event; the balance going to the shelters. Outreach members assist in the organizing and execution of the day.
The Mitten Trees rise up for the month of November – our trees, both in the Sanctuary and in Bronte Hall, come into full bloom as we receive many, many donations of knitted hats, mitts and scarves to be distributed just as the cold weather arrives. These items are sorted and distributed to Kerr Street, Wesley, the Lighthouse and other agencies who are able to put these items in the right hands.
White Gift Sunday (the second Sunday of Advent) – congregants bring in an unwrapped gift or gift card for distribution at the Christmas Program at Wesley Urban Ministries, Kerr Street and other local identified areas of need.
Personal Care Kits and Supplies – We encourage those interested in providing emergency help to pick up personal care products any time throughout the year as you see them on sale – we have a list posted on the donation box outside the church office and at the Welcome Desk. We have the traditional program of filling a bag with items that one person could use such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, hairbrush, towel suited either to a male or female –or just donate a few items at a time and our committee will assemble the kits to suit the immediate need. A committee member co-ordinates this collection and distributes the personal care kits to caring programs in Halton Region who serve those who are most vulnerable.
FareShare Food Bank, Oakville – Apart from our ongoing weekly collection box, we hold special drives at Easter and Thanksgiving and find our special boxes overflowing with donations to the Food Bank as well as generous congregational financial donations. Every month, Committee Members donate personally at our meetings to provide adult incontinence products to the food bank and committee volunteers make the delivery to the food bank.
We are always looking for new members and ideas and welcome anyone who would like to join us whether it is to attend meetings or provide help at some of our events.
