Hands Across Niagara To Focus on Marginalized People

Donations support diocesan grants for community justice projects

Posted March 11, 2016

Bishop Michael describes Hands Across Niagara as "one of the key ways that our diocesan family equips our communities to stand for gospel values alongside those who are marginalized and oppressed."

The Windows on Justice Project in DundasHands Across Niagara is a joint initiative that supports justice and servant ministries at the local, diocesan and national level. Each year donations to the Hands Across Niagara campaign equip people, parishes and partners to be active participants in the sharing of Jesus’ love with our neighbours. 

The Bishop cited the recent outpouring of support for our 140th Anniversary Refugee Sponsorship Initiative as proof that "we have the capacity to respond" to a variety of justice issues faced by people in our communities.

The focus for this year's diocesan grants is on the justice concerns of people who find themselves marginalized in our society. Given the incredible response to the global refugee crisis, the grants committee is especially interested in inclusionary projects that foster full participation in our society. Ideas could centre on newcomers to Canada, as well as for those who are oppressed because of their ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic status, language, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

The call for applications contains all of the details, including the date of the spring application deadline. An application package is available to be downloaded from the diocesan grants webpage.

In 2015 diocesan grants, helped local Anglicans partner with their community to:

  • build relationships among vulnerable people who were learning cooking skills, 
  • create access to healthy food through community gardens, 
  • raise awareness around ways to safeguard the health of the environment, and, 
  • assist women as they reintegrate into society following incarceration.

Bishop Michael has set March 13, 2016 as this year's campaign Sunday. Often parishes choose to highlight Hands Across Niagara on another Sunday that works better for their ministry context. Either way it's an important way to share the good work of Hands Across Niagara and support its vitally important ministries. 

http://niagaraanglican.ca/ministry/hands-across-niagara