Outreach Opportunities Fund

The Outreach Opportunities Fund Committee selects outside organizations to receive a portion of the Sunday offering.

Outreach Opportunities Fund (OOF)

Statement of Purpose:

To distribute 25% of funds collected during the Sunday service to community charities, both those that are independent of the church and those that have some connection to the work of church committees. Priority is given to organizations undertaking social justice, refugee support and settlement and environmental sustainability work with a focus on vulnerable or other marginalized communities. Preference for funding is given to groups working primarily in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

Members:

Steven Epperson, Carolyn Grant, Melody Mason and Bruce McIvor

Currently Collecting for:

The new recipient of OOF funding, starting June 1, 2019, will be the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre. The recipient was nominated by the Social Justice Committee.

Every day, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre supports over 500 women, children and seniors in crisis to meet their immediate health, housing and other needs. It helps women escape from poverty and violence by offering long-term support, education and peer mentorship. In addition, it advocates to increase awareness of inequalities and systemic injustice against women.

Activities and Accomplishments

In 2017-2018, OOF distributed a total over $8000 to the following organisations:

RAVEN Trust
Qmunity
Portland Hotel Society (to be allocated to the work of the Overdose Prevention Society)
Kiwassa Neighbourhood House (to be allocated to Warriors Against Violence activities)
Community Legal Assistance Society
Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society
Rainbow Refugee Coalition

Representatives from the above organizations gave a short presentation to the congregation on the purpose of their work.

Future Plans

Three organisations will be selected to receive funds from OOF during the next year. In the past, the committee has chosen the recipients but we now ask members of the congregation to nominate local charities for consideration by the committee.

History

Here are some of the organizations we have supported in the past.

2011

Kinbrace

Elizabeth Fry Society $2500

2012

ACORN $2500
BC Coalition of People with Disabilities now the Disability Alliance $2500
Elizabeth Fry Society $1000
Rhizome Movement Building Centre $1500
VAST $1500