Community Outreach
ESG Partner Agencies
ESG provides financial support to a number of agencies who serve those in need in our local community in Toronto. These agencies are experiencing significant increases in need within their organizations, and we need to increase our support of the four critical, longstanding, outreach relationships. We are reaching out to make a difference in this time of incredible need.
Please consider donating to ESG so that we can increase our Outreach Support to these organizations.
Abiona Centre is a client-centred infant and early childhood mental health organization which supports pregnant and parenting adolescents, aged 13-25. With donors’ support, each young mom has access to prenatal and postnatal care, learns how to care for her baby, completes her education, and develops the skills needed to build a successful life and relationship with her baby.
As one of the leading homelessness charities in Toronto, Fred Victor has extensive experience providing and managing affordable housing, transitional housing, and emergency shelters – as well as offering other support services and referrals for people experiencing homelessness.
The Toronto Urban Native Ministry (TUNM) supports both Traditional Indigenous Spiritualities and world-views as well as Christian Spiritual practices, showing that they can walk together in harmony. Founded in 1996, TUNM interacts with more than 8,000 lives each year. We reach out to Indigenous people on the street, in hospitals, in jails, shelters and hostels, providing counseling, Ceremony, spiritual care and referrals to community services.
Street Health is a non-profit community based agency that strives to improve the health and well-being of homeless and under-housed people in downtown Toronto. We offer physical and mental health programs, as well as supports that improve clients’ ability to access other services. On an average day, 115 clients come through our doors; we have 60,500 client visits each year.
ESG Community Outreach Programs
Fair Trade at ESG
support fair trade practices
Each year we host a Fair Trade Fair, prior to the Christmas season, in support of workers around the world who are trying to create better lives for themselves and their families. This is a wonderful opportunity to shop for unique gifts made by artisans from Cambodia, Nepal, Palestine, Rwanda, Northern Thailand, Haiti and more who are working to better their own lives and those of their families. Support fair trade by including some of these exotic, practical, and fun items in your holiday giving.
Out of the Cold (paused at this time due to COVID-19)
helping the homeless
The Out of the Cold program is a volunteer initiative. Our local OOTC program is held at Blythwood Road Baptist Church, 80 Blythwood Road.
The Out of the Cold Program as we knew it, had been paused for the duration of Covid. During that time several initiatives were launched to send aid to those who were most vulnerable and who had lost the most because of the complete shutdown of all charitable services for the homeless.
Out of the Cold funds and donations from ESG went to support the OOTC Program that was kept alive at St. Luke’s United Church.
Last year we were finally able to start “cooking” real meals again, except that there was one hitch. Due to staffing and safety concerns, we were no longer able to serve those meals in the basement of the Blythwood Baptist Church. Blythwood Out of the Cold joined forces with Seeds of Hope, a downtown agency that provides support services for the homeless near Wellesley and Yonge. From November ’22 through April ’23 ESG prepared 7 full course dinners, which were cooked at Blythwood on Saturday mornings, packed into insulated bags and driven downtown to Albert St. The meals were served outside and were gratefully received. A legion of bakers also volunteered to bake all sorts of breads, cookies and muffins.
We are anticipating doing something similar this year. Planning is underway and we have committed to 6 possibly 7 dinners again this year. Donations to support the purchasing of food for the cooked meals, sandwiches etc are greatly appreciated. You may donate through Canada Helps by using the drop down menu – ESG Outreach Support – in special message box – type Out of the Cold or a cheque made out to ESG United with Out of the Cold in the memo line will also be gratefully accepted.