St. Michael's COV-AID donates to the Old Brewery Mission to help the homeless

When we were planning this campaign, it was clear we wanted to do our part in supporting our brothers and sisters who are experiencing homelessness. That is why the second St. Michael’s COV-AID donation of 1000 dollars goes to our friends at the Old Brewery Mission!

Established already in 1889 by two Montreal women, the Mission has evolved from a soup kitchen to Quebec’s largest resource for homeless men and one of Canada’s largest organizations for homeless women. Every year the Mission helps close to 4,000 individuals to rebuild their lives through, for example, affordable housing programs, adapted health services, and psychosocial support.

People experiencing homelessness are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 as many of them are suffering from underlying health issues. It is also nearly impossible to practice physical distancing in settings like shelters, which are often overcrowded. In the pandemic organizations like the Mission together with their partners work tirelessly to coordinate their services and to ensure no homeless person is left behind during this crisis. This has meant that many temporary installations have been put in place across the city, day centres and overnight shelters, even hotels are being used to safely house people who have no place to go. Many of these temporary places are staffed by Old Brewery Mission workers, who have expertise in the field. Also, the old Royal-Victoria hospital is being used to isolate homeless people who have tested positive for COVID-19, which is helping to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.

Like many other organizations, the Mission has also had to make changes in this new situation we live in. This has included, for example, practicing physical distancing and ramping up cleaning routines at their facilities. Those, who are able to work from home, are doing so, but the majority of the Mission’s workforce - the intervention workers, counsellors, kitchen and maintenance staff - are working in the frontline round the clock helping homeless people access safe shelter, food, medical care and psychosocial support. The Mission has also had to cancel all their upcoming fundraisers and programs that provided an important source of revenue for the Mission. Because their costs have also gone up due to the pandemic, it is especially important for us all to support their wonderful work!

- Your donation will go directly towards helping men and women experiencing homelessness stay safe during this crisis, as well as access life’s basic necessities. For example, everyday our kitchen prepares over 1,000 meals, nearly half of which are packaged for take-out and distributed to homeless people at day centres or other temporary installations across the city. Every penny counts and goes towards necessary services that would otherwise not exist, Melissa Bellerose, the Mission’s director of communications and public affairs, tells us.

- The Old Brewery Mission is forever grateful for your support, and that of St. Michael's Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church and its generous community. Your compassion towards Montreal’s most vulnerable citizens is truly heartwarming. While our objective is to keep everyone safe during this crisis, our mission remains to end chronic homelessness in Montreal. We see a city where vulnerable people aren’t so vulnerable anymore, where everyone has a place to call home. We can’t do it without you. Thank you for taking on this mission with us! Bellerose adds.

Your donation, too, can make a difference! Every donation to the Old Brewery Mission goes toward funding vital services for our city’s homeless population.

How to donate?

Online: https://oldbrewerymission.thankyou4caring.org/pages/mission-accomplished-donation-form?_ga=2.94400156.1827250959.1587570227-1287835968.1573570584.

OR

Call 514 788-1884 ext. 255 Monday-Friday, 8 am to 4 pm, to make your donation by phone using a credit card.

OR

Send a cheque to:

Old Brewery Mission PO Box 278, Station Place D’Armes Montreal, Quebec H2Y 3G7

We would appreciate it if you mentioned St. Michael’s COV-AID when making your donation - it helps us in building lasting relationships with these amazing organizations.

Need more information? Go to https://www.missionoldbrewery.ca/en/

St. Michael’s COV-AID encourages you to support this cause and share the info on social media. Stay safe, stay healthy, and love your neighbour!