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Community Meal

Drop-Ins

The main purpose of drop-ins at Sanctuary is to engage people in developing healthy relationships. Drop-ins provide wonderful opportunities to do this, as well as allowing us to provide other kinds of care, in very practical ways. The relationships and ultimate friendships that develop in the drop-in context draw individuals closer into community and often result in positive life changes. We are committed to the creation of a safe and dignified setting in which to cultivate healthy community centered around Jesus.

The following resources are available to our drop-in guests:

Because the meal is central to each drop-in, there is much activity in the kitchen. Recently renovated and equipped with state-of- the- art industrial equipment, the kitchen ably allows for the preparation of large quantities of food to feed the 80-160 guests who join us. Under the direction of our Kitchen Manager, Donald Sturrock, the cooking teams produce good, nutritious meals. The menus vary each week and community members are encouraged to make suggestions and to help with the cooking. We are especially grateful to the many people who volunteer each week in the kitchen, and often it seems like they're just having too much fun helping out!! Everyone is encouraged to care well for one another and it is not unusual to see folks offering their seats to those waiting to eat. We honour birthdays at the beginning of each month (cake, ice cream, candles and singing included) and use special occasions like Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas to celebrate together. Although there are moments when the grim reality of addictions and street life result in painful expressions, the overall sense within the drop-in is that this is a place that offers some respite from the harsh life of surviving without a home.

Please feel free to visit us during our drop-in hours. You will experience firsthand the energy and commitment that exists as members of the community join together to share food and companionship.

If you would like more information about the DROP-IN PROGRAM please contact Alan Beattie at 416-922-0628 x.211.

Women's Drop-In

Women's Drop-In ­

The driving force behind our Tuesday Women’s Drop-In has been Nancy Sarlo, a member of ForestbrookCommunity Church who has been an energetic member of our community for a number of years. Here's how Nancy expresses her heart for the Women's Drop-In:

"As I sat in drop-ins and coffee shops over the past year and listened to the stories some of the women were willing to share I was impressed by the need to somehow create a safe, peaceful environment in which woman-to-woman relationships could be nurtured. I've always loved cooking and have been involved in community cooking projects in the past. The story sharing and conversation which spontaneously occurs during meal preparation seemed a natural place to start. With the support of Karen Paul, the dream of a weekly women's drop-in with a community kitchen component became a reality on Sept. 21,2005.

"On Tuesday, as the smells from the stove waft through Sanctuary's large but homey kitchen the women are slowly sharing their stories from their week and past. They plan the menu for the next week and at times contribute recipes they remember from past family meals.

"For many of the women who have attended regularly they say it's a place to meet other women, share ideas, discuss problems and learn new recipes. For others it's a place to grab a quick shower and share a cup of coffee before starting their day.  

Nancy Sarlo