Rockwood and Stone United Churches are pleased to be in a Spirit building relationship with Anishnabeg Outreach https://aocan.org since 2018
Our involvement with them dovetails well with the goal of the United Church of Canada which continues to work towards seeking right relations with Indigenous people on the journey toward reconciliation and justice.
AO is an Indigenous led not-for-profit agency that received charitable status in 2003. Initially it was an employment agency for Indigenous people and has since expanded its mandate significantly. Their mission is to help First Nations, Metis, and Inuit by creating a sustainable and comprehensive suite of services for urban FNMI and to establish AO as an innovative hub for economic development, training and employment on reserves. One of the major goals is to provide support for indigenous youth to enable them to complete their education. They operate out of a former Lutheran church in Kitchener where they provide a hub for a drop-in centre bringing people together in a gathering place. Also included are the non-profit employment and early years centres, and a cupboard stocked with items that are available on a help-yourself basis to indigenous people.
We have raised funds which purchased a washer and dryer for the hub, collected many items of warm clothing, made hundreds of face masks during Covid, and also during Covid we undertook the task of collecting bicycles. Our whole community responded very generously resulting in over 130 bicycles, tricycles and ride-in toys being distributed by AO. We also purchased safety helmets for the bicycle owners. We have helped to fund development of AO’s beading program, and a sewing initiative designed to help to teach Indigenous women how to repurpose and upcycle clothing for themselves and their families.
Over the past few years we have consistently raised funds and collected items to help AO with their Spirit Bundle Offerings with which they provide food, clothing baby and cleaning supplies to over 600 families on a bi-weekly basis.
Members of our congregation have been invited by AO to participate in activities including laying a two row Wampum at the AO centre and volunteering at the Spirit Garden (Farm) which encompasses an apiary, medicine garden and vegetable garden where volunteers help to grow nourishing food which is distributed in the Spirit bundles further enhancing food security as well as teaching the participants how to grow their own food.
It is a privilege for one of Rockwood-Stone pastoral charge Outreach initiatives to be one of AO’s community partners as they do wonderful work aimed at achieving prosperity and self sufficiency for their people.
