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"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
- Isaiah 43:19
Over the past summer, we have seen God doing something new in the lives of our children and youth, especially 12-year-old *Jenny. Towards the end of the summer camp, our Outreach Worker made an invitation to the campers that if they wished to accept Christ as their Savior, they could come to the sanctuary to pray with us. *Jenny went inside and expressed her desire to say the prayer. After a heartfelt conversation with her, it was clear that she knows who God is and wants to follow Christ.
We praise God for His work in *Jenny’s life! He alone can perform miracles and transform lives. As the school year begins, we are excited to see how He continues to move in our communities and in the hearts of our kids.
*Name changed to protect privacy
| | GIVE A GIFT OF FREE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS | | |
After a long summer break, children are excited to return to school and reconnect with friends. While the new school year brings excitement, it presents a recurring challenge for children impacted by poverty. Due to financial constraints, many of them do not have access to after-school programs. With their parents working, they risk idling on the streets or coming home to an empty apartment, making them the most vulnerable in the hours after school.
At Toronto City Mission (TCM), we provide after-school programs, Kids in Community (KIC) and Youth Extreme (YX), free of charge, so children and youth can spend time in a safe environment where we provide homework assistance and engage them in positive activities. We incorporate Bible teaching in our programs so they can learn about God’s love. Through His power, we pray that they can lead a transformed life and find hope in Jesus.
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Sometimes God works as quietly as yeast in bread dough. The changes are almost unnoticeable at first, but the transformation happens quietly and slowly inside a person’s heart.
*Shanon is one of the girls in our after-school program. When we first met her, she frequently disregarded rules and struggled to get along with her peers. She would get into trouble for fighting, swearing, taunting, stealing, and lying. We continued to pray for her. Through building trust and a relationship with her, we guided her and, at times, disciplined her. For a very long time, nothing seemed to help. Just when we had exhausted every approach we knew, God began doing something new in her life.
During a Bible lesson, we taught the kids about anger and how to express emotions in a healthy and God-honouring way. After that, we noticed a change in *Shanon. When she found herself in arguments that could escalate into physical fights, she chose to be a bigger person and walked away. From a young girl who was once overcome by her anger, we are amazed to see how she can apply what she learned. We praise God for softening her heart! We hope to see her lead a transformed life and build loving relationships with her peers.
We are grateful for any gift amount, big or small, but for $35 a month, you can help one child attend our KIC program for an entire year. Alternatively, you can help send one teen to our YX program with a monthly gift of $50.
*Name changed to protect privacy
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Praise God that we completed another year of Sonshine Day Camp! We would like to give a heartfelt thank you to our Sparks for your prayers, financial support, and dedicated volunteering. Thank you for making this summer truly special and transformative for our children and youth.
During the seven weeks of camp, we taught campers about the life of Moses. Through learning about His life and faith journey, they learned that even the best leaders, like Moses, make mistakes. Despite the challenges and our shortcomings, God’s purpose in our lives still prevails. To live a life that follows Jesus is not easy, but He promises that He will never leave or forsake us, just like He never left the Israelites despite their disobedience. During the last week of the camp, we asked the campers what they learned about God, and it filled our hearts to hear many of them say that God is always with them.
Throughout the summer, campers enjoyed fun-filled days of games, arts and crafts, sports, and field trips. Because of your support, children impacted by poverty could experience a special summer and learn about the hope of Jesus in a loving environment.
Check out how our summer went by watching Sonshine Day Camp's highlights!
| | SUMMER INTERN PERSPECTIVE | | |
“Sonhine Day Camp is different from a typical summer camp, as its purpose is not just to run summer activities, but to share the gospel with those in need of hope. With this purpose in mind, we aim to be more than simply camp leaders by striving to be friends and even mentors to these kids.”
- Simeon Hwang | Don Valley Village
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“I’m called to be that person I wish I had when I was growing up, someone steady, someone present, someone who speaks truth and hope into young lives. I want to be there for the kids, showing them love, encouraging them, and leaving them with nuggets of wisdom they can carry into their future.”
- Isaiah Anenih | Orton Park
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“I feel and can see the Holy Spirit moving through not only me but also my fellow interns. I feel very proud to be able to witness us all lead by example for these children and encourage them in their walks with God.”
- Hailey Ramsarupe | Jesse-Ketchum
| | | Introducing Sandra, Levione, Madi, Jakob and Lukas! | | Sandra is passionate about supporting children and youth who feel invisible, ignored, or uncertain of their worth. With her background in social services, experience working with youth, and a passion for Christ, she hopes to reflect God’s grace, love, and patience in her work. | | |
Lavione has a deep desire to learn more about God and a passion for serving people. He hopes to meet children where they are and where God leads, sharing the joy he has found in Christ with energy, patience, and love.
| | After volunteering at Jesse Ketchum over March Break, Madi is now a Year-Long Intern at TCM. She is now pursuing a degree in social work at TMU. Through this internship, she seeks to discern how God would like to use her through ministry. | | Both Jakob and Lukas are missionaries from Germany. They just graduated from high school and aspire to be teachers. Before going to university, they would like to take a gap year to serve children and youth overseas. | | |
Mark your calendars! Run for TCM 2025 is happening on October 18 and 19, and we’re thrilled to cheer on Kaitlyn, one of the amazing teens in our after-school programs, who is lacing up her shoes to make a difference. She's running to raise funds for children impacted by poverty so they can have access to our after-school programs.
This year, our goal is to raise $16,000 so 52 children can attend our free after-school programs.
The journey out of poverty can feel like an uphill marathon, but with your support, we can help children and youth overcome challenges by providing meaningful, long-term support.
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Join TCM's team!
All in-person Marathons are SOLD OUT. However, if you are already a registered runner with the Toronto Waterfront Marathon but wish to join TCM’s teams, please contact us at info@torontocitymission.com.
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ADMINISTRATOR & EVENT COORDINATOR | HEAD OFFICE Part-Time (24 hours/ week to start)
OUTREACH WORKER- PROGRAM FACILITATOR | ROLE MODEL MOMS Full-Time (24 hours/ week with opportunity to increase)
OUTREACH WORKER- PROGRAMS FACILITATOR | AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS Full Time (24-32 hours/ week)
If you are interested, please send a cover letter including your motivation for ministry and resumé to hr@torontocitymission.com.
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[Volunteer at After-school Programs]
We’re looking for volunteers to assist in our after-school programs in our three ministry communities- Don Valley Village, Jesse Ketchum, and Orton Park.
Current Volunteer Opportunities:
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- Kids in Community (KIC): Grades 1 to 6
- Education Provided in Community (EPIC): Tutoring Program for children ages
- Youth/Junior Extreme (YX/JX): Grades 7 to 12
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