Donate today at faithworks.ca

or scan this QR code

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Help us reach this challenge!

We are at 75%

$100,000

Matching Challenge Grant for 2025

You can make twice the difference.

A generous donor has offered a $100,000 matching challenge grant for all new and increased donations. This means that for every dollar you donate over last year’s amount, by an individual or parish, FaithWorks receives an extra dollar. We encourage you to make a special effort this year.



Donate today at faithworks.ca or use the QR code

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It's the year-end countdown!

7 days until Christmas

and 13 days left in 2025! 

 

May I remind you that it is time to review your charitable pledges and intentions for 2025.

Please support the FaithWorks' 2025 campaign as we continue to work towards our annual goal of $1.5 million. 

We would like to exceed that goal to offer more assistance

to our ministry partners as the need continues to grow.

Let’s all review our charitable intentions and pledges and be as generous as we can in 2025!

Donate today at faithworks.ca

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The following is the Report to Synod from

Anglican United Refugee Alliance (AURA)

a FaithWorks' ministry partner your donation supports.

As the number of people forced to leave their homes increased to over 124 million by the end of 2024, including over 36 million refugees, the need to extend compassion and support was greater than ever. The Anglican United Refugee Alliance – AURA plays a pivotal role in providing structure and guidance for those in Canada who wish to provide safety and refuge for displaced people.

AURA's financial stability is rooted in the critical support from the Anglican Diocese of Toronto through FaithWorks (32% in 2024) and the Shining Waters Regional Council of the United Church (21% in 2024). AURA also dedicates significant efforts to our own fundraising endeavors to raise the remaining amount. These financial resources are crucial, but the heart of AURA lies in the passionate volunteers who dedicate tens of thousands of hours to make a profound difference in the lives of refugee newcomers.

Between January 2024 and June 2025, AURA supported more than 120 sponsor groups, consisting of over 875 sponsors, who collectively spent more than 90,000 hours supporting more than 500 refugees from 16 different countries. Each hour spent volunteering, every warm welcome extended, and every obstacle overcome represents a step towards a brighter future for those who have been forced to flee their homes. Every week we hear good stories from refugee newcomers we have welcomed over the years who are settling into their new lives, from their family sponsors who are glad they are safe, and from church and community sponsors who speak about how rewarding the experience has been for them, despite the unique challenges of each case.

The period also saw changes in the global and local refugee support landscape meaning fewer people are now able to come to Canada, and for those who make it, challenges in settlement are greater. Amid these challenges, AURA has increased the post-arrival support it provides to refugee newcomers and sponsors. We have also introduced a new ‘support church’ stream for parishes with limited capacity to support refugee newcomers in their journey, with assistance from family and community groups. Initiatives like the inaugural Ian McBride Humanitarian Award have also been introduced to continue to keep the global refugee situation in public purview, and to honor those who have made an extraordinary impact.

Successful refugee sponsorship is a collective effort that requires compassion, empathy, time, effort, and significant financial resources. Now is the time to find new ways to support refugees, highlight the contributions they make in our society, and emphasize the need to continue to provide protection and be welcoming. It is an opportunity for parishes, individuals, and communities to come together to create a world where compassion and understanding thrive, and every individual, regardless of their background, finds a place to call home.

AURA would like to thank the invaluable support we have received from the many parishes we work with for their commitment to refugee resettlement, the Anglican Diocese of Toronto and Elin Goulden for coordinating our work, and FaithWorks for their ongoing financial support. While challenges continue to increase, we are committed to supporting as many refugees as we can in their journeys to safety.

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FaithWorks Sermon or Presentation

To assist and inspire, you can arrange for a sermon, presentation or visit by representatives of our ministry partners, the Director of Stewardship Development, Peter Misiaszek, or me, by contacting the FaithWorks Speakers Bureau at

fwspeakersbureau@toronto.anglican.ca

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If you wish to highlight your parish's events in support of FaithWorks, please forward the details to faithworks@toronto.anglican.ca

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FaithWorks 30th Anniversary Videos



The FaithWorks website, faithworks.ca has been updated with new videos for our 30th anniversary. There are short, medium and long videos to include in your parish's online presence or in-person gatherings. They can be downloaded directly from the website.

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Peter Mentis (he/him)

FaithWorks Campaign Manager

135 Adelaide St. E.

Toronto, ON M5C 1L8

647-578-9757

1-800-668-8932

pmentis@toronto.anglican.ca

www.faithworks.ca

www.toronto.anglican.ca

Followers of Jesus, inspired by the Holy Spirit, serve the world God loves!

I acknowledge that my office resides on the territory of sovereign Indigenous Nations, the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat. I acknowledge especially the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Toronto Treaties.