Latest Updates – Covid-19 Pandemic
Tuesday March 17, 2020
The Scott Mission has cared for vulnerable people in Toronto for over 78 years. The COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything we have faced as an organisation and society in this period. During these uncertain times, we know that, now more than ever, our clients rely on us to provide food and shelter.
Our goal is to provide an elevated level of health and safety for our community including, clients, volunteers, donors, and staff, while at the same time providing needed services to some of the most vulnerable citizens in Toronto. Therefore, we have made the following changes to how we are providing our programs, effective Tuesday, March 17 until Sunday, April 5 at our four locations:
- Food Bank: Pre-packaged groceries will be provided to-go to our clients at the front doors located on the northern end of The Scott Mission from 9:00 AM until Noon.
- Meals: Pre-cooked, pre-packaged meals will be distributed to-go to our clients at the laneway door on the south end of the building.
- Shelter: Our men’s shelter is fully open and we are taking all precautions to provide the safest environment possible.
- Washroom/Shower/Laundry: Our staff team will be managing these services through the front doors of the building.
- Clothing Distribution: We will be closing our clothing distribution temporarily. Clothing will be available for emergency cases only. We are also temporarily not accepting donations of gently used clothing.
- Sunday Services and Group Meetings: We are postponing all group gatherings during this period.
- Food Bank: Pre-packaged groceries will be provided to-go to our clients every Tuesday at the front doors.
- Childcare Centre: As part of the City of Toronto’s COVID-19 response, we are temporarily closed.
- After School Programs: To align with TDSB’s directive, our after-school programs are temporarily suspended.
- Group Bookings: We will be postponing all group bookings for the next several weeks.
Many of our supporters and donors have asked what they can do to support The Scott Mission’s clients during this time. We have experienced a significant decline in food donations over the past two weeks. While we would appreciate donations of food, we understand that citizens should remain in their homes during this crisis. If you would like to provide a financial gift so that we can purchase needed supplies, please donate online at www.scottmission.com, by phone at 416-923-2400, or by mail at The Scott Mission, 502 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2H1. We are grateful for your care.
We have also made the difficult decision to cancel all of our volunteer shifts starting on Wednesday, March 18 until Sunday, April 5. We are also postponing our volunteer appreciation event originally scheduled for Wednesday, April 22. Our goal is to ensure the safest possible environment for our clients, volunteers, and staff.
We again want to thank the Lord for carrying us through each day. Let us remember to keep our eyes on Him and pray for each other and those in need. We pray that God would continue to pour out His love and mercy on us, the City of Toronto, and our brothers and sisters throughout the world.
In His Service,
Peter Duraisami
