Good morning, everyone,
A year has passed since the youth engaged in an exploration on the coldest night of the year. This Sabbath evening, they are set to partake in this year’s Coldest Night event, aiming to help and support individuals experiencing hardship. The CNOY initiative was inaugurated in 2011 with the establishment of two operational sites, supported by a collaborative network of three charitable organizations. These organizations include the Yonge Street Mission, Sanctuary Ministries located in Toronto, and the Ray of Hope Community Centre in the Kitchener/Waterloo area. This partnership underscores a community-oriented approach to addressing homelessness and providing essential services to vulnerable populations. They said the trust these charity partners placed in them as they began was critical to their fledgling first year, and their support and endorsement in the years to follow were priceless. The 2023 campaign saw a huge influx of participants, with 18% growth year-over-year – about 6,000 new walkers! At the same time, most locations experienced an additional lift from better-than-expected location sponsorship support (up about $400k to $1.6m) and an impressive contribution from CNOY’s growing family of national and regional challenge partners – together they added over $1.8m in support to over 185 Canadian charity locations. In 2023, they had 182 locations, 37,580 participants, and raised $13,124,280.
They remind us that by walking in the cold, we’ll feel a hint of the challenge faced by those experiencing homelessness during winter. By fundraising, we’ll contribute much-needed money to a charity organization in our town that is bringing hope and help to people in our community who need support. We extend our gratitude to the young individuals who commit to walking each year to raise funds for the North York Harvest Food Bank. Let us embrace this challenge and walk alongside them to raise awareness and support for those facing pain, suffering, homelessness, and hunger. Let us contribute generously to this initiative, facilitating the opportunity for a greater number of individuals to receive positive benefits and support.
Brothers and Sisters, let us endeavor to support one another, understanding that our true reward lies not in this life but in heaven. The Bible reminds us, “And the King will answer and say to them, “Truly, I say to you, since you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40).
Have a Blessed Sabbath!
Pastor Evadne Henry
Reference: https://cnoy.org/history