What is Mile End Community Mission?
Mile End Community Mission is a volunteer-run, not for profit organization working with members of the community that have been marginalized by society for a variety of reasons. Our services are used by children, adults, seniors, the mentally and physically ill. We strive not only to help these people, but to empower them to help themselves. At Mile End Community Mission, it is important that we include the community in our decision-making and program implementation. We are happy to say that many of our staff and program coordinators are the same people who have used our services and continue to use them today.
Based in the heart of the Plateau, Mile End Community Mission has been in operation since 1991 and has been able to assist over 500 members of the surrounding community who use our services over 35,000 times in a given year. Many of these people have no support, economically or emotionally, and even more are faced with the hardships of exclusion, abuse, poverty, illiteracy, diabetes (over 20%) and other health issues. Our services offer them relief and at times hope. Every week we run a food bank and our doors are always open to offer emergency food kits to those that need them. We also sell clothing and offer emergency clothing as well.
Other services include:- Crisis Management
- Accompaniment
- Referrals
- Pastoral Care and Services
- Advocacy
- Legal Clinic
- Emotional Support
Although the majority of our participants are francophone, our services are offered in both French and English.
How the Mission Came to Be
Until 1991, The Church of the Ascension served as the Anglican presence in the Mile-End Community. The Church of the Ascension, located at 5434 Park Avenue, was deconsecrated and sold at this time to the City of Montreal for use as a public library. The Revd. John Beach, rector of the Ascension at the time of the sale, proposed that the Diocese of Montreal maintain a ministry in the Mile End district. The diocese agreed to fund this ministry from the interest of the sale of the Ascension. The rectory was also sold in 1995/96. In 1986, The Revd. Michael Pountney and his wife Elaine began an outreach ministry from the Church of the Ascension. Groceries and meals were provided for the poor living in the Mile End area. When John Beach became rector of the Ascension he continued this ministry which was the foundation for what would become the Mile End Community Mission. In 1995 John Beach resigned as director of the Mission to accept a post in the USA. On May 1, 1995, the Revd. Roslyn Macgregor assumed the role of director of the Mission. At Ros' request, John stayed on for a two month transitional period. (include photo: DSCF0055.jpg info: Roslyn Macgregor Director of Mile End Mission)
