Local
Projects, initiatives, organizations
Joining Jesus in His Renewing Work
We are a church longing to see our city renewed as we follow Jesus Christ.
Jesus has a great heart for poor, for children, for the outsiders–He cares for them. Jesus also loves the Church and laid down His life for it. As a church we want to be a vehicle for expressing His care for towards the lowly and His heart to see churches renewed. To that end, we seek to support and partner with organizations endeavouring to love the marginalized and support the mission of the church.
Truth & Reconciliation
WaterFirst
Water First is a Canadian charity that partners with communities that have identified education and training as part of the solution to the water crisis. Their Drinking Water Internship Program is a 15-month paid and locally-delivered internship that supports young Indigenous adults to become certified water treatment plant operators.
New Story Community
Helping Indigenous women write a new story
Many Indigenous women face a variety of barriers to the dreams they have for themselves. New Story Community is about removing some of those barriers. New Story provides a safe and nurturing space for a small community of Indigenous women to begin or to continue their healing journey. Each woman is given the opportunity to:
– explore the truth of her identity both as an Indigenous woman and as a follower of Jesus.
– to learn and to grow spiritually, educationally, socially, and vocationally.
– to learn many life & employment skills
Homelessness & Addiction
Hope for Freedom Society
Hope for Freedom empowers men and women with the resources, education and compassionate support they need to break free from addiction and establish a new life. Their work focuses on two areas (1) providing services for addiction recovery and (2) outreach and advocacy services to people struggling with, or on the verge of, homelessness in the Tri-Cities area of Metro Vancouver, BC.
Their recovery homes offer a comprehensive and effective approach to healing from addiction. They incorporate the 12-step program for addiction recovery (AA) with life-skills development, relapse prevention, anger management and a community of faith.
Working with municipal and provincial governments Hope for Freedom meet people’s basic needs with supplies like clothing, shoes, food and water. They walk with people on longer journeys towards life-changing goals like housing, sobriety and family reunification.
Lookout Society – EWS
Lookout provides non-judgmental services to people who cope with a variety of challenges including mental illness, addictions, chronic health conditions (including HIV/AIDS), physical disabilities, social dysfunctions, legal concerns or more frequently a combination of issues.
They operate shelters, transitional, independent and permanent supportive housing, drop-in resource centres, outreach, and health services in 11 municipalities.
Cascades has partnered with Lookout to run an Emergency Weather Shelter (EWS) for the last three winter seasons. This year we brought up the the possibility of becoming a Temporary Shelter allowing us to operate nightly in the Winter months and provide to more resources towards operating the shelter and resources supports for guests. Unfortunately, we were informed this was not possible.
Every December Lookout runs their “Backpacks of Hope” campaign which is designed to provide their most vulnerable population with some essential clothing and hygiene materials for the winter.
Union Gospel Mission (UGM)
UGM journeys with individuals overcoming poverty, homelessness and addiction for life transformation in the Downtown Eastside community.
Refugees
Journey Home Community
Journey Home Community (JHC) offers transitional housing, settlement assistance and relational support to refugee claimant families. They envision welcoming refugees into a community where they experience hope and belonging, meaningful relationships, a place to give and receive, a safe place to call home, and access to available systems and resources. Why? Because this type of welcome will promote flourishing in their new country.
Over the years, we have come along side them in supporting their gift card and Christmas basket gift initiatives during the Advent season.
Summer Camp
Anvil Island | Daybreak Point Bible Camp
Elder & Missionary Support
Calling Ministries
Located in Vancouver, Calling Ministries provides (1) care to seniors in the form independent and semi-supportive senior housing; (2) strengthens missional workers in their service by offering temporary housing allowing them to rest and recharge; and (2) enables students to grow in their Christian faith throug through housing, financial support, and education.
Churches
The Pastorate
Strengthening Pastors for the Renewal of the Church in Canada.
We believe that healthy pastors lead to healthy churches, which bring transformation to towns, cities, provinces, and territories. The Pastorate exists to see pastors filled with hope, connected in friendship, and equipped to lead resilient churches that shape the future of Canada. They serve pastors by curating accessible content, hosting inspiring gatherings across the country, and facilitating pastoral learning cohorts that are focused on personal formation and leadership development.
Prayer
24-7 Prayer Canada
24-7 Prayer Canada helps equip church leaders, individuals and communities renew cultures of prayer, mission and justice by providing free resources, courses, apps, and ideas, as well as hosting prayer & worship gatherings.