Metropolitan United Church

You can't buy your way to heaven through good works, but you can try to build a better society here and now. Past congregations have believed this is so, and the organizations they created have made Metropolitan a leader in supporting people who need help in Toronto's downtown core, no matter what their religious affiliation. Here are just three community-based organizations that have come a long way since they were born from the heart of Met.

Fred Victor Centre, established 1894 to help homeless people

Peter is down and out. He does drugs, has lost his job and family, and lives rough on the streets. He stumbles across the Fred Victor Centre, founded by the Metropolitan Wesleyan Methodist Church (Met's predecessor) in 1894. Dedicated to provide food, shelter and social contact to the homeless, it's a place Peter can go in the afternoons. There, he finds he can open a bank account again, work with others in the kitchen and garden, and even join the Knights of the Square Table to discuss politics, current events, and plan programs for the centre.
With its many services, from harm reduction to computers clubs, camera clubs, theatres groups and art workshops, the Fred Victor Centre reaches out to homeless people. Peter may eventually find room in its 194-bed shelter. Today, both men and women are made welcome, and can move ahead with counseling and skills training. What started as an outreach program of Metropolitan Church has become a community institution, now funded by donations and government assistance.

Sojourn House, established 1989 to help refugees

Dalila escapes the savage war in her native country, having seen her family killed because of its political opposition to the president. She arrives like the refugees before her, in terrible straits, hoping for a better life. She joins the millions who have come seeking refuge from famine, war, and persecution, and who have built Canada.
Sojourn House, which opened its doors in 1989 after two years of planning by members of Metropolitan United, is waiting for her. Committed to building a future for refugees, its new 9-storey building on Ontario Street has 50 shelter beds and 52 transitional housing units. Dalila will find out about Canada through cultural orientation there, and sign up for English lessons. She can get counseling and have her skills tested to see which might transfer into the employment market. She'll make friends with others in her ethnic community and among other Canadians as well. She'll be on her way, thanks to the organization that began at Metropolitan.

Bond Street Nursery, established 1937 to help children

The little ones Ali, Sara, Enguan, Felix and others come from Regent Park and St. Jamestown to the Bond Street Nursery. From two-and-a-half to five-years old, they come by bus five days a week, all year round, for a half-day of fun, care, and special snacks. The nursery is still housed at Metropolitan United Church, where it all began, and today, it's much more than the sum of its 65 children.
Kids with autism and who are otherwise slow to develop make up 17% of the school's population. Trained early childhood educators, certified assistants, and a resource teacher give special help. They also test all the children three times a year and share the results with the parents, make home visits, and help get food, clothing and other services if the family is in need. Volunteers speak many languages and help integrate both the children and the families who come through the nursery to the greater community. What started as an outreach program has grown beyond Met, and is now a community institution funded by United Way and others. For more, check out the Bond Street Nursery website.