News & Media
Drumming to a new beat
November 2, 2011
The Scott Mission offers opportunities, hope and creative inspiration to men, women and their families during the holiday season.
Every day, Sandro Superina goes to The Scott Mission at Spadina and College to help out in any way he can. The bright and cheery Superina assists with prayer services, paints with the art group and even participates as a drummer in a small musical group. It’s a far cry from where he was four years ago when he landed on the Mission’s doorstep downtown. “I was hungry and on my last legs,” recalls the 48-year-old former chef. “I was deep into my crack cocaine addiction and didn’t even have money for laundry.”
The Mission is a hub for men and women who want to warm up with a cup of coffee or a hot lunch, join prayer services or exchange ideas in multilingual Bible study groups. And with Christmas right around the corner, the activities are amped up. Thousands register every year to get free brand new toys and grocery gift cards from the Mission. The staff estimate that more than 2,500 kids will receive toys and even more families will receive grocery gift cards.
“Parents get to pick out toys for their children in our toy store. Items include a main toy, knitted items, a board game, sports gear and books,” says Carol Elliott, director of the Mission’s Women and Family Ministry.
For 70 years the Mission has helped struggling Torontonians, providing beds for up to 45 men a night and feeding more than 300 people a day. One highlight that many clients look forward to is the annual Christmas turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
By tending to physical hunger first, sometimes the Mission is able to look after spiritual needs. In 2005 Superina, who had mental health issues for years, found himself falling into a deep abyss of grief when his mother died. “I couldn’t handle the pain. I started drinking heavily and fell into the path of crack.” The Mission helped him by filling his belly first, showing him kindness and offering the option of solace through prayer. “At 4 p.m., I’d go and get a sandwich bag from them, and in it I’d find a prayer strip. I’d take it back to my room and read those prayers. I was still on drugs, but they weren’t doing it for me anymore. Eventually, the craving left me, like when you’re on a bike pedalling fast, and then you get off and the bike keeps going.”
The Scott Mission’s Men’s Ministry includes a weekly Men’s Fellowship group, as well as employment, therapeutic art and other skill-building workshops. The sessions are packed in November and December, says Cristina Bonadonna, director of the Men’s Ministry at the Mission. “The men want to get out of the cold,” she explains. “We go from filling basic needs to helping them find their gifts and talents.”
Women and families can avail of health education programs, cooking classes, low-cost childcare, emergency groceries, free good-quality clothing and social gatherings, such as the weekly moms’ group. A retreat facility in Collingwood provides men with fun activities along with emotional healing. In the summer, a camp in Caledon offers children and youth from low-income families an opportunity to escape the city for a week and enjoy a host of activities including canoeing, swimming and hiking.
The Mission also runs an after-school and summer program in Lawrence Heights in North York, offering Christian mentorship and a place to play for more than 80 children all year round.
The Mission has been a beacon of hope and a place to find a helping hand in the city for decades. “We treat everyone with dignity. When clients come here, they know they are with family and they can take a sigh of relief,” says Bonadonna
Your gift will mean so much
Donations can sponsor a:
- Hot Christmas Meal with all the trimmings - $4.25 or a table of six for $25.50
- Snowsuit for a child - $40
- Grocery gift card for a family so they can prepare their own special Christmas Dinner - $60
Organize a food, clothing or toy drive
Needed are:
- Men’s coats, pants, shirts, boots, shoes, socks, hats, gloves and underwear
- Children’s snowsuits, hats and mittens
- Turkeys
- Christmas gifts for children from low-income households, ages 7-12 (valued at approx $15)
- Restaurant gifts cards for outings with teens from our After-School Program
- Backpacks with basic school supplies (binders, notebooks, pencils, pencil crayons, etc.)
Call 416-923-8872 to arrange a pick-up from your drive. For donations, call 416-923-2400 between 9-5 M-F, or visit ScottMission.com to make a secure online donation.
