Mustard Seed working to end homelessness this Giving Tuesday

By JAMES TUBB on November 27, 2021.

The Mustard Seed is asking for support this Giving Tuesday to help end homelessness.

This year will mark the ninth annual Giving Tuesday in Canada. It is a charitable event that occurs post-Black Friday and Cyber Monday and is a time where charities, companies and individuals rally together for their favourite causes. The Mustard Seed’s goal for 2021 is to raise $100,000.

The donations received will go toward providing meals, safe shelter, warm clothes and wrap-around supports for those who need it.

Colette Eirich, managing director of Medicine Hat’s Mustard Seed centre, said if they get to their goal Tuesday, each city centre gets $40,000 for program operations, services they offer, etc.

She said The Mustard Seed’s goal in helping to end homelessness isn’t to just give handouts but give people a hand up.

“Our goal is to help them, give them that hand up … help them become independent,” Eirich said. “It’s one thing to get a roof over your head but are you able to sustain that rent, secure a job, can you even dress the attire to go for an interview, when you receive a paycheque are you able to spend it wisely?”

Eirich says they feed 75-80 people a day a hot breakfast, which they offer every day to ensure people get a hot meal and can interact with other.

Last year, across all Mustard Seed locations, more than 501,000 meals were served, more than 250 people found meaningful employment and 385 were moved off the street into affordable housing.

The Mustard Seed operates in five cities across Alberta and British Columbia.

Anyone interested in making a donation can do so at TheSeed.ca/GivingTuesday. All donations made on Tuesday until midnight will be matched by sponsors.

She wants to thank two local families who have already made donations and also thank those individuals and sponsors that will donate on Tuesday as they are all working toward one goal.

“We want to take care of those that are broken and put them back together,” Eirich said.