During the last year over 900 youth crossed the threshold of Home Base, the Youth Drop-In Centre on Yonge St, north of Elgin Mills. The number has almost doubled since the Centre moved from its run down store front location to a two-storey house three years ago.

St. Paul’s has supported Home Base for many years with Christmas offerings, a one-time grant of $1,000.00 from the Benevolence fund, food donations, clothing and toiletries.

We are now embarking on a new program that will not only provide food but teach young people the necessary skills to prepare simple meals for themselves.

Once a month two women from our congregation will prepare a meal with about 10 young people in the kitchen of Home Base between 2:30 and 4:30 pm. Dinner will be served at 5:00 pm and the Centre will be closed to any other activities during that time. Participating youth will have to register and are invited to plan a menu ahead of time. St. Paul’s will provide the main ingredients and teach or assist them in preparing the meal. The youngsters will also learn how to set a table, serve and enjoy a meal together in a family like setting, an experience most of them have never had. They will also have to clean-up afterward.

The program will start in August. Home Base would have loved us to come twice a week but so far we are sadly lacking volunteers and decided to try it out on a monthly basis. Considering the many excellent cooks we have in our congregation and the little time we will invest in teaching kids essential life skills, it is our great hope that maybe in the future we can run the program at least twice a month.

Please contact the church office at 905-884-6915 or email cooking@stpaulslutheranchurch.com for further information or if you would like to volunteer your time and skills.