Samaritan House 31 Hodgson Drive, Barrie, L4N 7Z2 Samaritan House is a centre for women and children who struggle with poverty, family violence and literacy issues. It is a new project initiated by the Director, Astrid Wilcox, with the support of St. Giles parish in Barrie and a group of volunteers. The center is in the planning stages and has received a grant of support from a similar ministry called Samaritan House in Brandon, Manitoba. Services will include education related to family violence, programmes for women who have experienced sexual abuse, intervention with high-risk families through advocacy, networking, information and education, and literacy programmes. The centre hopes to be a safe healthy co-operative environment which encourages individuals to tap into their strengths, share their concerns and insights and work together for the common good.
Volunteers are welcome.
In November 1997 the Synod of the Diocese passed a resolution calling on the Federal Government to take action on the final report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. The Diocese was also committed to become educated about the report and to explore the new relationship between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal peoples envisaged in the report. A working group has gathered since then to develop a mandate in response to the Synod motion. In September 1998 we assisted the Rt. Rev. Gordon Beardy and members of the Diocese of Keewatin as they came through the Toronto Diocese on the Sacred Walk for Healing.