About

Pops and his dog Sparechange

Welcome to the mission blog by Andy Coates of Project417, an outreach program of Ekklesia Inner City Ministries. I work full time for Project417 . I guess you could say I’m a missionary. That just means I’ve been “commissioned” , or supported, by my church to do this work. I’ve been helping the homeless since 2001. What is the work or outreach? — simply, I serve the needs of the homeless community, mainly in the Toronto inner city. I’m not ordained, a minister, or a pastor. I’m simply someone who works – out on the streets – by being in community with the homeless street people. This includes, in large part, delivering food to them, nutritious meals in the form of bag lunches, with volunteers. It also includes visiting them and listening to them share their needs, hopes and dreams, and working with other inner city organizations to refer them for help overcoming their homeless condition. For example, the next time you pass a few homeless people downtown sitting on the sidewalk or in a park, I’m probably sitting there with them.

Project417 also takes part in Disaster Recovery efforts following natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans or Hurricane Ike in Texas. After all, the victims of these storms are homeless too.

Project417 – a program of Ekklesia Inner City Ministries is a registered Canadian charity non-profit. We’re a religious organization – free to operate under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We are Christian. We are a church, non-denominational.  But the work we do has no strings attached – we’re not helping people to proselytize them – we help people because it’s a natural outcome of loving our fellow humankind. Project417 operates entirely on donations and receives no government funding.  Similarly, I receive no salary from Project417, but I am paid entirely through donations to Project417 designated for my support. Please consider a donation to support us at Project417 where payment options are available. Thanks & enjoy!

The Unadressed by fauxreel / Dan Bergeron

The Unadressed by fauxreel / Dan Bergeron

Topics and posts here include –

Help the homeless

Help the homeless in Toronto

End homelessness and poverty

Volunteer work with the homeless

Volunteer to serve the poor and needy

Volunteer with low income families

Volunteer with street youth and gangs

Donate to charity to help the homeless, end poverty and improve low income families.

14 Responses

  1. Jane Rubel, on January 31st, 2008 at 11:45 pm Said:

    Hi Andy,

    I don’t know if you remember me – I was one of Jade’s group who handed food out last year. I was wondering if you needed any help at preparing and serving in the soup kitchen . I know we’re coming as a group in March, but I’d like to help more than just the one day. My schedule’s a little wonky, but I’m available Tuesday or Wednesday nights. Do you know if you can use me? Please let me know – thanks!

    Cheers,
    Jane

  2. missionlog, on February 6th, 2008 at 5:09 am Said:

    Hi Jane,

    Wednesday nights we have a new community dinner program at Bloor Lansdowne, 1307 Bloor St W, that could use some help – I’ll email you some details. Thanks for asking
    <
    Andy

  4. Sang (Scott), on October 2nd, 2008 at 8:13 am Said:

    Hello Andy,

    I was looking for some volunteer work and ran across your page and wanted to know if you needed any help. I recently finished school and have extra time to help out anyway I can if you needed someone feel free to contact me.

    Thank you,

    Sang

  5. Rebecca Collins, on November 28th, 2008 at 6:29 am Said:

    Andy -I am wondering if your group serve Christmas Dinner. My husband and I would like to volunteer. We are both good in the kitchen – cooking – serving – cleaning up after.

    Please let me know via email and I wil contact you

  6. Milena Cosovic, on December 10th, 2008 at 4:51 pm Said:

    Hi Andy, I was wondering if you need any help serving Christmas dinner. Me and my sister are more than willing to help the ones in need. An email back would be greatly appreciated.

    Take care.

  7. Maria campodonico, on December 19th, 2008 at 4:11 pm Said:

    Dear friends,

    For years I have dreamed about expanding a meal program, which I founded three years ago at West Tororonto Collegiate. This program has served thousand of meals to high school staff and students at no cost to them. I have this urgency to do something similar to assist our most vulnerable….the homeless – who are in need of love, care and guidance. I would like to know if anyone is willing to assist me in delivering love to our homeless in Toronto. Lets spend quality time with our most vulnerable on Christmas Eve, and lets try to give them a little bit of love and the attention they deserved. Post a comment here to help
    Yours, Maria

    >> Blog Editor’s note – Join us at Bloor Lansdowne Community Dinner Christmas Eve where Project417 is serving meals to more than 70 Toronto homeless street people and the under-housed in the Bloor Lansdowne area including families with young children. Post a comment here to donate or find out how you can help. Thanks Maria for your important work, would be nice to see you that Christmas Eve….

  8. Greg Wynn, on May 3rd, 2009 at 6:03 pm Said:

    Andy, any chance you are the Andy Coates that I knew from Homewood AL????

  9. missionlog, on May 3rd, 2009 at 8:04 pm Said:

    no, sorry – I’m a Canuck…

  10. Angelica Lopez, on May 6th, 2009 at 10:07 am Said:

    Hi, i was looking at diffrent websites trying to find a place where my children and I can go volunteer for christmas eve. I am a mother of 5 my older kids are teens now. My oldest son is very good in the kitchen and we are all willing to help in serving and preparing the food. Last year i talked to my children and we talked about how much money we spend on christmas on stuff that we don’t even need. So this year we want to give something back as a family.

  12. Pris, on November 13th, 2009 at 1:51 pm Said:

    I am interested in volunteering around the holidays, perhaps in a soup kitchen on Christmas Eve?

    Please let me know where/how I can obtain info on how to donate my time.

    Priscilla

  13. missionlog, on November 14th, 2009 at 11:43 am Said:

    Thanks Priscilla,
    We’ll have several programs running through the Christmas season. Actually the best time to volunteer is now – most homeless charities are swamped with volunteer requests at Christmas, but they are in need year round – Please visit http://Project417.com and drop us an email there, and I can refer you to more volunteer opportunities. Thanks again, Andy: Follow us on Twitter @canayjun and @project417

  14. Wendy, on December 3rd, 2009 at 5:07 pm Said:

    I used to cook a turkey and a huge pot of potatoes for one of the places that help feed the homeless on Xmas but I have lost the name and moved so she cannot call me. Therefore I am wondering if you need any help with doing this. I can cook it at my home and deliver it to you on Xmas Eve.

    Hope I can help somehow, I am sure u have many hands to help serve etc on Xmas Eve but if not let me know.

    Wendy

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