Small Grant, Big Impact for St. Matthew’s Food Ministry
A $5,000 grant from the Anglican Foundation of Canada (AFC) is helping St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Timmins, Ontario, serve its neighbours in one of the city’s most compassionate and consistent ways—through its Friday Lunch Ministry.
Each week, volunteers from the small but mighty cathedral congregation serve over 60 hot meals to individuals facing poverty, homelessness, addiction, and social isolation. In the cold winters of northeastern Ontario, the ministry offers more than nourishment—it offers warmth, safety, and community.
“With rising food costs and increased demand, this funding came at exactly the right time,” says the Rev. Karen Coxon. “It’s not just about feeding people—it’s about building relationships and trust. People feel welcome and respected when they come through our doors.”
St. Matthew’s launched the Friday Lunch Ministry in 2021, at the height of the pandemic, and it has since become the parish’s primary outreach initiative. Guests are welcomed into the parish hall, given a hot meal, and invited to stay and rest. Increasingly, the ministry is serving as a point of connection to local services—and for some, to spiritual care.
“Some of our guests have no one else in their lives. When they come to Friday lunch, they are known by name. They’re not forgotten,” says one volunteer.
The grant was awarded through AFC’s Community Ministries Fund, which supports projects that serve vulnerable people in ways that reflect the Church’s deep commitment to justice, dignity, and compassion.
For AFC Executive Director Dr. Scott Brubacher, the grant to St. Matthew’s demonstrates how even small investments can make a lasting difference:
“This is a great example of how modest, strategic grants can have a high impact when they’re rooted in a parish’s long-standing commitment to its neighbourhood,” says Brubacher. “Through our Community Ministries Fund, AFC is deepening its support for churches that are responding with faith and courage to some of the most urgent social challenges in their communities—food insecurity, mental health, addiction, and poverty. Whether it’s a $5,000 grant or a larger investment, what matters is the impact—and in Timmins, that impact is clear. St. Matthew’s is being the Church in the world.”
As the ministry continues to grow, St. Matthew’s hopes to strengthen partnerships with local service providers and to become an even more visible sign of hope in downtown Timmins.
“People ask us why we do this,” says Rev. Coxon. “We say it’s simple—we follow Jesus, and this is what that looks like.”
To make a donation directly to AFC’s Community Ministries Fund visit: Community Ministries – Anglican Foundation of Canada.
Due to the Canada Post strike, we will be sending tax receipts by email (in PDF format). Where we do not currently have email addresses for donors, we will be reaching out by phone to obtain one.