The Healing Fund
Being a little new to the United Church of Canada I was excited to find that they have what they call the Healing Fund. This fund supports healing initiatives for survivors of the residential school system and its ongoing intergenerational impacts. Information on the Healing Fund of the United Church of Canada can be found on the web page https://united-church.ca/community-and-faith/being-community/indigenous-ministries/healing-fund.
Some details on the fund from the above web page are included here to help you understand what this fund is all about.
The Healing Fund of the United Church of Canada was established in 1994 It is a grant that supports healing initiatives in Indigenous communities to address the ongoing impacts of the residential school system. Many name a need for mending, restoring, and celebrating—a sense of loss, along with hope for rebuilding identity. Indigenous communities may apply up to $15,000 to create healing, culture, and/or language projects.
The Healing Programs Working Group (formerly called the Healing Fund Council), made up of representatives from diverse Indigenous communities across the country, determines the fund's criteria and evaluates applications.
Support for the Healing Fund is movement towards living out the United Church's Apology to Indigenous Peoples(opens in a new tab) (1986) and the Apology to Former Students of United Church Indian Residential Schools and to their Families and Communities(opens in a new tab) (1998). The Healing Fund is made possible by your donations to the Untied Church of Canada Missions and Services.
Some Featured Projects
Equine Assisted Learning Program, Plains Presbytery and Indigenous Ministries Youth Leadership: In 2018, male youth from Plains Presbytery engaged in this program at Cartier Farms in Prince Albert, Sask. They developed leadership skills with the help of horses while focusing on sacred connections with the horse and traditional ceremonial activities.
Reclaiming Our Voices, West Region Child and Family Services: This four-day Manitoba women’s gathering takes place as a land-based cultural healing camp that welcomes more than 100 women from nine Indigenous communities. Participants learn traditional and western healing methods to use on their healing journeys. Many of the participants have children in foster care or are at a high risk of losing their children.
Revitalizing the Circle Two Spirit PowWow, OUTSaskatoon: The Revitalizing the Circle Two Spirit PowWow is a cultural celebration that works toward the decolonization of gender identity and gender expression. This powwow represents significant movement forward for Saskatoon and surrounding communities and brings together people from across Western Canada.
If you would like to provide support to Mission and Service projects your gift would be greatly appreciated. Gifts to Lynn Valley United Church can also have a portion designated to Mission and Service. The portion you designate to Mission and Service will be sent directly to Mission and Service to transform and save lives, inspire meaning and purpose, and build a better world through Mission & Service.
Thanks to all of you at who donate to Mission & Service. Your contributions help support the vital work of the Healing Fund.