During the last two weeks of January and the first two weeks of February, many people in our community experience increased addiction, mental illness, depression, and tragically, suicide becomes the chosen option for far too many during this time of year.
This of course, is during a normal year. This year, as was last year, will be very different!
Adding to the normative ebb and flow of the Blue Monday season, the fears and outcomes of COVID-19 and the subsequent restrictions, have already and will continue to make this coming month one of the darkest mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.
Mountainview Church (Whitehorse) is again partnering with Village Church (Vancouver) to bring light to the North, during one of the darkest seasons of the year. In the middle of January, we will be creating and distributing 250 “Boxes of Light” to Yukon residents that are struggling with addition, depression, and mental illness.
They will contain a number of gifts to bless them and bring them hope, as well as a uniquely designed help-card containing local contacts and hotlines to keep, and help them reach out in their time of need. Even the box itself will be designed as something that they will want to keep, to contain help and hope when they need it. However, we can’t achieve this on our own!
We need your help gathering items to be placed in our Boxes of Light.
Would you be able to donate items that may be suitable for our Boxes of Light? Or perhaps offer a reduced cost on certain items? We need to collect/purchase 250 of each and every item so no one gets less. Even something small can have a significant impact!
Here are a few items that you may be able to provide:
- Candle(s) and/or Candle Holder
- Book / Clip Light (Book-Mark Light or Clip-On Book Light)
- Light-up Mini-USB Charger / Lightning Cable / Ear Buds (A simple useful gift.)
- Hand and Foot Warmers
- Glow-sticks or Light Rings
- Light Themed Candy and/or White Chocolate
- Recipes / Soup Mixes / Other Edible Gifts
- Store bought soup kits
- Notebooks and/or Pens (Nicer notebooks and pens preferred.)
- Colouring book & Pencil Crayons (Gender neutral if possible.)
- Gift Certificates / Gift Cards / Discount Cards
- Cash donations to be used solely for this project
- Other: __________________ (What can you offer that might bring them light and hope?)
If you can help us, please respond by contacting (867) 333-9052 or aaron@mountainviewwhitehorse.ca. We want to ensure that all items are acquired and ready for our packing team by January 10th, to be distributed to those in need in mid-January.
Thank you for helping us bring Light to the North!
Sincerely,
Aaron Mones
Pastoral Apprentice and Director of Outreach
Mountainview Church