Local Outreach
We are called “to love and serve others” and outreach is an expression of love and serving. It is the living out of the Christian message. We undertake special projects but we also work in concert with a number of local organizations to support many who are marginalized. Along with the sharing of time and talent, we also share our financial resources.
Ongoing Outreach - Food
Churches may provide food for the soul but we find an important part of our mission of caring for God’s people is to provide food for the stomach.
The “Food Bank” that Grace supports is operated by the North Dartmouth Outreach Support Centre out of Stairs Memorial United Church in Dartmouth. Grace provides Board members to the North Dartmouth Outreach Support Centre and people from the congregation volunteer on Tuesday (delivery and packing) and Wednesday (distribution) mornings. Grace highlights a food product of the month for the Food Bank which is placed in the decorated box at the front of the church. Grace also accepts weekly food donations and clean egg cartons and bottles (place in the drawer of the stand at the King St. door) as well as having special campaigns for food (White Gift Service, Easter breakfast, etc.). Grace makes an annual donation but congregation members can also make donations to the Food Bank by indicating it on the PAR form or marking it on the church envelope. To read the 2024 Annual Report for the Society for the North Dartmouth Outreach click here.
Grace offers financial support and provides meals to the F.O.O.D. (Feeding Others of Dartmouth) that operates out of Margaret’s House. We are part of the of the Christian Relief and Development Coalition that supports F.O.O.D. The Pandemic bought many changes to operations at the Food Bank. No longer are meals served inside, but meals are boxed up and provided a few at a time for clients. For much of the year Grace provides a meal for the 3rd Friday of the month and provides cooked meat for Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Ongoing Outreach - Inclusion
Grace has a special interest in inclusion of people with differing abilities. Over the past several years we have formed a partnership with Club Inclusion and were able to offer a number of activities at Grace. In the fall-spring 2025/26 Inclusive Choir, a free Choir for people from disabled and abled community takes place at Grace on Sundays at 2pm - 3pm under the direction of Adam Johnson. Registration is not required, please check Club Inclusion’s website for details.
On Tuesdays (not in the summer), Club Inclusion offers a day program. For further information on Club Inclusion’s activities, please see their website.
Club Inclusion and Grace were able to partner to purchase and install an adult change table in one of the main floor washrooms.
Ongoing Outreach - Supportive Housing
Grace United Church was involved in the founding of Alice House which provides safe second-stage housing and supportive counselling for women and children in Nova Scotia. Grace provides a financial support as well as collecting personal care items in October.
Grace United Church was a founding member of what is now known as Adsum for Women and Children. We provide a director to the Board and financial support.
Grace is becoming increasingly concerned about housing issues and in September 2023 wrote letters to the Premiers, relevant minister, Dartmouth MLAs and Dartmouth Councillors to express the need for emergency housing and deeply affordable housing in Dartmouth. People are invited to also write letters. Further information can be found by clicking here.
Special Projects
Each year, the congregation collects collects personal care items for Coverdale Foundation (April) and Alice House (October). We also do special projects over Advent.
ADVENT SPECIAL PROJECTS
Stockings Gifts
Each stocking has a gift request on it and the gifts are given to Veith House and North Grove (formerly the Dartmouth Family Centre and Dartmouth North Food Community Centre).
White Gift Sunday
On White Gift Sunday, usually the second Sunday of Advent, we bring donations for the NDORC food Bank; usually food, sometimes money. These are placed under the Tree and then they are delivered to the Food Bank on Tuesday. Pictured are the food donations from 2025 White Gift Service along with some of Grace’s volunteers at the Food Bank.
Tree of Warmth
We decorate a tree with winter clothing accessories such as gloves and mittens, hats, socks and undergarments. Our decorations go to agencies who support people who are homeless or are in poverty. Monetary donations (please identify) can be made and we will shop for needed articles (usually children’s boots that have been identified by Schools Plus).
In 2025, besides the items shown on and around the tree, they were approximately $1,000 worth of children’s boots purchased for the Schools Plus program.
Gift Bag Program
Donations of full-size personal care items for men and women such as - bars of soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, facecloths, socks, warm socks and individually wrapped treats are requested for The North Dartmouth Outreach Resource Centre Holiday Program. These are repackaged in gift bags and given to the adults in the household. In 2025, Grace donations were part of the gift bags provided for 90 households.
Sunday School Christmas Party
As part of the Sunday School Christmas Party, the students decorate cookies for Margaret’s House to provide as treats to the clients.