Mission & Outreach
Our Outreach Committee strives to make the world a better place by focusing our efforts on poverty reduction, food insecurity, environmental protection and refugee support.
Volunteer Opportunities
- Helping to plant, tend and water the plants in our community garden. (Spring, Summer, Fall)
- Organizing our Christmas Pyjama Drive on behalf of Kerr Street Mission.(Fall)
- Participating in the Neighbourhood Care Network, an organization that provides a helping hand to local people in need. (All year.)
- Planning programs to help educate our church members and the broader community about indigenous issues.
Poverty Reduction
Neighbourhood Care Network – We partner with Kerr Street Mission to provide volunteers to help our local citizens in need of a helping hand. Our help can range from assisting clients in finding rental accommodation to helping them access social services. Sometimes the only skill required is that you be a good listener.
Volunteers are trained by Kerr Street Mission and matched with the individuals in need. Watch this space for the next training opportunity.
To learn more about the neighbourhood care network, go to kerrstreet.com/ncn
Food Insecurity
Our church has been supporting the Canadian Foodgrains Bank for many years. The Modern Miracle Spaghetti dinner is held annually as a fundraiser. The funds raised help to relieve famine and provide agricultural training in the developing world.
Modern Miracle Dinner 2025
We served around 100 meals & raised roughly $4,000 for Canada Foodgrains Bank (CFGB). Big thank you to:
- The Old Spaghetti Factory & the Hnatiw Family for donating the meals!
Kim MacKay & Bill Bremner for supporting other food purchases
The Belle Choir for providing dessert squares! The over 20 volunteers who helped sell tickets, run the kitchen, serve the meals, and cleanup!
- The McKee family for performing music during the meal
Lastly, thanks to all of you that attended & donated
The next Modern Miracle Dinner will be Spring 2026
Dinners at Kerr Street Mission
Our church along with many other Oakville churches take turns in providing healthy meals to the clients of Kerr Street Mission.
Maple Grove UC is scheduled for 2 dinners for 2025: August 18, and October 6.
For more information about helping out, contact Hugh Wanless at outreach.mguc@gmail.com
Adopt a Shelf
Maple Grove United Church is a strong supporter of this program in support of Kerr Street Mission. For more information on the program click here: kerrstreet.com/adopt-a-shelf/
In September, we’ll be able to update you on the Fall programs.
Community Garden
Vegetables raised in our garden are donated to the Kerr Street Mission foodbank as well as other foodbanks in Oakville.
MGUC needs gardening volunteers to help us maintain the garden throughout the season.
Contact outreach.mguc@gmail.com !
Environmental Protection
Pollinator Garden
Our pollinator garden of native plants was created to showcase how a garden can benefit birds, butterflies and other insects.
If you are interesting in helping to maintain the garden (spring and fall) please feel free to contact Hugh Wanless at outreach.mguc@gmail.com
Oakville Ready, a group within the Town of Oakville focused on Climate Resiliency, provided 4 pollinator shrubs to plant on our grounds. These shrubs are thriving!
Oakvillegreen is another group that organizes people interested in maintaining pollinator gardens across Oakville: Register today at oakvillegreen.org/events-calendar
Refugee Support
In the past 5 years we have sponsored 7 Middle Eastern refugee families from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and the seventh family has just arrived in Canada (May 2025)
If you are interested in donating gently used clothing or furniture, please contact Safety Net to make your contributions: safetynetservices.ca