Pastor’s homily spurs school to successful homeless donation drive

The overwhelming success of a donation drive at Queen of All Saints Elementary has inspired the Coquitlam school to make it an annual tradition. 

The school launched the drive in response to a challenge issued by pastor Father Don Larson, who in a homily entreated the Queen of All Saints community to be supportive and give generously to those in need. The words fell on fertile soil and a donation drive to help the Catholic Charities Men’s Shelter was born.

The results were inspiring. “We were overwhelmed by the support we were able to give to the men’s shelter,” said principal Joan Sandberg.

Parents received a notice with a list of items men at the shelter need (such as toothbrushes, socks, and other miscellaneous essentials) and were invited to donate what they could. 

In a single day, the school collected six large boxes and several large bags full of needed items for the shelter.

“This was an overwhelmingly supportive venture for us,” said Sandberg. 

Students usually bring a loonie or toonie for a dress-down day, she said. This time, parents and students ran with their pastor’s challenge to participate in the corporal works of mercy with the donation drive.

The response was so positive, Sandberg said, that the school will make the collection a tradition, along with other programs such as writing Christmas cards for inmates.

Solomon Atta, the shelter’s operations manager, had heartfelt thanks for the generosity and told The B.C. Catholic the donations will “ensure that we do not only provide shelter to our cherished guests, but also something to wear for those who need them.”

The donations help the shelter fulfill its “bigger mission to walk alongside guests in their life journey while also supporting them with the resources needed to move forward,” said Atta.

The drive wasn’t only a concrete way to encourage generosity, but it also offered a chance for students and teachers to learn about the shelter. For example, students hadn’t known the shelter operates out of St. Paul’s Hospital, or how it offers help for homeless and at-risk men with health complications.

A spokesperson for the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese told The B.C. Catholic the success of the QAS program has encouraged other schools to run similar drives next year. The hope is that at least one donation drive a month during the school year will keep a steady stream of donations going to the shelter all year long.

“The response that we received was humbling,” Sandberg said. “If people are looking for something to support, it’s a great place to give their charity.”

Catholic Charities Men’s Shelter is a beneficiary of Project Advance.

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