... by the Ontario Government in Canada to Assist Black Youth

At a special Press Conference held on December 11, 2006 at First Baptist Church in Toronto-Canada, the Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, and the Honourable Mary Anne Chambers, Minister of Children and Youth Services, were present for the announcement of the first grants to be awarded by the African-Canadian Christian Network (ACCN) to faith-based organisations to help youth live lives free of violence.

The ACCN has received a grant for $3 million over two years from the Ontario government to assist Black Church and community groups to enhance programs for Black youth in under-served areas to find alternatives to violence.

Ten organisations were awarded grants in the first round Dec. 11. Among them is the Education Council of the two Ghanaian Adventist Churches in Toronto. The Council is a partnership between the Heritage Ghanaian SDA Church in the Jane/Finch area of Toronto and the Toronto Ghanaian SDA Church located in the Malton area. The partnership has been awarded $67,000 for year upon the its strong proposal submitted to the ACCN two months ago. The grant will be used to provide homework support as well as mentorship to, especially Black students in the Jane/Finch and Malton areas of Toronto. It will be used also to organised computer literacy and trade & training skills programs to the youth in the community.

Already the Education Council of the two Ghanaian SDA Churches in Toronto is collaborating with the Brookview Middle School in the Jane/Finch area to offer after school homework program for Black students. This is also in line with school’s Africentric program.

Also another Youth focussed partnership of which a Ghanaian, Benjamin Osei, is a major part received the same amount of money as the Ghanaian SDA Church in Toronto. It is a partnership of 7 organizations led by Lisle Memorial Baptist Church, and including Friendship Community Church, Yorkwoods Community Church, Shiloh House of Prayer, Agape Ministries, Toronto City Mission, and Youth Unlimited (Toronto Youth for Christ).

This is a marvelous tribute to Benjamin's work in the Jane-Finch community and the leadership he provided leading up to the development of their proposal. It is also a tribute to the spirit of cooperation that exists among the partnering organisations, which represent 5 different denominations and two para-church organizations. The grant for $67,000 in Year 1 will support the HOOP to Hope Boy's program for Afro-Caribbean boys ages 14-18 in the Jane-Finch community, under Benjamin's leadership.