Mustard Seed has been a dedicated partner of the Riverside BIA and they will be hosting this year’s Light Up the Riverside event on November 29th at 791 Queen Street East, from 5pm to 7pm.
Mustard Seed/ Sisters of St. Joseph and Fontbonne Place have and continue to be a nurturing community for Riverside’s older generations. Their mission is to offer a welcoming environment and sacred space where life skills can grow, where creative energies can be unleashed, where imagination, playfulness, beauty can be celebrated, where self-worth, dignity, healing, wholeness and spirituality can flourish and above all, where community is nourished.
During the Light Up Riverside event, which will feature the Toronto Beach Chorale and Santa Claus; Mustard Seed will also be having Craft sale including Knitting and pottery which could be great Christmas gifts for loved ones. Part of the proceeds from the sale are donated to charities in the community.
A Brief History of Mustard Seed/Sisters of St. Joseph/FontBonne Place
SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH began in 1651 in southern France to serve the needy. The order has spread throughout the world. 4 Sisters of 4 different nationalities came to Canada in 1851 (via the U.S.) to care for victims of the Irish famine: orphans and the sick in fever sheds They went on to establish hospitals, schools, homes for the needy, addiction treatment in Toronto and across Canada, plus third–world missions.
FONTBONNE PLACE. In1999, St. Michael’s Hospital (then owned & operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph) pulled out of their satellite clinic at 791 Queen St. E. The Sisters sought what needs could be served there. Permanent safe affordable housing for women 40 to 60 was decided upon. As the zoning laws permit only 3 storeys, there are only18 one-bedroom apartments plus a 3- bedroom on the ground floor.
MUSTARD SEED. The space on the ground floor adjacent to the buildings next door and the basement were unsuitable for housing. Sister Gwen Smith, who had worked for 10 years in Parkdale in social justice (including housing, refugees, community gardens, community kitchens and wholesale food store), was invited to explore what needs might be met in this space. With the government reduced resources for social services, Sister was told not to siphon funds or resources from other services, but rely solely on support from the Sisters and their benefactors.
With encouragement from agencies like Ralph Thornton, South Riverdale Community Health Centre, Jimmy Simpson, St. Michael’s Hospital and Woodgreen a community garden, community kitchen and an art group were started. Other Sisters & friends added their talents of sewing, health care, foot care, counseling, spirituality, meditation, computer training, crafts, gentle tai chi, self-expression via writing, baking. East End Drop-in Network asked Mustard Seed to provide a drop-in in the cold weather. Mustard Seed was a founding member of the Riverdale Food Working Group, which promotes affordable nutritious food with workshops, markets and farm field trips. These activities are where the mission of Mustard Seed takes place: to nurture community!
Fun Fact!!! Did you know that Mustard Seed has a garden named the Lasagna Garden? … where they grow their own foods such as zucchinis’ and tomatoes; and it features a stain glass stepping stone.
Matt & Ben are proud sponsors of Light Up the Riverside
