Ingersoll’s Sycamore Centre offers spiritual and other supports for those in need

Sycamore Centre Coordinator Levi Veldman (centre) poses with two of the centre’s clients in front of the Thames Street location. (Lee Griffi photo)

Lee Griffi, Editor

A partnership between three organizations in Ingersoll is bringing much-needed support to people experiencing homelessness or other hardships.

The Oxford Church, Sycamore Centre and Thrift Co are working together to help those in need physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

Sycamore’s coordinator, Levi Veldman, said the project was created as a result of a mission from the church.

“They wanted to find a way to put their faith into action, serve the community and fill a gap. We created this space.”

The sycamore tree logo was created with purpose, with the olive-green sign representing life, growth and protection.

Veldman worked with the homeless in Laval, Quebec, before coming to Oxford County. His father, Rev. Dr. Meine Veldman, started the church four and a half years ago, and the younger Veldman made the move.

“I had been praying for a long time about combining humanitarian work and helping street people but also being able to share the gospel freely. I prayed about it and moved here. It wasn’t exactly clear cut what it was going to be, but we knew there was a lot of need.”

Veldman met with Mayor Brian Petrie and CAO Michael Graves, and it became obvious there was a demand for increased services.

“I started visiting the resources that existed in Ingersoll and Woodstock to figure out what was available, how the county and funding worked, so we could fill in the gaps, but also when people came in here, I would know where to send them depending on what they needed help with.”

There are several food resources available in Ingersoll and the decision was made not to focus on feeding people although healthy snacks and frozen dinners are available.

“This is a space where anybody from any walk of life can walk in and whatever they need, we will be able to help them. If they want to come and sit and just have a coffee, that’s fine. We try to get to know them and build relationships,” he explained.

If someone is looking for more help, Veldman will fill out an electronic intake form asking about a person’s housing and income situation, along with any addictions or other struggles.

“We will then do an intervention plan to figure out what we can do to help onsite or refer them elsewhere.”

Representatives from Oxford County Housing and the Canadian Mental Health Association attend weekly and a mobile outreach bus also stops at the centre bi-weekly. Sycamore also offers its clients a hot shower and laundry services, and a computer is available.

The centre has also been able to connect nine people to transitional housing, and there are close to 150 clients who regularly drop in. Dozens are homeless while many couch surf regularly.

Veldman explained while the organization is faith-based, no one is excluded if they aren’t religious.

“Absolutely not. We would never refuse someone because of that. We are very open with our values and our mission and we can talk about Jesus freely. If someone disagrees, then we have a discussion about it.”

Veldman added the organization can do a lot of healing on the surface, but the ultimate goal is to dig a little deeper.

“How can we get to the actual root of the issue, which is our sin, and turn to Christ. There are so many stories of people turning to Christ in their lives who are transformed.”

He added that statistically speaking, Christian rehab programs such as Teen Challenge have success rates of about 75 per cent, whereas the secular ones come in at between six and 10 per cent.

Elizabeth Mol is the manager at Thrift Co, a thrift store whose profits go directly to the Sycamore Centre. She is hoping the centre will be able to tap into more funding streams.

“They need more funding to make it more successful and keep it going.”

The store operates just like any other thrift store, relying on donations from the community. Mol said the space is very welcoming and people are encouraged to come in, have a coffee and talk.

“We get a lot of young people coming in. Some girls sit here and do their nails. It is a safe space for them to hang out. There is a oneness in all three projects where we all come together serving God. There is also a lot of outreach and we have kids from the local high school doing their volunteer hours.”

One criticism of the larger thrift stores is their prices are too high for those on a tight budget to afford. Mol explained Thrift Co won’t be following that business model.

“Thrift stores right now are really going out of range, and we really want to keep our prices reasonable. We have five donation bins, including two in Woodstock and two in Ingersoll. There is also one in Thamesford.”

More information can be found at www.sycamorecentre.ca, www.oxfordchurch.ca and www.thriftco.org.