“We are most fortunate to have neighbours like you.”

Pauline Levert
Special to Spur Ottawa

Public schools and religious institutions aren’t known for broad cross-collaboration. Gloucester Presbyterian Church and Roberta Bondar Public School, however, defy that trend. One initiative they work together on is to provide friendship baskets to needy families at the school.

“Everyone who comes in for a fellowship basket is just over the moon,” says Marnie Patterson, Principal at Roberta Bondar School.

This is the second year Gloucester Presbyterian has put the baskets together for the school. Patterson, who says she is deeply touched by the act of kindness, identifies families who are struggling and distributes them to the students’ parents.

“It brings tears of joy,” she says of the partnership. “These baskets make a huge impact on families, who are thrilled and very appreciative. The church minister came with a couple elders. It was wonderful to see the students say, ‘Thank you.’ Later, when parents come to pick up the baskets, I’m the one who gets the hugs from the parents. I’m the one who sees that impact.”

“My prayer is to break the barriers and to bridge the cross-culture so people know we care.”

Parents pick up the baskets because they are too big for students to bring home. The baskets contain fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, biscuits, treats, and home baked goodies. They also include a note from the church and a gift certificate for Walmart.

“It’s an expression of God’s love for them,” explains Denise Allen-Macartney, Gloucester Presbyterian’s pastor. “My prayer is to break the barriers and to bridge the cross-culture so people know we care. As Jesus reminded us in the book of Matthew, ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

Denise Allen-Macartney, Gloucester Presbyterian’s pastor, works very hard building bridges with the school. The church has a strong sense of mission to love and bless their neighbours in practical ways. The school is a special focus because it reaches families throughout the local community, but it is also Gloucester Presbyterian’s literal neighbour, right across the street.

“Our baskets remind families we care about them and that God cares.”

Geoff Matthews, a church elder, says, “It is both humbling and extremely satisfying to be able to make a difference, if only temporarily, in the lives of others, and to let them know of our support and of God’s love.”

Matthews led the friendship basket initiative.

“Obviously, our baskets cannot meet all their needs. But they can provide a time of happiness to the families that receive them and remind them we care about them and that God cares,” he says.

Patterson recently sent a thank you note to the church:

Dear Denise and Gloucester Church friends,

Four of our wonderful families started their Family Day long weekend with a gift of love today. Your generous friendship baskets not only create a sense of community and support for these families, but also a feeling that they are surrounded by a ‘circle of caring’ beyond Bondar.

I cannot thank you enough for your partnership and dedication to the wellbeing of families in our school community. Bondarians are most fortunate to have neighbours like you all.

Happy Family Day Weekend.

Proud Principal, Marnie Patterson