World Vision started NeighbourLink in 1990 to help Canadian churches connect to their community. Neighbourlink enables volunteers to help their neighbours in real and practical ways. NeighbourLink networks are active across the country, representing approximately 400 churches and thousands of volunteers from a wide variety of denominations and traditions.
NeighbourLink helps churches build relationships with their neighbours by:
- Providing a forum for local churches and agencies to share what they are doing in the community.
- Equipping churches with the tools and training to assess their communities and develop an effective network. Each church chooses how it will participate in the network based on its vision, gifts, and ministries.
- Connecting neighbours in need with church volunteers, ministry projects, and agencies. It helps churches establish a centralized database and telephone resource centre to assess people's needs and refer them to the appropriate people or project.
Programs and Projects
Here's what some NeighbourLink affiliates are doing:
Ministry Project
NeighbourLink Centre Wellington, in partnership with the Community Pantry and St. James Church in Fergus, Ontario, offers a cooking session each month for young moms and dads with limited resources. Participants cook together, learn economical recipes, and take the meals home to their families. NeighbourLink volunteers from various churches assist with babysitting, transportation, teaching, and cooking.
Small Group Initiative
Salmon Arm, B.C., 20 to 25 young people from area churches help chop truckloads of wood from the mills. The wood is ready whenever NeighbourLink gets a call from someone needing firewood.
Volunteer Network
Volunteers from churches in the North Shore Vancouver area work together through NeighbourLink to shop for shut-ins once a month. Customers phone in their orders to volunteers, who then shop and prepare hampers for delivery.
