Through a friendship based approach and an empathy driven outreach program, kindness and understanding are at the frontlines of 519Pursuit’s work. Our foundation is built on meeting community members facing poverty and homelessness right where they are. This kickstarts reintegrating vulnerable members back into a supportive, and inclusive community. Through friendship, we are able to support honest trial and error while walking alongside someone who is wanting to do better for themselves and the community.
Our Mission: Our mission is to create friendships with a lasting connection and positive impact.
Our Vision: An inclusive community where those facing extreme poverty can hit the reset button in order to re-energize, overcome their unique challenges, and reach their full potential.
What do you want people to know about how you or your organization is creating change in our community?
Through a friendship based approach volunteers and staff at 519Pursuit have been consistently supporting individuals facing homelessness and extreme poverty in the London community since 2017. A partnership with The London Food Bank and RBC Place London were developed in March of 2020 creating greater ability to provide for those in our community living rough and on the streets of London. This partnership brought opportunity to food security for outreach volunteers to provide for friends in the community along with the many streams of care packages basic needs and survival gear that has always been at the heart of 519Pursuits work. More recently an extension of food security was created with a partnership with Y.O.U. allowing more meals per day be provided. Through ou friendship based approach and compassion driven outreach team we are seeing 100-120 people a day Mon-Fri. The impact of friendship and consistency has been immeasurable. There have been so many positive moments throughout such crisis that we've been able to celebrate with friends.
What are you working on that you would like to share with the community?
The 519Pledge is a community initiative that happens from October 1st – November 15th each year. The initiative was brought to light to change the conversation around homelessness leading into the colder months of the year. 519Pursuit encourages folks in the community to take the pledge to obtain 519 pairs of socks to donate. Each individual or team begins a conversation with their friends, families and networks for six weeks to raise awareness of items and solutions that could support those facing homelessness. Throughout the past 5 years we have had successful campaigns by raising over 290,000 pairs of socks. Over the past 5 years these socks have been used to support individuals facing homelessness and extreme poverty through community outreach as well as donated forward to over 75 other community groups, services and shelters from London – Toronto.
Each year the need for socks becomes more significant. Socks are one of the most asked for items and least thought to be donated. Over the first 9 months of 2023 volunteers from 519Pursuit have been delivering thousands of socks each week to Shelters and Services and have watched each pair of sock go to support individuals. This year we need your help more than ever! In 9 month’s over 100,000 pairs of socks were distributed and we need your help to stock the socks back up. Head to: www.519pursuit.ca/pledge to participate.
Please share with us why you are a Pillar Nonprofit Network Member. What haveyou gained from being a Pillar Member?
Being a member of The Pillar Nonprofit Network means so much to 519Pursuit. In 2018 we were lucky to be part of the social incubator program where the idea and the launch of the first official 519 Pledge For Socks happened. We are now celebrating our 6th year and 285,000 pairs of socks raised that have gone to support friends facing homelessness and extreme poverty.
Contact Name: Allison DeBlaire
Contact Email: contact@519pursuit.ca
Website: https://519pursuit.ca/about/
Link to featured initiative, project, or campaign: https://519pursuit.ca/pledge/