Thanksgiving is the time to be grateful

It’s fall: the blessed time of year when nature paints beautiful colours on the leaves across Canada.

As Canadians recognize Thanksgiving this weekend and gather with loved ones, One Love Family Services pauses to reflect on the struggles of Indigenous peoples, and on how the pioneers from Europe engaged with them. We ought to be grateful for living on the lands of the First Nations.

This weekend is also the celebration of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, who was sent as a mercy to all humanity some fourteen hundred years ago.

Why this matters to our work

How is this relevant to what we do at One Love Family Services? We are gathering funds and mobilizing volunteers to provide halal chickens and turkeys to those in need. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we have been able to continue meeting the needs of our respected clients.

October is a special month, with much to celebrate. It is Women’s History Month in Canada, and we are tremendously grateful for the immense contributions women have made to this venture. We have had invaluable support from strong women who are deeply invested in their communities and in making Canada a better place for all.

The month also marks the 15th anniversary of Canadian Islamic History Month. As we celebrate the vast contributions of Muslims across the country, we give many thanks for the generous love and support our Muslim community has given to the efforts of One Love Family Services.

Thank you to our volunteers

I must applaud the giving nature of our wonderful volunteer drivers, packers, and directors, who always make the time and resources to help make our monthly food drive and seniors’ wellness program a success. Thank you for the clothing drive for the Pakistan floods. Thank you for the hampers and meals for families this weekend.

Mawlid Nabi is about gratitude for having the guidance of a universal Prophet, on whom be peace.

One Love is about caring for everyone, regardless of background. One Love. One Table. All are welcome.

We extend endless gratitude to you for being part of the One Love family. In the words of Chaplain Juliane Martin:

Even if I won the lottery, I would continue serving those incarcerated and continue striving to offer hope for the vulnerable.

Juliane Martin

Peace and grace in abundance.