One of the intiatives launched within the York CDSB to celebrate Catholic Education Week is called Hope Street – a collaboration between the 23 elementary schools in Markham, Unionville, Thornhill and Stoufville. These schools have joined together to create and share hope in a timely and compassionate way by coordinating among school families and other parishioners food collection and pick up at various schools. In this way, physical distancing was maintained while still finding a way to respond to families in need throughout the region. You can learn more by visiting the Hope Street link which profiles the special and blessed connections at this time between homes, schools and parishes.

Schools in this north east region of the board also came together to respod to needs of the elderly in local residences who continue to suffer more acutely from isolation and heightened anxiety arising from the current pandemic. As a special focus of Catholic Education Week, the St. Justin, Martyr CES community held a “ONE TIME Kindness Card” collection on May 4th that was shared with the community’s elderly friends at Revera Retirement Residence.

Thank you York CDSB and this is just one of dozens of stories of empathy, service and compassion happening everyday in our Catholic school communities. Read more in our regular “Good News” postings on the OCSTA website.