Sold-out crowd at fundraiser for Hope of St. Joseph Shelter Inc.
- Ron Giofu
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Father Donato Lwiyando may have passed away, but his work carries on.
Father Donato, a former associate pastor at St. John the Baptist Church in Amherstburg, operated three shelters in his home country of D.R. Congo and even though he died of cancer June 6 at the age of 61, the charity in Amherstburg that assists the shelters is continuing.
The Hope of St. Joseph Shelter Inc. held a fundraising dinner Sunday night at the Coachwood Golf and Country Club in McGregor and saw a sold out crowd of 180 people attend.
The amount raised was not known as of press time, but the money will go to help the children and youth that are housed at the three shelters in the D.R. Congo.
Mary Beneteau, who kept in regular contact with Father Donato and is the secretary of the charity’s board of directors, thanked the large crowd Sunday night.
“Can you believe we sold out more than a week ago?” she said. “We are so grateful to you.”
Father Donato had not been well for some time and his death was something that had a negative impact.
“When he died, the children and youth were just devastated,” she said.
Beneteau said those now caring for the shelters encouraged the children and youth to write letters to people in Canada about Father Donato, his impact or what the shelters mean to them. Many of them were on tables at the fundraiser.
“The letters were perfect,” said Beneteau. “I use the letters we get for updates to our sponsors.”
Some of the boys and girls in the shelters were worried about whether they would still get helped, and Beneteau said the charity will still assist them as much as possible.
“We really want to continue to help them,” said Beneteau. “They are our children. We cringe over not being there for them.”
While the large yard sale at the Beneteau home will no longer continue due to the fact the Beneteaus are getting older as are the volunteers, Beneteau said they may still hold a smaller yard sale and are still seeking sponsorships and donations to make up the decline in revenue.
“The donations and sponsorships keep us going,” she said.
Photos were shown of the children and youth once they arrived at the shelter and what they look like now. Positive changes have occurred thanks to the love and protection they receive.
“It is gratifying to be able to make such a change in their lives,” said Beneteau.
To sponsor a youth, it is $25 per month or $300 per year.
“As Father often said, ‘may God bless you according to your needs’,” she added.
Charity president Larry Allen said there is conflict in the D.R. Congo, particularly in the eastern part of the African nation, as rebel armies are entering the country. The rich minerals the country has is at the centre of much of the conflicts.
Children and youth have had to endure violence before they came to the shelters, with the students having to commit to going to school or learning a trade to stay at the shelter. Allen pointed out their education has to be paid for.
Allen added the charity still sells items online to generate funds and are always looking for sponsors or donors. They also fundraise where they can.
“Money-wise, we’re kind of struggling because we don’t have the $20,000-plus from the yard sale,” Allen said.
The Hope of St. Joseph Shelter Inc. is also looking for new volunteer board members, as they want to ensure the work continues if current board members wish to retire.
“We want to make sure this is going to carry on,” said Allen, adding it is a non-denominational charity.
For further information on The Hope of St. Joseph Shelter Inc. and the shelters they support, please visit www.hopeislife.ca.
Sold-out crowd at fundraiser for Hope of St. Joseph Shelter Inc.
By Ron Giofu