How You Can Help

Volunteers

The Mission relies heavily on volunteers for its operation. They find it a very fulfilling activity. Volunteers are needed for watch keeping, driving various tasks at the Seafarers’ Centre; go to Volunteer Opportunity.

Accounting Advice
Our treasurer could use the assistance of a CPA or equivalent. It is possible that someone could give us some time to assist with how to properly handle the finances of the Centre and advise on how to best make of use of QuickBooks?

Office
Would you like to help us with computer/admin work?
We are looking for someone to come in for 2 hours a week who either has background using Microsoft Office or is willing to learn; must also be willing to function as a Watch Keeper and help seafarers who drop into the Centre.

Drop-off box is by the flagpole

Donations in Kind

Magazines and clean, used or new, but usable, warm, small to large men’s clothing may be put in the drop-off box at the Seafarers’ Centre. The Centre is just inside the gate at Keefer Intermodal, which is open Monday to Saturday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Magazines: particularly recent ones, especially newsmagazines. Most welcome are those in other languages such as Spanish, Hindi, Croatian, Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, and Tagalong.

Clothing: Clean, used or new, but usable, warm, small to large men’s clothing is needed. Seafarers coming in April to May and October to December are often not dressed for winter conditions. Suggested donations are: sweaters, jackets, T-shirts, mitts and toques.

Pop Cans: The Mission is now accepting pop cans to raise funds. A barrel for the cans is located outside the Seafarers’ Centre. For large donations of pop cans, people can take them into Dutchak Recycle Inc, 807-346-4785, off Hammond Ave (TB Harbour Improvements) and put the cans on the Mission to Seafarers’ account.

Financial Donations

The Mission to Seafarers: Port of Thunder Bay has a Charitable Registration Number and an Charitable Income Tax Receipt will be issued to donors.  Undesignated donations are applied to the General Fund; see below General Fund and Capital Fund.

To donate:

  • A cheque is made payable to ‘The Mission to Seafarers’. A donation may be made at any time by mailing it to:

The Mission to Seafarers: Port of Thunder Bay
Suite 450, 100 Main St.
Thunder Bay, ON  P7B 6R9
Canada

For hand delivered mail, a mailbox is beside the main door on the Seafarers’ Centre.

  • Interac E-transfer To donate send an e-transfer request through your financial institution to mtstreasurer@tbaytel.net.

In the message, please indicate:

    • which fund you wish your donation to be applied to; for example: General Fund, Capital Fund, or Christmas Gift Bag Fund;
      (the donation will be applied to the General Fund unless otherwise indicated); or
    • if it is not a donation, but a payment for the Meat Sale or Fund-raising Dinner ticket;
    • your mailing address if we do not have a record of it; and
    • the name of the person making the donation, in case it is different from the person whose name is on the bank account sending the request.
  • CanadaHelps.org
  • Monthly donations may also be made through the Electronic Offering Program. Donor Registration Forms are also available at Anglican parishes.

Individuals who make a financial donation or volunteer and organizations which make a financial donation become a ‘Friend of the Mission to Seafarers’, can vote at the General Meeting and receive a newsletter published once a year.

General Fund Revenue

Donations:

  • Anglican Diocese of Algoma Grant,
  • International Sailor’s Society of Canada
  • Thunder Bay Port Authority,
  • Individuals,
  • Anglican parishes and other churches,
  • Service Clubs, and
  • Corporations

Fund-raising:

  • Annual Fund-raising Dinner
  • Meat Sale

Sale of SIM cards, tuck shop, soft drinks

2023 total: $65,766

Staff – The Chaplain, the Rev’d Canon Ed Swayze, is hired on the basis of 48.5% of a full-time position, roughly 2â…œ days a week and honorariums for when Canon Ed is out of town and the services of a priest are required.

Seafarers Centre – insurance, equipment, satellite TV, telephones, Internet, supplies, and maintenance.

2023 Expense: $63,610

Van – Fuel, license, insurance, maintenance & repairs, washing and depreciation.

Aid to Seafarers – Christmas Gift bags, bibles that seafarers may take free of charge, Chaplain’s discretion fund for emergency assistance to seafarers.

Community Building – monthly Eucharist and lunch, volunteer and donor recognition, advertising and promotion, newsletter, Blessing of the Fleet, MtS Canada membership fee, and NAMMA fee.

General Administration – office supplies, bank charges, office supplies, printing, professional fees and exchange/round off.

Publicity Materials

Print Materials

  • Information for Friends – a pamphlet with information on the Mission to Seafarers: Port of Thunder Bay
  • A Brief History of the Mission to Seafarers: Port of Thunder Bay 1961 – 2012
  • Prayer Card
  • current newsletter
  • Annual Report
  • offering envelope – suitable for a special offering for the Mission to Seafarers on during a worship service
  • donation card and return envelope
  • memorial donation envelope

At least one month’s notice is required for print materials to be mailed.

Power Point Presentations

  • Introduction to the Mission to Seafarers
  • Year in Review

These presentations take 20 to 30 minutes to present. Arrangements can be made for the chaplain or a volunteer to give these presentations or they can be e-mailed to interested people.

Display

Please let us know if you would like to have our display set up for your tea or coffee hour.