Hope & A Home for Efren

Everyone who has set foot in Edmonton's Hope Mission kitchen knows Efren. Efren is the quiet guy in the chef's hat with the big smile who greets the ever-rotating groups of volunteers arriving for kitchen duty. He's the guy who gathers the group around the next kitchen task and asks their names, repeating each name carefully with a smile and nod. He's the guy who gently shows you the proper way to slice onions so you don't loose your fingers. When you ask how long he's been the chef at Hope Mission, serving the homeless Efren playfully asks you to guess. The answer? 26 years.

For 26 years, Efren has been the face of the Hope Mission kitchen, guiding a kitchen team and numerous volunteers to prepare over a 1000 meals a day for the those who are in need. It's an incredible task, and an incredible dedication to the hard work of sharing hope with those who have little.

In late September 2018, Efren's home was severely damaged by fire following a break and enter. The loss of property and damage done to the bungalow was significant, and Efren doesn't expect the restoration process to be complete until sometime in the new year.

Efren isn't the kind of guy who'd go looking for help, yet he's given his life to quietly and faithfully helping others. He's spent 26 years helping the homeless, and is now without a home of his own. I mentioned to him that I know there are people who'd like to help, however I have no idea how people will respond. My goal is to rally support from those who know Efren and raise $10,000 toward helping Efren get back on his feet. 

If you know of church or business groups that have regularly volunteered at the Hope Mission kitchen over the years, could you help by forwarding this campaign? The campaign will end on Monday, December 10.

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About this campaign:

My name is Clinton Porritt, I am on staff at Mount Carmel Bible College, and I have lived and worked in Edmonton for the past 20+ years.  Through my work with youth and young adults, I have had the opportunity to volunteer in the Hope Mission kitchen with Efren and the kitchen team on a number of occasions. Currently I help out every Tuesday afternoon alongside three of my students.

The funds raised through this campaign will be received directly by Efren on Tuesday, December 11 and will be used to pay for the extensive renovations happening to his home as a result of the fire and/or to replace furniture and personal items that were stolen or destroyed. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.