YOUR RIGHTS AS A DONOR If at anytime you would like to change the amount of mail you receive from us, please contact the Development Team at 905-528-7625 x239, and we would be happy to comply with your request. In addition, Living Rock Ministries assures its donors that personal information is not used for commercial purposes. We do not rent, sell, trade or share our donor information. Personal information is kept confidential and is used only to mail you information about our services.

30 Wilson St. Hamilton ON

L8R 1C5 Phone: 905-528-7625

Fax: 905-526-8723

CHARITABLE#: 88345 8812 RR0001 Check out Living Rock’s New Website www.livingrock.ca

FOOD BANK FINESSE

Wanting to make the humble waiting room of Living Rock’s Food Bank more comfortable, a two person team stepped up and took the initiative to redecorate. Cindy Macdonald, a long time staff and & Susan Ransome (pictured above), a food bank volunteer, donated money from their own pocket to make sure the youth who visit feel welcome. Upon discovering the surprise, Karen Craig, Program Director, was ecstatic urging everybody to go and see for themselves. “Youth deserve excellence. This room reflects love and care. The small room where young mothers and teens wait, has been revived with life. The attention to detail and hard work that dedicated staff and volunteers put into the Rock is all around us.”

If you would like to learn more about volunteer opportunities please contact: Jœl Van Steenbergen, Volunteer Coordinator 905-528-ROCK (7625) or Email at jœl@livingrock.ca. Or check out livingrock.ca for more details.

MEMORIALS & HONORARIUMS IN MEMORY OF: RECEIVED FROM:

Be y Deboer Barbara Lloyd Dorothy MacDonald John & Margaret Jamieson Ed Prior Kevin & Nancy Coxhead Eve Brown Ken & Eva Kupisz Grace & Lloyd Saunders Paul Saunders John Oliver Baker Dane e Sokoloski Myrtle Dawson Mar n & Nancy Dawson Susan Moffat William & Judith Moffat

IN HONOUR OF: RECEIVED FROM:

Benjamin family Anthony David Bob Charters' Birthday Janine Charters Eric & Ben, Colin & Mom Claude & Marilyn Eilers Kaitlin K's Christmas Wish JB & Tara Matheson Kevin Vos Karen Vos Lucie Louise Hart Staff of Affinity Biologicals Inc. True Staff of CUPE Local 7800 Dave Murphy

ROCK RESOURCES RELOADED / FOOD SERVICES

“Not being able to get a job as well as people judging me have been my most challenging times. The coaches gave me the confidence to believe in myself. I think that, combined with my will power, [has helped me] to say I’m done dealing with the old [bad stuff] and need a change in my life.” -Rock Resources Reloaded Participant

UPGRADING YOUR OLD SNOWBLOWER OR POWERWASHER? Donate your old snowblower and powerwashers to Living Rock! 905-528-7625 x250

”

TERRY’S TRI-ROCK TRIUMPH

He is risen.

The Rock Review Serving youth since 1985

Spring 2015

“ Terry came into the TRI-Rock Employment Training Program. Like many others who apply, he was hoping to find a job. At nineteen years of age Terry had not finished high school and had no work experience. He didn’t have much hope for his future and couldn’t recognize his own potential. The TRI-Rock program begins by engaging with the youth, helping them discover what kind of future they want for themselves and what kind of job they would like to have in the short-term. Engaging them to identify a goal that is achievable and provides stability in their first steps towards their long terms dreams and aspirations. Terry told Mary Anne, TRI-Rock Coordinator, “It’s never too late to start working towards your goals. I’m still not sure what I want to do yet. I’m just as capable as anyone else to succeed. I never gave that much thought before.” TRI-Rock encourages the youth to overcome challenges by teaching them how to turn those challenges into

strengths. It puts the ownership for success into their own hands. Terry realized that. He says, “At the Living Rock everyone is accepted and in TRI-Rock everyone is given the same opportunity. It’s whether you use it or not.”

“At the Living Rock everyone is accepted and in TRI-Rock

everyone is given the same opportunity.” -Terry

(pictured at placement during Phase 2 of the TRI-Rock Program)

Interacting with the youth puts

everything into a new perspective, something I will never be able to

thank them for. As much as I am helping them, they help me. Not only dœs Living Rock impact the lives

of at-risk youth, it impacts everyone

involved. -Volunteer

Story continued inside

FOOD SERVICE TRAINING

EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM

WORK-TO-EARN

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

ALAN CRAIG • FOUNDER / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

YOUTH PŒTRY CORNER

I believe that God is still in the life changing business with youth.

Just a little history about Living Rock. In 1985, I started the Rock as a storefront Church. After doing this for about five years, I quickly learned that it is way more effective to come alongside youth and help them on their life journey, at their own pace and in a sensitive and responsive way. In 1990, the Rock made a fundamental change in our approach and started focusing on street involved youth using street outreach, meals and Rock concerts to build relationship. “We needed to try to disciple them in their own context & to release them to ministry without requiring them to commit cultural suicide along the way.” -Peter Greig, Red Moon Rising This brought us to 1999. We purchased the youth resource centre and started employment programs to help youth find vision for their lives. In saying all this, the Rock has always believed in the teachings of Christ. That mission has never left. We retained our service, originally on Sunday afternoon, and moved it to Wednesday afternoon, known today as The Gathering.

In about 2006, the Rock came to a crossroads. What direction would we go? Most of the work we were doing with the youth was very practical, with programs focusing on employment, parenting and education, as well as offering a food bank and serving over 900 meals a week. In all of that we still desire to see the ministry in all that we do. One of the managers at the time suggested we connect with a ministry in Hamilton called GOHOP that seeks to cover the city in prayer and mentor the new generation. After discussion with our leadership, I pushed aside any worry of alienating the youth and made a contract with GOHOP. It has been a great relationship over the years and has made an impact on the ministry. Karen and I attended a prayer event last week and we counted 11 youth that had come through the Rock. They are providing the youth with purpose and expressing ways of creative prayer, something that youth are excited to be part of. Every summer, they rent a truck and use it for a place for 24 hour prayer. Every time I passed by the truck there were youth from the Rock at it including some very hard-core street involved teens. Thanks GOHOP! Soupfest was a wonderful success yet again. Scot Urquhart from CHCH provided awesome coverage stating “Soup has been a force for good.” Thank you to all of our volunteers, staff and friends that pray for Living Rock and help to spread the “Youth Matter” campaign throughout the entire city. We look forward to being able to interact more with the community in our new Food Truck Social Enterprise: “Follow The Harvest”. Find us on facebook or follow us on Twitter @TheHarvestTruck.

TERRY’S TRI-ROCK TRIUMPH The staff work side-by-side and one-on-one to equip the youth with strategies when obstacles arise that threaten their employment and stability. Terry has become more confident in himself. Terry reflected that “The Living Rock teaches you about self-worth and boosts your self-esteem.” TRI-Rock provides training for practical, hands-on skills such as janitorial work, inventory control, portering, basic administration skills and practical kitchen experience. TRI-Rock also provides life-skills groups and training in budgeting, resume writing, interview skills, anger management, the Safe Food Handling course, WHMIS and First Aid & CPR. All these opportunities equip the

youth with life lessons they can take into their placement, any future jobs and carry with them for the rest of their lives. Terry took the lessons that he learned from TRI-Rock into his placement at Bulk Barn, which led him to be hired full-time after he graduated from the TRI-Rock Program. Terry remembered an important lesson he learned from Bob Moore, TRI-Rock Coordinator. “Bob said, ‘Always be hard working’. I’ve learned that the hardest workers are the most valuable…Now I accept that I’m one of the hardest workers I know. I take my job seriously.”

 

SPONSORS

DIAMOND SPONSOR        

PLATINUM SPONSOR      

GOLD SPONSOR  

     

SILVER SPONSOR    

BRONZE SPONSOR  

On Tuesday, February 24, 2015, Hamilton Conven on Centre by Carmen’s was alive with aromas of soup. The bustle of people was joyous as over 5,000  

litres of soup was served to raise $70,000 to support cri cal  programs at Living Rock.  

 Over  5,000 people came out to enjoy music, meet celebrity servers and  mingle with the community, all while tas ng stomach warming soups.  

WINNERS BEST DISPLAY                Winner ‐ S llwaters 1st Runner up ‐ Taylor’s Tea Room and Take Away  2nd Runner up ‐ Fisher’s Eatery & Sports Lounge    

MOST CREATIVE SOUP  

        Winner ‐ Baci Ristorante ‐ Roasted Garlic & Potato w/ Maple Sriracha Cheesecake 

1st Runner up ‐ S llwaters - Hot Chick Soup 2nd Runner up ‐ Sensa onal Samosa – Ash Soup   

BEST GROWN LOCAL SOUP  

        Winner ‐ Goodness Me! – Smokey Goodness 1st Runner up – The Burnt Tongue – Moroccan Vegetable w/ Pearl Couscous 2nd Runner up ‐ Cascata Bistro ‐ Vivacious Vegan Soup   

BEST SOUP         

       Winner ‐ Collins Brewhouse – Mac & Cheese 

1st Runner up ‐ S llwaters - Hot Chick Soup 2nd Runner up ‐ Mustang’s Big Ol’ Grill ‐ Honey Roasted Sweet Potato   

FOODIE CHOICE AWARD  

       Winner ‐ Heritage Place Re rement – Leek & Mushroom 1st Runner up ‐ Earth Shake ‐ African Nut 2nd Runner up ‐ 4th Course Bistro ‐ Sweet Potato Kale & Sausage Soup 2nd Runner up  ‐ Collins Brewhouse‐ Mac & Cheese 

REST

AURA

NTS

This year Living Rock added an additional award category titled the Foodie Choice Award. Many of the restaurants have mentioned through the years that it would be amazing to have their culinary skills judged by members from their own sector. Judges were given anonymous soup samples. All soups were scored by each of the Judges and then the votes were collected and presented at the Closing Ceremonies.

From left to right: Amanda Kinnaird, Chanry Thach, Dave Hanley, Alex Bielak & Karen Aquino

FOODIE CHOICE AWARD

Special Thank You to Hume Media for “Stirring Up Support for youth-at-risk” by printing the programs. Acknowledgements  

Special thanks to 2015 Spirit Award Winner, Wayne Baker, who has volunteered with Soupfest for 5 consecutive years. Wayne has added his culinary expertise and passion through his involvement on the Soupfest Committee as well as coordinating the Restaurant Support Team during Soupfest. 

CONGRATULATIONS WAYNE BAKER GARY KRISTIANSEN LIVING ROCK SOUPFEST SPIRIT AWARD “FOR EXCELLENCE IN VOLUNTEERISM”

KPMG Management Services LP • Blue Wave- FirstOntario Credit Union • Team Orange- ArcelorMittal Dofasco Hamilton • Association of Administrative Assistants • BrokerLink Inc. ● Hamilton Bulldogs Bruiser ● Hamilton Tiger-Cats ● FirstOntario Credit Union Roo ● Pigskin Pete ● The Doodle Bug (Mascot) ● City of Hamilton ● Hamilton Bulldogs ●

Jill Trites ● Mercury Food Service ● The Meeting House ● Via Rail ● WestJet ● Intrigue Media Hamilton, Amy Spice ● Terri Busch ● Sealed Art ● Nick Cino, Y108 ● Kelly Cutrara, Fresh Radio 95.3 ● Andrew Gerrior, Fresh Radio 95.3

● Scott Thompson, AM 900 CHML ● Hamilton Police Action Team ● The Hamilton Professional Fire Fighter Association ● Thank you to all the volunteers, staff and youth support!

*For more informa on see livingrock.ca 

CHECK OUT THE REVERSE SIDE TO SEE ALL WINNERS! 

Doug Tulloch The Ring of Fire Tomi Swick Al Craig & Friends

Peter Tigchelaar Darin Martin Band The Overplayers