In service to others

For the second year in a row, Spiritual Care volunteer Stefan Nichol wanted to show patients at Joseph’s Mental Health Care Program that they are not forgotten. 

Determined to make sure patients feel special over the holidays, Stefan once again approached several organizations for monetary donations so he could gather items for Christmas gift packages. Grateful for the donations from Viana Dental, Project Hope, All 4 One Biker Church, Impact Church and St. Georges Anglican, Stefan went to work.

Stefan Nichol and staff Chaplain Jessica Baker unloading gifts from a van with an "Impact Church" sign on it
St. Joseph’s volunteer Stefan Nichol, left, and staff Chaplain Jessica Baker unloading gifts for more than 100 patients in Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care Program.

“This can be a very anxious and isolating time for patients who are not only worried about the ongoing pandemic, but who are also not seeing their loved ones as often as they typically would,” explains Stefan. “I just wanted them to know that they are not forgotten – there are people who are thinking about them.”

The care packages included games, activities, comfort objects and winter apparel. 

“Stefan has such an evident care for our patients here,” says Jessica Baker, staff Chaplain at St. Joseph’s. “He is living out his faith by reaching out to others and I’m sure our patients will be touched when they receive these packages."

Back to all Stories

Other Stories

two women standing on either side of a Christmas tree holding gifts, surrounded by gift bags

The gift of empathy

For more than a decade, a group from the Canadian Mental Health Association - Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services (CMHA) has put together gift items for each patient within Parkwood Institute’s various mental health care programs. The initiative, dubbed the Holiday Stocking Project...
Read more
man holds up two teddy bears

A beary heartwarming gift arrives in time for Christmas 

Jasper and Kingsley are two fuzzy friends helping to ring in the Christmas spirit at St. Joseph’s Health Care London. They arrived earlier this month as part of a generous donation of 1,300 plush teddy bears from Calendar Club through its teddy bear donation program. The bears will be distributed to...
Read more
a large collection of donated food in holiday-themed boxes, next to an image of driver Rolly Willey unloading the donations from a minivan

A mission of kindness

As the saying goes, we are all in the same storm during this pandemic, but we aren't all in the same boat. Staff, physicians and volunteers at St. Joseph's have come together in kindness to support vulnerable people in our community this holiday season. St. Joseph’s partnered with Morrison Food...
Read more