Sanctuary London

05/29/2026

Who is my neighbour?

Maybe a better question is: What kind of neighbour am I?

How do we help create neighbourhoods where everyone feels welcome, valued, and like they belong?

What would it look like to be a good neighbour not only to the people who live beside us, but also to those who are often excluded, overlooked, or struggling? How do we care for the places we share so that everyone can flourish?

And what about the more-than-human neighbours around us? The birds, animals, trees, rivers, and green spaces that make our communities livable and beautiful. They belong here too.

This duck seemed perfectly content enjoying a large puddle in Sanctuary's parking lot. It was a small reminder that we share our neighbourhood with many others, and that the way we care for our spaces affects more than just ourselves.

As we continue asking , perhaps the question invites us to think not only about who our neighbours are, but also about how we can help create a neighbourhood where everyone—and everything—has a place.

05/27/2026

This winter you all stepped up - we had one of our biggest ever years of sleeping bag donations. And, cold as it was, they were much needed and appreciated. Thank you!

As we move into summer weather, the needs shift. Over the next few months we would gratefully accept sunscreen, deodorant, bug spray, freezies, and hats. Travel-size deodorant and sunscreen are best, but we appreciate other sizes as well.

05/26/2026

We grieve with the community over the closing of London Cares House of Hope. 45 neighbours having to leave the place that they called HOME. For many of these folks, this was the first place they really felt safe and at home. Where will all these beautiful people go?

05/25/2026

Coffee Order Time
This is the perfect time of year to sit on your front porch, say hi to the passing neighbours and enjoy a good cup of coffee!
Order goes in on Wednesday, May 27 with pick-up on Monday, June 1.
Coffee is provided by https://patricksbeans.com/ - one of the best roasters in the city.
Cost is $20 for a 400g bag, either ground or beans.
Comment below if you'd like to place an order or email [email protected] directly.

Hand Roasted Coffee Beans from a master roaster and professional chef.

05/22/2026

Take a moment to think about your favourite neighbour of all time.

Maybe it was the older couple next door who always waved when you walked by. Maybe it was someone down the street who brought soup over when your family was sick, helped shovel the driveway after a storm, watched your kids for an hour in an emergency, or simply made you feel known and welcome.

They may not even have lived right beside you. But they were neighbourly to you.

Now think about the people who live around you today...

Do you know their names? Have you ever shared a conversation? Borrowed a tool? Offered help? Accepted help?

Many of us have become surrounded by strangers. And it’s hard to care for neighbours we do not know.

The same is true for our unhoused neighbours.

People we don’t know can feel unfamiliar, unpredictable, even frightening sometimes — especially when they live differently than we do. But something changes when we slow down long enough to learn someone’s name, hear their story, or share a moment of conversation.

The stranger becomes a neighbour.

And neighbours matter to each other.

05/20/2026

Did you enjoy last night's storm? We had a crazy crazy one here in London Ontario.... At least two tornadoes in the nearby area and and multiple other twister clouds were being monitored. It was pretty cool to watch and amazing to hear!

Hopefully you made it through safely. But what about your neighbours? How are they doing? Do they have trees down on their property? Are their roofs and basements ok? Did they lose power? How else might you care for them? Have you asked?

What about our unhoused neighbours? If they have any sort of shelter, is it still standing and functional? We went from around 30 degrees to below 8 in a few short hours, and when you are soaking wet, that extreme switch can be extremely harmful to a person. Especially when they are already super vulnerable and likely completely exhausted from trying to make it through the night.

How can we care for these folx?

Perhaps this morning might be a good opportunity for you to check in on both your housed and unhoused neighbours.

But remember! Don't go in with your own assumptions about what others might need... Just ask! Most folx know what they need for themselves better than anyone else can tell them. And if someone asks you just for space to be left alone, either with their words or body language and actions, always respect that. We never know what someone is struggling through. Just be kind!

05/18/2026

We recently posted this photo which was taken at the front of our office building. It raised a few questions for some who saw it:

"Does 'all' include q***r people?"

"We know you welcome people who are hungry and might not have anything to eat, but what about those who can afford their own food?"

"What do you mean by neighbour? I sometimes see people driving in or busing and walking from the other end of the city!"

Over the next while we are going to make a number of posts about what it means to be neighbours. Particularly, hopefully about that it means to be a GOOD neighbour.

Look for the hashtag

By the way.... what does the word "neighbour" mean for you???

05/15/2026

So much death in our community recently... "And every one of those is a real person.... Who we should just be seeing as a person we care for..."

"Housing works, Housing first works, and highly supportive housing works....."

Please pay attention on May 26th as the London Mayoral Candidates share their commitments regarding homelessness, affordable housing and other important local issues.

05/13/2026

05/05/2026

No more stolen sisters.....