Benevolent Fund

The gift of a Barnabas Summer Family Week

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are able to subsidise the actual costs of all Barnabas retreats, including Summer Family Weeks.

However, we know that for many families, a Summer Family Week at Barnabas is still not possible financially. The Barnabas Benevolent Fund was established to offer a partial or complete subsidy to families that qualify, enabling them to enjoy a summer week with us.

Read on to find out who the fund is for, and how to apply for Benevolent funding for Summer 2024.

If you would like to contribute to the Benevolent fund, please click here to find out more.

Who is it for?

The Benevolent fund was established to enable families to attend Barnabas who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it. In previous years, the fund has supported families in ministry (including Pastors and Missionaries), Refugee families recently settled in Canada and low income families needing a vacation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Applying to the Benevolent Fund:

  • There is benevolent funding for two families per week throughout the summer. Additional funding/spaces may be added after general registration opens.

  • The process is highly confidential. Your application and details will only be seen by our Benevolent committee. If your application is successful, no other Barnabas staff or guests will be aware of your funding status.

  • Our review process will conclude by January 30th, 2024. You will hear from us shortly after that.

  • While we cannot guarantee that you will be able to attend a week of your choosing, we will do our best to arrange a week that suits you.

  • In order to make the process as fair as possible, families will only be eligible for a benevolent gift once in every five years. However, if demand is low in a future year, exceptions may be possible.

  • Yes - if you nominated a family for Benevolent consideration, we will let you know if their application is successful.

Donating to the Benevolent Fund:

  • The cost of a family attending a summer family week varies depending on factors like the size of the family, the ages of the children and the type of accommodation they request.

    Here are some examples to give you an idea of the range of cost for one family attending Barnabas in the summer:

    Partial Funding - 60% funded (families are asked to contribute up to 40%)

    • $1750 for family of 4 (two adults, two kids)

    • $2110 for an older family of 5 (including two teens and a YA) in a bunk room

    • $1150 for a single parent with one child in standard accommodation

    Full Funding

    • $2775 for family of 4 (two adults, two kids) in standard accommodation

    • $3515 for an older family of 5 (including two teens and a YA) in a bunk room

    • $1795 for a single parent with one child in standard accommodation

  • Yes - if you nominated a family for Benevolent consideration, we will let you know whether or not their application has been successful.

  • Yes - we will issue you a tax reciept for this and any other donation to Barnabas at the end of the tax year.

    However, please note that due to CRA tax receipt regulations, you are not able to make a donation for a specific family to attend. You are welcome to make a general donation to our benevolent fund, and separately, to nominate a family for Benevolent consideration.

Apply today

There are 3 different ways to get involved with our Benevolent Fund.

1. APPLY FOR YOUR FAMILY

If you would like to apply for partial or full benevolent funding, you will need to submit an online application. In this application, we will ask you some questions to help us understand your situation and assess your need.

Once your application has been received, it will be reviewed by our Benevolent team. We will usually contact you to arrange a time to speak with you by telephone.

We will notify you if your application for benevolent funding has been successful or not.

2. NOMINATE ANOTHER FAMILY

You can also nominate another family to benefit from full or partial benevolent funding for one of our summer Family Weeks. For example, if there is a family in your community or congregation who would really benefit from a summer week at Barnabas, you are welcome to nominate them. To nominate another family, you will need to submit an online application. In this application, we will ask you some questions to help us understand their situation and assess their need.

Once your nomination has been received, it will be reviewed by our Benevolent team. We will usually contact you to arrange a time to speak with you by telephone. We will also arrange to speak with the family you are nominating.

We will notify you if your nomination for benevolent funding has been successful or not.

3. DONATE TO OUR BENEVOLENT FUND

Our benevolent fund is made possible by the generous donations of our donor community. If you would like to enable other families to come to one of our Summer Family Weeks at Barnabas, you can make an online donation. Please call us or email us if you have any questions.

Please note: due to CRA tax receipt regulations, you are not able to make a donation for a specific family to attend. You are welcome to make a general donation to our benevolent fund, and separately, to nominate a family for Benevolent consideration.